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Health Care Power of Attorney Requirements in Vermont

In Vermont, an advance directive appointing an agent must be dated, signed and signed by two or more witnesses aged 18 or older; the agent and the principal's spouse, parent, adult sibling, child or grandchild cannot witness.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Vermont at a glance

Document name
Advance directive (appointing a health care agent)
Witnesses
2 witnesses
Witnesses must be 18 or older. Since April 1, 2024, a witness may be remote if the conditions in 18 V.S.A. 9703(b)(2) are met.
Notary required
No
18 V.S.A. 9703 requires witnesses and does not list notarization.
Who cannot witness
Agent, spouse, parent, adult sibling, child or grandchild
A health care provider may serve as a witness.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Vermont

What is a health care power of attorney called in Vermont?

Document name in Vermont: Advance directive (appointing a health care agent).

How many witnesses does a health care power of attorney need in Vermont?

Witnesses in Vermont: 2 witnesses. Witnesses must be 18 or older. Since April 1, 2024, a witness may be remote if the conditions in 18 V.S.A. 9703(b)(2) are met.

Does a health care power of attorney have to be notarized in Vermont?

No. Notary required in Vermont: no. 18 V.S.A. 9703 requires witnesses and does not list notarization.

Who cannot witness a health care power of attorney in Vermont?

Who cannot witness in Vermont: Agent, spouse, parent, adult sibling, child or grandchild. A health care provider may serve as a witness.

Where do the Vermont health care power of attorney requirements come from?

The rules above come from 18 V.S.A. 9703. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Remote witnessing rules were added by 2023, No. 88 (Adj. Sess.), effective April 1, 2024. Residents of nursing homes, residential care facilities and hospital patients must also receive an explanation of the directive from a listed person.

What this means in practice

Follow the signing rules of the state where you live when you sign. If you spend a lot of time in another state, check whether that state honors documents signed elsewhere, and consider signing a version that also meets its rules.

Choose witnesses before the signing day. Witness rules often exclude the agent you are naming and may also exclude relatives, people who would inherit from you, or staff of a health care provider or facility caring for you. Using two unrelated adults avoids most problems.

Give copies of the signed document to your agent, any alternate agent and your doctors, and keep the original where it can be found quickly. If you later change your mind, revoke the old document in writing and tell everyone who has a copy.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.