Living wills, health care powers of attorney, and advance directives go by different names in different states. Below, you’ll find a chart that describes how your state handles these documents.
Living Will: The document that describes your health care wishes.
Power of Attorney for Health Care: The document in which you name someone to make healthcare decisions for you.
Advance Directive: A combined living will and power of attorney for health care.
Number of Documents: If your state combines the living will and power of attorney into one document (usually called an advanced directive), the number of documents is “1” and the chart lists the name of that document. Otherwise, the chart shows one name for the living will and another for the power of attorney or another combination of names.
Use the linked state names to learn more about the laws in your state.
Learn more about Living Wills and Powers of Attorney for Health Care, and Advanced Directives on Nolo.com.
|
State |
Number of Documents |
Living Will |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alabama |
1 |
Advance Directive for Health Care |
|
|
Alaska |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
Arizona |
2 |
Living Will |
Health Care Power of Attorney |
|
Arkansas |
2 |
Living Will |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
||
|
Colorado |
2 |
Declaration as to Medical or Surgical Treatment |
Medical Durable Power of Attorney |
|
Connecticut |
1 or 2 |
Document Concerning Health Care and Withholding or Withdrawal of Life Support Systems |
Appointment of Health Care Representative |
|
If you name a health care agent and leave health care instructions, your wishes will be combined into a single form called Health Care Instructions and Appointment of Health Care Representative. |
|||
|
Delaware |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
District of Columbia |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
2 |
Living Will |
Designation of Health Care Surrogate |
|
|
Georgia |
1 |
Advance Directive for Health Care |
|
|
Hawaii |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
Idaho |
1 |
Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
|
Illinois |
1 or 2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
If you name a health care agent and leave health care instructions, your wishes will be combined into a single Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care form. |
|||
|
Indiana |
2 |
Living Will Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Appointment of Health Care Representative |
|
Iowa |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
Kansas |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions |
|
Kentucky |
1 |
Advance Directive |
|
|
Maine |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
Maryland |
1 |
Advance Directive |
|
|
Massachusetts |
2 |
Document Directing Health Care |
Health Care Proxy |
|
Michigan |
2 |
Document Directing Health Care |
Patient Advocate Designation |
|
Minnesota |
1 |
Health Care Directive |
|
|
Mississippi |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
Missouri |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
Montana |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
Nebraska |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
Nevada |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions |
|
New Hampshire |
1 |
Advance Directive |
|
|
New Jersey |
1 or 2 |
Instruction Directive |
Proxy Directive |
|
If you name a health care agent and leave health care instructions, your wishes will be combined into a single form called a Combined Advance Directive for Health Care. |
|||
|
New Mexico |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
New York |
2 |
Document Directing Health Care |
Health Care Proxy |
|
North Carolina |
2 |
Advance Directive |
Health Care Power of Attorney |
|
North Dakota |
1 |
Health Care Directive |
|
|
Ohio |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
Oklahoma |
1 |
Advance Directive for Health Care |
|
|
Oregon |
1 |
Advance Directive |
|
|
2 |
Living Will |
Health Care Power of Attorney |
|
|
Rhode Island |
2 |
Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
South Carolina |
1 or 2 |
Declaration |
Health Care Power of Attorney |
|
If you name a health care agent and leave health care instructions, your wishes will be combined into a single Health Care Power of Attorney form. |
|||
|
South Dakota |
2 |
Living Will Declaration |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
Tennessee |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
2 |
Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates |
Medical Power of Attorney |
|
|
Utah |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
|
Vermont |
1 |
Advance Directive |
|
|
Virginia |
1 |
Advance Medical Directive |
|
|
Washington |
2 |
Health Care Directive |
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
West Virginia |
2 |
Living Will |
Medical Power of Attorney |
|
Wisconsin |
2 |
Declaration to Physicians |
Power of Attorney for Health Care |
|
Wyoming |
1 |
Advance Health Care Directive |
|
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