<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>61617</law_id><section_number>64.2-1617</section_number><catch_line>Acceptance of and reliance upon acknowledged power of attorney</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>64.2-1618</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Fiduciaries and Guardians</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="B">Powers of Attorney</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="16">Uniform Power of Attorney Act</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> For purposes of this section and &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Liability for refusal to accept acknowledged power of attorney" href="/64.2-1618/">64.2-1618</a>, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">acknowledged</span>&#x201D; means verified before a notary public or other individual authorized to take acknowledgments. <a id="paragraph-224955" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">person</span> that in <span class="dictionary">good faith</span> accepts an <span class="dictionary">acknowledged</span> <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> that has been signed in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Execution of power of attorney" href="/64.2-1603/">64.2-1603</a> without actual knowledge that the <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> is void, invalid, or terminated, that the purported <span class="dictionary">agent</span>&#x2019;s authority is void, invalid, or terminated, or that the <span class="dictionary">agent</span> is exceeding or improperly exercising the <span class="dictionary">agent</span>&#x2019;s authority may rely upon the <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> as if the <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> were genuine, valid, and still in effect, the <span class="dictionary">agent</span>&#x2019;s authority were genuine, valid, and still in effect, and the <span class="dictionary">agent</span> had not exceeded and had properly exercised the authority. The preceding sentence shall not apply to an <span class="dictionary">acknowledged</span> <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> that contains a forged signature of the <span class="dictionary">principal</span>. <a id="paragraph-224956" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">person</span> that is asked to accept an <span class="dictionary">acknowledged</span> <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> may request, and rely upon, without further investigation, any or all of the following: <a id="paragraph-224957" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> An <span class="dictionary">agent</span>&#x2019;s certification under <span class="dictionary">oath</span> of any factual matter concerning the <span class="dictionary">principal</span>, <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, or <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span>; <a id="paragraph-224958" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> An English translation of the <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> if the <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> contains, in whole or in part, language other than English; and <a id="paragraph-224959" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> An <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> of the <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> for the <span class="dictionary">principal</span> or the <span class="dictionary">agent</span>, or the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> of <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> for the <span class="dictionary">person</span>, as to any matter of <span class="dictionary">law</span> concerning the <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> if the <span class="dictionary">person</span> making the request provides in a writing or other <span class="dictionary">record</span> the reason for the request. <a id="paragraph-224960" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> An English translation or an <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> of <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> for the <span class="dictionary">principal</span> or the <span class="dictionary">agent</span> requested under this section shall be provided at the <span class="dictionary">principal</span>&#x2019;s expense. <a id="paragraph-224961" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> An <span class="dictionary">agent</span>&#x2019;s certification, an English translation, or an <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> of <span class="dictionary">counsel</span> shall be in recordable form if the exercise of the power requires recordation of any instrument under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-224962" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> For purposes of this section and &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Liability for refusal to accept acknowledged power of attorney" href="/64.2-1618/">64.2-1618</a>, a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that conducts activities through employees and exercises commercially reasonable procedures to communicate information concerning powers of attorney among its employees is without actual knowledge of a <span class="dictionary">fact</span> relating to a <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span>, a <span class="dictionary">principal</span>, or an <span class="dictionary">agent</span> if the employee conducting the transaction involving the <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span> has followed such procedures and is nonetheless without actual knowledge of the <span class="dictionary">fact</span>. <a id="paragraph-224963" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-1617/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2010, cc. 455, 632, &#xA7; 26-90; 2012, c. 614.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
