Power of Attorney Generator
Special, general or NRI power of attorney — and the revocation deed — done right.
Checks
Preview
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For general information only, not legal advice. Templates are generic starting points — have a qualified lawyer review anything you rely on.
About the Power of Attorney Generator
Choose a special power of attorney (for specific matters), a general one (to manage your affairs broadly) or a deed of revocation, then pick the powers the attorney needs: managing and letting a property and collecting rent, operating a bank account, conducting court cases, dealing with government offices, presenting documents for registration, or anything else you list. The generator writes the appointment, numbered powers, joint or separate action by several attorneys, a clear limit that the attorney cannot sell, gift or mortgage your property, substitution, accounts, duration, ratification, acceptance by the attorney and witnesses.
If you live abroad, it adds the recital and an execution note, and the checks explain how to sign before a notary or the Indian mission, apostille, and stamp it within three months of its arrival in India. It also explains why a power of attorney cannot be e-signed and does not transfer ownership. It is a generic template, not legal advice.
How to use it
- Choose Special power, General power or Revoke a power, the State where it will be used, and the place and date of signing.
- Enter the principal (you — add a joint principal if needed) and the attorney (add more attorneys and say whether they act jointly or separately).
- Tick the powers and fill in the property, bank account, case or offices concerned; add any other specific powers one per line.
- Set how long it lasts, then read the Checks — especially if you live abroad or the attorney will register documents.
- Download DOCX or PDF, print it on stamp paper as your State requires, and sign it in person before the witnesses and the notary, Sub-Registrar or Indian consular officer.
Examples
Principal living in the UAE · attorney: sister in Hyderabad · powers: manage and let the flat, collect rent, pay dues, operate the NRO account, deal with the municipal corporation
A. I am at present residing in the United Arab Emirates and am unable to attend personally to my affairs in India. … 2. To let out the Property on rent or on leave and licence on such terms as the Attorney thinks fit, to sign and execute the rent or leave and licence agreement… 14. This power of attorney does not authorise the Attorney to sell, gift, mortgage, exchange or otherwise transfer any immovable property of the Principal…
Special power dated 10 January 2024 · revoked from 1 November 2026 · public notice
The Principal revokes and cancels the Power of Attorney and all the powers given by it, with effect from 1 November 2026… This revocation does not affect acts lawfully done … before the revocation became known to the Attorney…
Common uses
- NRIs authorising a family member to let and look after a flat, pay its dues and deal with the society.
- Elderly parents allowing a child to operate a bank account or deal with government offices.
- Appointing someone to handle a court case or present a document for registration.
- Revoking an old power of attorney and putting people on notice.
What a power of attorney is — and is not
A power of attorney is “any instrument empowering a specified person to act for and in the name of the person executing it” (Powers of Attorney Act 1882, s.1A); what the attorney does under it is as effective as if you had done it (s.2). It creates an agency under the Indian Contract Act 1872: the principal must be an adult of sound mind (s.183), and a minor can act for you towards others but is not responsible to you (s.184). The agency ends when you revoke it, when the business is done, or on the death, unsoundness of mind or insolvency of the principal (s.201).
It does not transfer ownership. The Supreme Court held in Suraj Lamp & Industries v State of Haryana (2012) 1 SCC 656 that a power of attorney is not an instrument of transfer of any right, title or interest in immovable property; property passes only by a registered deed of conveyance. That is why this tool does not draft powers to sell, gift or mortgage property — those need a lawyer and, in several States, registration.
Signing, notarisation and registration
Sign the power of attorney in person before the witnesses, and check whether the bank or office that will rely on it needs it notarised. If the attorney will present documents for registration (for example a rent agreement or a sale deed you signed), the power itself must be executed before and authenticated by the Registrar or Sub-Registrar of the district where you live; if you live abroad, before a Notary Public, a court, judge or magistrate, an Indian consul or vice-consul, or a representative of the Central Government (Registration Act 1908, ss.32–33).
Some States require registration of powers of attorney about immovable property — for example Kerala, Odisha, Rajasthan (irrevocable powers to transfer) and Gujarat — under their amendments to s.17 of the Registration Act. Check your State’s rules.
Signed abroad: apostille, consulate and stamp duty
India has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention since 2005 and treats a document apostilled in another member country as legalised, with no further attestation needed (MEA). Sign before a local notary and have it apostilled, or sign at the Indian embassy or consulate. When the original reaches India, have it stamped within three months of its first receipt; if it cannot be stamped with ordinary stamps, the Collector stamps it (Indian Stamp Act 1899, s.18, and the State stamp laws).
No electronic signatures
The Information Technology Act 2000 does not apply to powers of attorney (s.1(4) and First Schedule, item 2). The only exception is a power of attorney that empowers an entity regulated by the RBI, NHB, SEBI, IRDAI or PFRDA (such as a bank or broker) to act for you (notification S.O. 4720(E)). A power of attorney for a person must be signed on paper.
Revoking a power of attorney
You can revoke it at any time before it has been exercised so as to bind you (Contract Act s.203), but the revocation takes effect for the attorney, and for people dealing with them, only when it becomes known to them (s.208) — a person who pays in good faith without notice is protected (Powers of Attorney Act s.3). Send the deed of revocation to the attorney and to banks and offices they dealt with, and publish a public notice. If the attorney has an interest in the property that is the subject of the agency, it cannot be revoked to the prejudice of that interest without an express contract (s.202).
Sources
- Powers of Attorney Act 1882 — ss.1A, 2, 3
- Indian Contract Act 1872 — ss.182–184, 201–208
- Registration Act 1908 — ss.17 (State amendments), 32, 33
- Suraj Lamp & Industries (P) Ltd v State of Haryana (2012) 1 SCC 656 (Supreme Court)
- Information Technology Act 2000 — s.1(4), First Schedule (S.O. 4720(E))
- Indian Stamp Act 1899 — s.18; Schedule I Article 48
- Ministry of External Affairs — Attestation / Apostille
Limitations
- A generic template, not legal advice. Powers to sell, gift or mortgage property, irrevocable powers and powers for business transactions are not drafted here — consult a lawyer.
- Banks, registrars and courts may insist on their own formats or extra formalities; ask them first.
- Stamp duty and registration fees are set by State law and are not calculated.
- Names and addresses in Hindi or other Indian scripts appear in the preview, DOCX and Print, but not in the PDF download.
- The first DOCX or PDF download needs a connection to load the document engine; Print works offline.
Privacy
Everything happens in your browser. Names, addresses, account numbers and property details are not uploaded or stored by MySmartCoPilot. If you tick Keep a draft in this browser, the form is saved in this browser’s local storage until you untick it — leave it off on a shared computer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a general and a special power of attorney?
A special power of attorney authorises specific acts — such as letting one flat or operating one account. A general power of attorney lets the attorney manage your affairs more broadly. Both must list the matters covered; neither transfers ownership of property.
Can I sell property through a power of attorney?
An attorney can sign and register a sale deed on your behalf only if you specifically give that power, and the power of attorney itself may need registration in your State. The power of attorney never transfers ownership by itself (Suraj Lamp, Supreme Court, 2011). This tool deliberately does not draft sale powers.
Does a power of attorney need to be registered?
Registration is optional in most cases under the central Registration Act, but there are two exceptions: it must be executed before the Sub-Registrar (or, abroad, a notary or Indian consul) if the attorney will present documents for registration (s.33), and some States make powers of attorney about immovable property compulsorily registrable.
How do NRIs make a power of attorney for India?
Sign it before a notary in your country and get it apostilled (if the country is a Hague Convention member), or sign it at the Indian embassy or consulate. After it reaches India, pay stamp duty within three months (Indian Stamp Act s.18 and State laws).
Can I sign a power of attorney with Aadhaar e-sign or a digital signature?
No — the IT Act does not apply to powers of attorney (First Schedule, item 2), except those in favour of RBI-, SEBI-, IRDAI-, PFRDA- or NHB-regulated entities. Sign it on paper.
How do I cancel a power of attorney?
Sign a deed of revocation (this tool makes one), give a copy to the attorney and to everyone they dealt with, and publish a public notice. The revocation binds them only from when they know of it (Contract Act s.208).