Where Should an LPA Be Signed?
There is no formal location requirement, but there are practical considerations to keep in mind.
Written by Anthony Dalton · Reviewed by James Tyrrell · Last reviewed
Your mum is in hospital. Your brother lives in Scotland. Your certificate provider is on holiday next week. Can you still get the LPA signed? The good news is that there is no legal requirement about the location where an LPA is signed. The document can be signed anywhere — at home, in a hospital ward, at a solicitor's office — as long as the correct signing order is followed and witnesses are physically present when each signature is made. This guide explains the rules and offers practical advice for different situations.
At a glance
- There is no legal requirement about where an LPA is signed — it can be signed at home, in hospital, at a solicitor's office, or anywhere else
- Each person can sign in a different location — the signing order matters, not the place
- Witnesses must be physically present in the same room when each signature is made — remote witnessing via video call is not permitted
There Is No Formal Location Requirement
Unlike some legal documents that must be signed in a solicitor's office or before a notary, an LPA can be signed in any location. The law does not specify where signing must take place. The LPA form does not ask for the location of signing, and the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) does not require information about where signatures were made.
This means you can sign your LPA at home, in a solicitor's office, at a friend's house, in a hospital, in a care home, or anywhere else that is convenient. The only thing that matters is that the correct people sign in the correct order, and that each signature requiring a witness is properly witnessed by someone who is physically present at the time.
Each Person Can Sign in a Different Location
There is no requirement for all signatories to be in the same place. The donor might sign at home in London, the certificate provider might sign at their office in Manchester, and an attorney might sign at their home in Edinburgh. Each person signs independently, with their own witness, and the locations do not need to match.
This flexibility is particularly useful when the people involved in the LPA live in different parts of the country or have different schedules. The LPA form can be posted or delivered between signatories, as long as the signing order is maintained — the donor signs first, then the certificate provider, then the attorneys and replacement attorneys.
For more detail on the required signing sequence, see our guide on LPA signing order explained.
Witnesses Must Be Physically Present
The one firm requirement about location relates to witnesses. Each signature that requires a witness must be witnessed by someone who is physically present in the same room at the moment the signature is made. A witness cannot observe a signature via video call, telephone, or any other remote means. The witness must see the person sign the document with their own eyes.
This means that while there is no restriction on where signing happens, you do need to ensure that a suitable witness is available at whatever location the signing takes place. The witness must be aged 18 or over and must provide their full name and address on the form. For full details on eligibility, see our guide on who can witness an LPA signature.
Key point: You can sign an LPA anywhere you like, but witnesses must be physically present in the same room when each signature is made. Remote witnessing via video call is not permitted.
Signing in Hospital or a Care Home
If the donor is in hospital or a care home, the LPA can still be signed there. This situation arises more often than you might expect, particularly when someone has had a sudden health event that has highlighted the need for an LPA. As long as the donor still has mental capacity to understand the LPA and make the decision to create it, the location does not prevent them from signing.
In a hospital or care home setting, finding a suitable witness is usually straightforward. A friend or family member who is visiting can act as witness, or a member of staff may be willing to do so (though hospital or care home staff are not obliged to act as witnesses). Remember that the witness cannot be an attorney named on the LPA.
If the donor is in a care home, be aware that the care home owner, manager, or any employee of the care home cannot act as the certificate provider. They can, however, act as a witness to signatures.
Signing at a Solicitor's Office
While there is no requirement to sign at a solicitor's office, some people choose to do so for convenience or peace of mind. If you are using a solicitor to help create your LPA, they may offer to coordinate the signing at their office. The solicitor or a member of their staff can act as witness, and if the solicitor is also acting as certificate provider, both roles can be fulfilled in one visit.
However, this is entirely optional. You do not need a solicitor to be present when signing an LPA, and signing at home is equally valid. For more on whether you need professional help, see our guide on how to make an LPA in the UK.
Practical Tips for Arranging Signing
Here are some practical suggestions for managing the signing process across different locations:
- Start with the donor: The donor should sign first, ideally with the certificate provider present at the same time so they can sign immediately afterwards
- Post the form to attorneys: If attorneys live far away, the signed form can be posted to them for their signatures. Use recorded delivery or a tracked service to avoid losing the document
- Arrange witnesses in advance: Make sure each person who needs to sign has a suitable witness available on the day
- Use pen, not pencil: All signatures must be in ink (black or blue is recommended)
- Date every signature: Including dates helps verify the correct signing order was followed
For information about signing on different dates, see our guide on can an LPA be signed at different times.
Our guided LPA service helps you avoid signing mistakes by walking you through each step in the correct order. See pricing.
Key Takeaways
- No location restriction exists — the law does not specify where an LPA must be signed, and the OPG does not ask for this information
- The signing order is what matters — the donor signs first, then the certificate provider, then each attorney; get the order wrong and the OPG will reject the LPA
- Post the form between signatories — if people live far apart, use recorded delivery to avoid losing the original documents
- Hospital and care home signing is permitted — as long as the donor has mental capacity and a suitable witness is present, the location does not matter
Got Questions? Here Are the Answers
Can an LPA be signed via video call?
No. While there is no restriction on where an LPA is signed, witnesses must be physically present in the same room when each signature is made. Remote witnessing via video call, telephone, or any other means is not permitted.
Do all parties need to sign the LPA in the same location?
No. Each person can sign in a different location. The donor might sign at home, the certificate provider at their office, and the attorneys at their own homes. What matters is the signing order, not the location.
Can I sign an LPA in hospital?
Yes. An LPA can be signed in hospital, a care home, or any other location, as long as the donor has mental capacity and a suitable witness is present. There is no legal requirement about the location of signing.
This guide was last reviewed and updated on . Information is based on current legislation and OPG guidance for England and Wales.
Official Guidance
Official resources from GOV.UK
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