Putting It In Writing First
G.S. 32A-16 — two qualified witnesses and a notary, both
In North Carolina, a health care power of attorney is a written instrument, substantially meeting the article's requirements, that is signed in the presence of two qualified witnesses and acknowledged before a notary public.
Both, not either. The definition requires the witnesses and the notary's acknowledgment together. The notary may, but need not, be a paid employee of the attending physician, a health facility, or a nursing home or adult care home where the principal lives.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionWitnesses or a notary will do | What the law actually doesTwo qualified witnesses and a notary's acknowledgment |
| The assumptionA nursing home employee can never be involved | What the law actually doesThe notary may be a paid employee of the facility |
Who decides when nothing was signed, how a directive is revoked, and the forms a state publishes are not all on this page. Whether a particular document was executed properly is a question for a licensed North Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.S. 32A-16 — Health care powers of attorney: definitions
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Carolina attorney.