Power of Attorney Acceptance and Refusal Rules in Washington

At a glance

Requirements one by one

Acknowledged power and first response

For these sections, “acknowledged” means purportedly verified before a notary public or another authorized person (RCW 11.125.190(1)). A person presented with such a power generally must accept it or request permitted supporting material within seven business days. The recipient cannot demand a different power form for authority the presented document grants (RCW 11.125.200(1)(a), (c)).

Verification and later response

The recipient may request a certification under penalty of perjury from the agent, and an English translation if the power contains another language. The certification must state, among other things, the agent's identity, effectiveness of the power, the principal's continued life to the agent's knowledge, and absence of known revocation or limitation. A requested translation is at the principal's expense unless requested more than seven business days after presentation (RCW 11.125.190(4)–(6)).

Once requested certification or translation arrives, the recipient generally has five business days to accept, subject to the refusal exceptions (RCW 11.125.200(1)(b), (2)).

Court consequences

For refusal in violation of the section, the statute provides a court order mandating acceptance and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs in an action or proceeding confirming validity or mandating acceptance (RCW 11.125.200(3)).

What trips people up

The recipient need not conduct a transaction it would not conduct with the principal. Other exceptions cover conflict with federal law, actual knowledge of termination, a refused proof request, good-faith doubts about validity or authority, and a qualifying report of possible abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment (RCW 11.125.200(2)).

Common questions

Must the recipient give a written refusal? RCW 11.125.200 states the response clocks and refusal grounds without a separate written-rejection notice step.

Does an acknowledged signature guarantee the recipient may rely on it? The reliance provision requires good faith and lack of actual knowledge that the signature is not genuine; it separately addresses knowledge of invalidity or misuse (RCW 11.125.190(2)–(3)).

Statutes and sources

The quoted RCW provisions below were accessed October 3, 2026 from the Legislature's current section pages.

RCW 11.125.190. “(1) For purposes of this section and RCW 11.125.200, "acknowledged" means purportedly verified before a notary public or other individual authorized to take acknowledgments. (2) A person that in good faith accepts an acknowledged power of attorney without actual knowledge that the signature is not genuine may rely upon the presumption under RCW 11.125.050 that the signature is genuine. (3) A person that in good faith accepts an acknowledged power of attorney without actual knowledge that the power of attorney is void, invalid, or terminated, that the purported agent's authority is void, invalid, or terminated, or that the agent is exceeding or improperly exercising the agent's authority may rely upon the power of attorney as if the power of attorney were genuine, valid and still in effect, the agent's authority were genuine, valid and still in effect, and the agent had not exceeded and had properly exercised the authority. (4) A person that is asked to accept an acknowledged power of attorney may request, and rely upon, without further investigation: (a) An agent's certification given under penalty of perjury meeting the requirements of subsection (5) of this section; and (b) An English translation of the power of attorney if the power of attorney contains, in whole or in part, language other than English. (5) A certification presented pursuant to subsection (4) of this section or pursuant to RCW 11.125.200 shall state that: (a) The person presenting himself or herself as the agent and signing the affidavit or declaration is the person so named in the power of attorney; (b) If the agent is named in the power of attorney as a successor agent, the circumstances or conditions stated in the power of attorney that would cause that person to become the acting agent have occurred; (c) To the best of the agent's knowledge, the principal is still alive; (d) To the best of the agent's knowledge, at the time the power of attorney was signed, the principal was competent to execute the document and was not under undue influence to sign the document; (e) All events necessary to making the power of attorney effective have occurred; (f) The agent does not have actual knowledge of the revocation, termination, limitation, or modification of the power of attorney or of the agent's authority; (g) The agent does not have actual knowledge of the existence of other circumstances that would limit, modify, revoke, or terminate the power of attorney or the agent's authority to take the proposed action; (h) If the agent was married to or in a state registered domestic partnership with the principal at the time of execution of the power of attorney, then at the time of signing the affidavit or declaration, the marriage or state registered domestic partnership of the principal and the agent has not been dissolved or declared invalid, and no action is pending for the dissolution of the marriage or domestic partnership or for legal separation; and (i) The agent is acting in good faith pursuant to the authority given under the power of attorney. (6) An English translation requested under this section must be provided at the principal's expense unless the request is made more than seven business days after the power of attorney is presented for acceptance. (7) For purposes of this section and RCW 11.125.200, a person that conducts activities through employees is without actual knowledge of a fact relating to a power of attorney, a principal, or an agent if the employee conducting the transaction involving the power of attorney is without actual knowledge of the fact.” Official statute (accessed October 3, 2026).

RCW 11.125.200. “(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section: (a) A person shall either accept an acknowledged power of attorney or request a certification or a translation no later than seven business days after presentation of the power of attorney for acceptance; (b) If a person requests a certification or a translation, the person shall accept the power of attorney no later than five business days after receipt of the certification or translation; and (c) A person may not require an additional or different form of power of attorney for authority granted in the power of attorney presented. (2) A person is not required to accept an acknowledged power of attorney if: (a) The person is not otherwise required to engage in a transaction with the principal in the same circumstances; (b) Engaging in a transaction with the agent or the principal in the same circumstances would be inconsistent with federal law; (c) The person has actual knowledge of the termination of the agent's authority or of the power of attorney before exercise of the power; (d) A request for a certification or a translation is refused; (e) The person in good faith believes that the power is not valid or that the agent does not have the authority to perform the act requested, whether or not a certification or a translation has been requested or provided; or (f) The person makes, or has actual knowledge that another person has made, a report to the department of social and health services stating a good faith belief that the principal may be subject to physical or financial abuse, neglect, exploitation, or abandonment by the agent or a person acting for or with the agent. (3) A person that refuses in violation of this section to accept an acknowledged power of attorney is subject to: (a) A court order mandating acceptance of the power of attorney; and (b) Liability for reasonable attorneys' fees and costs incurred in any action or proceeding that confirms the validity of the power of attorney or mandates acceptance of the power of attorney.” Official statute (accessed October 3, 2026).