Putting It In Writing First
Va. Code 54.1-2983 — signed before two subscribing witnesses
In Virginia, any adult capable of making an informed decision may make a written advance directive covering any or all forms of health care, signed in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. It may say what care is and is not authorized, appoint an agent, and make an anatomical gift.
An oral directive, in one situation. An adult diagnosed by their attending physician as being in a terminal condition may make an oral advance directive, in the presence of the attending physician and two witnesses.
The registry. A written advance directive may be submitted to the Advance Health Care Planning Registry.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionA directive has to be notarized | What the law actually doesTwo subscribing witnesses |
| The assumptionAn oral wish never counts | What the law actually doesAn oral directive is possible for a terminal condition, before the physician and two witnesses |
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 Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Va. Code 54.1-2983 — Procedure for making advance directive; notice to physician
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.