How long does an LPA last?
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
For life, unless something ends it. There is no expiry date and nothing to renew.
No expiry, no renewal
Once registered, an LPA stays effective until the donor dies or it is revoked. An LPA made at 50 still works at 90. Organisations occasionally ask for a "recent" LPA, which has no legal basis — though very old documents attract more scrutiny, and a bank may ask for extra reassurance if the attorneys named have clearly moved on with their lives since signing.
This is different from an ordinary power of attorney, which typically lapses if the donor loses capacity. An LPA is built for exactly that situation, and its authority does not weaken as time passes — the registered document from 2010 carries the same legal weight in 2035.
Reasons to make a new one
- An attorney has died, moved abroad, fallen out with you or become unwell.
- You have divorced an attorney spouse, which removes them automatically unless the LPA says otherwise.
- Your circumstances have changed — a business, a second property, a new marriage.
- You want to change the instructions, which can never be amended on an existing LPA.
- You originally appointed only one attorney and want to add a second or a replacement for extra security.
A worked example
Harold made an LPA in 2009 naming his wife, Joan, and their son as attorneys. Joan died in 2020, and the LPA had no replacement attorney named for her role. Their son remains a valid attorney and the document still works — Harold does not need to do anything unless he wants to add someone new. If he later wants a second attorney back in place, perhaps a grandchild who now lives locally, he would need to make an entirely new LPA naming both people, then formally revoke the 2009 one once the new one is registered. He cannot simply add a name to the existing form.
How to replace one
Make the new one, then revoke the old
A new LPA does not automatically cancel an earlier one. Sign and register the new LPA, then revoke the old one with a deed of revocation. See changing or cancelling an LPA. Doing it in this order avoids a gap where neither document is in force.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Check you still have mental capacity to make a new LPA |
| 2 | Complete and sign the new LP1F or LP1H with the correct people |
| 3 | Register the new LPA with the OPG (£92 fee) and wait for confirmation |
| 4 | Sign a deed of revocation for the old LPA and send it, with the original document, to the OPG |
| 5 | Tell attorneys, banks and care providers which document now applies |
Common questions
Should I review it every few years?
A five-yearly read-through is sensible, mainly to check your attorneys are still the right people and that your instructions still reflect your wishes.
Does an EPA still work?
Yes, if made before October 2007. See LPA vs EPA.
Does the LPA expire if it isn't used for years?
No. There is no use-it-or-lose-it rule. A financial LPA can sit registered but unused for a decade and remain fully valid the day it is needed.
What happens to the LPA when the donor dies?
It ends immediately. An attorney has no authority after death — the estate is then dealt with under the will or intestacy rules by executors or administrators, not by attorneys. See LPA vs will.
Read next
Where this fits
This page is part of LPA basics. The pages below take it further.
- Make an LPA online
The whole journey end to end: questions, documents, signing and registration.
- Solicitor, GOV.UK or online?
An honest comparison, including when you genuinely should pay a solicitor.
Review and sources
Reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner. Last reviewed 13 August 2026. We recheck fees, forms and Office of the Public Guardian guidance whenever they change — see our editorial policy.
Official sources
Ready to make your LPA?
Choose one LPA or both, then start online for £49 per LPA.
The Office of the Public Guardian charges a separate £92 to register each LPA.
This is general information about how Lasting Powers of Attorney work in England and Wales. It is not legal advice about your situation. What we do and do not do.
Published by Estate Advisory Group