Who can witness my LPA?
Written by SmartLPA · Reviewed 1 July 2026
Every signature on an LPA must be witnessed in wet ink, and the rules about who may witness what are one of the quiet causes of OPG rejection.
This guide content is currently in draft. We’re preparing it for review before launch. If you’re making an LPA now, always cross-reference with the OPG’s official guidance at gov.uk/power-of-attorney.
Why witnesses matter
An LPA hands significant legal power to your attorneys, so the law builds in checks. Witnessing is one of them: an independent adult watches each signature being made and signs to confirm it. If the wrong person witnesses, or a witness detail is missing, the OPG returns the application, adding months to registration.
The rules
A witness must be aged 18 or over. The key restrictions are about independence from the signature being witnessed: your attorneys (and replacement attorneys) cannot witness your signature as donor, and you cannot witness your attorneys' signatures. Attorneys can witness each other's signatures, and your certificate provider can act as a witness too.
Good choices
An independent adult, a neighbour, friend or colleague, is usually the simplest witness. Many people ask their certificate provider to witness at the same sitting, since they're already present and independent. The witness doesn't take on any ongoing responsibility; they're confirming what they saw on the day.
The signing order
The OPG requires signatures in a strict sequence: you (the donor) sign first, then your certificate provider, then your attorneys, and the dates must run in that order. Signing out of sequence is a structural error that forces re-signing. SmartLPA's checks and your enclosed instructions walk you through the order, but it's worth planning one signing session where everyone needed is available.
Ready to put it in place?
Answer guided questions, pass every OPG structural check, and download your completed LPA, from £59.