Is an online LPA legally valid?
Guidance from Estate Advisory Group
Written and legally reviewed by Ramani Gill TEP, Solicitor and private client practitioner·Last reviewed 13 August 2026
Validity comes from the form, the signatures and OPG registration — not from where the form was filled in.
The four requirements
- The prescribed LP1F or LP1H form is used.
- The donor had mental capacity when signing.
- Signatures were made in the correct order and properly witnessed.
- The LPA is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.
What we do and do not do
- We ask plain-English questions and prepare the statutory forms from your answers.
- We check for common completion errors as you go.
- You still sign on paper with a certificate provider and witnesses.
- We do not give legal advice, and we are not a substitute for a solicitor in complex cases.
See what we do not do and how it works.
Common worries
No electronic signatures yet
The OPG requires wet-ink signatures for LPAs, so every route — solicitor, GOV.UK or online service — ends with paper and a pen.
Common questions
Do banks treat an online-prepared LPA differently?
No. Once registered, the OPG-stamped document is the same regardless of who prepared the form.
Can I sign digitally?
Not currently for an LPA. Signatures must be handwritten and witnessed in person.
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?
Answer five quick questions to check the service suits you, 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