Common Reasons an LPA Is Rejected
Avoid these frequent mistakes that cause the OPG to reject LPA applications.
Written by James Tyrrell · Reviewed by Anthony Dalton · Last reviewed
Imagine completing your LPA, gathering all the signatures, posting it off with your £92 fee — and then receiving it back weeks later with a rejection notice. It happens to roughly 51,000 applicants every year. The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) returns these applications because of avoidable errors, and each rejection means delays, lost fees, and the frustration of starting again. This guide covers the most common reasons so you can get it right the first time. If you have not yet submitted your LPA, our guide on how to register an LPA with the OPG walks you through the full process.
At a glance
- Approximately 51,000 LPA applications are rejected or returned by the OPG each year
- The top reasons are wrong signing order, missing or incorrect signatures, invalid certificate provider, and witness errors
- The £92 registration fee is non-refundable if your LPA is rejected — you pay again to resubmit
- Signing order errors make the LPA void and cannot be corrected; you must start from scratch
1. Wrong Signing Order
The most common reason for LPA rejection is signing the document in the wrong order. The law requires a strict sequence of signatures, and any deviation makes the entire LPA invalid. The correct order is:
- Step 1: The donor signs Section 9 of the LPA, witnessed by an independent person
- Step 2: The certificate provider signs Section 10
- Step 3: Each attorney signs Section 11, witnessed by an independent person
- Step 4: Any replacement attorneys sign their sections
The most critical rule is that the donor and certificate provider must sign before any attorney signs. If an attorney signs before the donor or certificate provider, the entire LPA is void and must be done again from scratch. This error cannot be corrected on the existing form. For a full explanation of the signing process, see our guide on LPA signing order.
2. Missing or Incorrect Signatures
Every person named in the LPA must sign the appropriate section. The OPG will reject an LPA if:
- The donor has not signed, or their signature is missing from the required section
- One or more attorneys have not signed their individual sections
- Replacement attorneys have not signed (if replacement attorneys are named, they must sign too)
- The certificate provider has not signed Section 10
- A signature is illegible or does not match the name given on the form
If the donor is physically unable to sign, someone else can sign on their behalf at the donor's direction and in the donor's presence. This must be done in front of two witnesses, and specific wording is required on the form.
3. Invalid Certificate Provider
The certificate provider plays a crucial legal role — they certify that the donor understands the LPA and is not being pressured into making it. The OPG will reject an LPA if the certificate provider is not eligible. A certificate provider cannot be:
- Under 18 years old
- A named attorney or replacement attorney on the LPA
- A member of the donor's family (by blood, marriage, or civil partnership)
- A business partner of the donor
- An employee of the donor
- An employee of an attorney named on the LPA
- The owner, manager, director, or employee of a care home where the donor lives
- A director or employee of a trust corporation named as an attorney
The certificate provider must either have known the donor personally for at least two years, or have the relevant professional skills to assess the donor's capacity (such as a doctor, solicitor, or social worker).
Key point: Choosing the right certificate provider is essential. If they are later found to be ineligible, the entire LPA is invalid regardless of whether everything else was done correctly.
4. Witness Problems
Both the donor's signature and each attorney's signature must be witnessed. The OPG commonly rejects LPAs because of witness-related issues:
- A witness signature is missing
- The witness did not provide their full name and address
- An attorney witnessed the donor's signature (attorneys cannot witness the donor's signature)
- The donor witnessed an attorney's signature (the donor cannot witness attorney signatures)
- The witness was under 18 years old
Unlike the signing order error, some witness issues can sometimes be corrected without starting a completely new LPA, but this depends on the specific problem. The OPG will advise you on what can be corrected. For more on signing mistakes, see our guide on common LPA signing mistakes.
5. Problems with Instructions and Preferences
The LPA form allows the donor to include preferences (guidance for attorneys) and instructions (requirements attorneys must follow). The OPG may reject an LPA if the instructions section contains provisions that are:
- Illegal: Instructions that ask attorneys to do something unlawful (for example, instructions about euthanasia or assisted dying)
- Contradictory: Instructions that conflict with each other or with other parts of the LPA
- Unworkable: Instructions so restrictive that the attorney would be unable to act effectively
- Unclear: Instructions that are ambiguous or could be interpreted in multiple conflicting ways
Preferences are less strictly policed because they are guidance rather than binding requirements. However, preferences that are clearly inappropriate or contrary to law may still cause the OPG to query the application.
6. Missing Fee or Fee Errors
The LPA registration fee is £92 per LPA. The OPG will not begin processing your application until they have received the correct fee. Common fee-related problems include:
- No fee enclosed with the application
- The cheque is made out incorrectly (it should be payable to "Office of the Public Guardian")
- The cheque has expired or bounced
- A fee exemption or remission form (LPA120) is submitted without the required supporting evidence
- Only one fee is submitted when two LPAs are being registered (each LPA requires its own £92 fee)
How to Get Your LPA Accepted First Time
The most reliable way to avoid rejection is to use a professional service that checks every detail before submission. At UKLPA, we review your completed LPA for all of the issues described above before it is sent to the OPG, significantly reducing the risk of rejection.
If you are completing the LPA yourself, take your time with each section, follow the signing order strictly, and double-check that every required signature and witness signature is in place. For more information on whether a rejected LPA can be fixed, see our guide on can an LPA be rejected by the OPG.
What Happens If Your LPA Is Rejected?
If the OPG rejects your LPA, they will write to you explaining exactly what the problem is. What happens next depends on the nature of the error.
The £92 registration fee is non-refundable, so you will not get your money back regardless of the reason for rejection. If the issue is relatively minor — for example, an incomplete witness address — the OPG may allow you to correct and resubmit the existing document. However, more serious errors require you to start the entire process again with a fresh LPA form and a new £92 fee.
Signing order errors are among the most serious. If any attorney signed before the donor or certificate provider, the legal document is void and cannot be corrected. You will need to print a completely new LPA, collect all signatures again in the correct order, and resubmit with another registration fee.
Tip: Our service checks every document for common errors before you sign — helping you avoid the cost and delay of OPG rejection. See our pricing.
Key Takeaways
- Wrong signing order is the leading cause of rejection — if any attorney signs before the donor or certificate provider, the LPA is void and must be redone from scratch.
- The £92 registration fee is non-refundable — each rejection means paying again, so getting it right first time saves both money and months of delay.
- Minor witness errors may be fixable — the OPG can sometimes accept corrections for incomplete witness details, but fundamental errors like ineligible certificate providers require a new LPA.
- Resubmission takes 3 to 4 months — allow 1 to 4 weeks for new signatures plus another 8 to 10 weeks for OPG processing after a rejection.
- Professional checking prevents most rejections — a guided service that reviews documents before submission significantly reduces the risk of the errors described above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many LPA applications are rejected by the OPG each year?
Approximately 51,000 LPA applications are rejected or returned by the OPG each year due to errors. The most common reasons include incorrect signing order, invalid certificate providers, and missing witness signatures.
Can the OPG fix minor errors on my LPA without rejecting it?
Some minor errors, such as incomplete witness details, can sometimes be corrected without restarting the entire process. However, fundamental errors like wrong signing order or an ineligible certificate provider make the LPA void, and you must start again from scratch.
Do I have to pay the £92 registration fee again if my LPA is rejected?
Generally yes. The OPG does not normally refund the fee when an LPA is rejected due to applicant errors. You will need to pay another £92 when you resubmit the corrected document, though in exceptional circumstances the OPG may waive the repeat fee.
Is the £92 registration fee refunded if my LPA is rejected?
No. The OPG registration fee is non-refundable regardless of the outcome. This is why it is important to check your documents carefully before submitting.
How long does it take to resubmit a rejected LPA?
It depends on the reason for rejection. If you need to collect new signatures, allow 1 to 4 weeks for signing plus another 8 to 10 weeks for OPG processing. The total delay can be 3 to 4 months.
Can an online service help me avoid rejection?
Yes. A guided service checks your documents for common errors before you sign and submit, significantly reducing the risk of rejection. This can save you both time and the cost of a second registration fee.
This guide was last reviewed and updated on . Information is based on current legislation and OPG guidance for England and Wales.
Official Guidance
Further reading from GOV.UK
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