Free District of Columbia Advance Directive & Living Will
Build a complete District of Columbia advance directive in minutes — free, no account. Name a health care agent, record your end-of-life wishes, and download a ready-to-sign PDF with District of Columbia's correct signing requirements.
A free directive — not legal or medical advice.
This builds a District of Columbia advance directive: it names a health care agent to decide for you and records your end-of-life wishes. It works only when you sign it as District of Columbia requires (see the signing steps). RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
About you
Your health care agent
The person who will make medical decisions if you can't speak for yourself — the most important choice.
Note: in District of Columbia, your agent cannot be The health-care agent under the durable POA may not be the principal's health-care provider (or its employee). The attending physician should not serve as both provider and agent.
Your end-of-life wishes
If you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious with no recovery expected.
Other wishes (optional)
Before you sign — District of Columbia notes
This directive has NO legal effect until you sign it. To make it valid in District of Columbia: An adult signs the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care before two qualified adult witnesses (not the principal, the provider, or its employees; at least one unrelated non-heir) — no notary required. A separate Living Will Declaration under the Natural Death Act has stricter witness rules and, for facility residents, requires a patient-advocate/ombudsman witness. DC has no pregnancy override. With no directive, § 21-2210 sets the surrogate order.
Witness rules: a witness must NOT be D.C. Code § 21-2205 (durable POA for health care): TWO adult witnesses required; the witnesses may NOT include the principal, the principal's health-care provider, or an employee of the health-care provider; and at least ONE witness must not be related to the principal by blood, marriage, or adoption and not be entitled to any part of the estate by will or operation of law. No notary required. The Living Will Declaration (§ 7-622, Natural Death Act) adds: a witness may not be related by blood/marriage/domestic partnership, entitled to the estate, directly financially responsible for the declarant's medical care, the attending physician, or an employee of the physician or facility. If the declarant is in an intermediate/skilled care facility, one witness must be a patient advocate or ombudsman (§ 7-623).
Your agent cannot be The health-care agent under the durable POA may not be the principal's health-care provider (or its employee). The attending physician should not serve as both provider and agent.
District of Columbia also publishes an official statutory directive form (D.C. Code § 21-2207 (durable power of attorney for health care form); D.C. Code § 7-622 (Natural Death Act living will declaration form)); this document is a valid alternative that covers the same ground.
After signing, give copies to your agent, your alternate, and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere accessible. An advance directive is not filed with a court.
This is a general-purpose directive and is not legal or medical advice. For complex wishes, a serious illness, or detailed treatment limits, talk to your doctor and an estate-planning attorney. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
Enter your name and your agent's name to download.
Or email yourself a copy (PDF)
Advance Health Care Directive of [YOUR FULL NAME]
PART I — DECLARATION
I, [YOUR FULL NAME], of [CITY], District of Columbia, being of sound mind, make this Advance Health Care Directive to state my wishes for my medical care and to appoint a person to make health care decisions for me if I cannot make them myself. I revoke any prior advance directive, living will, or health care power of attorney I have made.
PART II — MY HEALTH CARE AGENT
I appoint [AGENT NAME] as my health care agent.
My agent's authority takes effect when my attending physician determines that I am unable to make my own health care decisions, and ends if I regain that ability.
My agent may make any health care decision I could make, including consenting to, refusing, or withdrawing any medical care, treatment, or procedure; choosing and changing my doctors and care facilities; and arranging for my comfort and pain relief. My agent must follow my wishes as stated in this document and otherwise act in my best interest.
I authorize my agent to obtain and review my medical information, and I make my agent my personal representative under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for that purpose.
PART III — LIVING WILL — MY END-OF-LIFE WISHES
If I am terminally ill, permanently unconscious, or in an end-stage condition with no reasonable expectation of recovery, I do NOT want life-sustaining treatment (such as CPR, a ventilator, or dialysis) that would only prolong the process of dying. I direct that such treatment be withheld or withdrawn and that I be allowed to die naturally, receiving only care for my comfort.
I do NOT want artificially administered nutrition and hydration if it would serve only to prolong the process of dying.
Regardless of my other choices, I always want to be kept as comfortable and free of pain as possible, even if medication to relieve my pain may hasten my death.
PART IV — GENERAL PROVISIONS
This directive is governed by the laws of District of Columbia and is intended to be effective in any place where I may be. A copy of this directive has the same effect as the original. I may revoke it at any time by notifying my agent or health care provider, orally or in writing.
If any part of this directive is held invalid, the rest remains in effect. My health care providers and agent who act in good faith reliance on this directive are protected to the fullest extent of the law.
SIGNATURE
I sign this Advance Health Care Directive willingly, on this _____ day of ____________, 20____, at [CITY], District of Columbia.
____________________________________
[YOUR FULL NAME], Principal
WITNESSES — Each of us declares that the principal signed this directive in our presence, appeared to be of sound mind and free from duress, that we are each at least 18 years old, and that we are not disqualified from witnessing under this state's law (see the signing instructions for who may not witness).
Witness 1: ____________________________ Address: ____________________________
Witness 2: ____________________________ Address: ____________________________
How to Sign Your Advance Directive in District of Columbia
An adult signs the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care before two qualified adult witnesses (not the principal, the provider, or its employees; at least one unrelated non-heir) — no notary required. A separate Living Will Declaration under the Natural Death Act has stricter witness rules and, for facility residents, requires a patient-advocate/ombudsman witness. DC has no pregnancy override. With no directive, § 21-2210 sets the surrogate order.
District of Columbia requires 2 witnesses. A notary is not required. This generator's PDF includes a signing page with these exact steps.
The Two Parts: Health Care Agent and Living Will
Your District of Columbia directive has two jobs. The health care agent (also called a healthcare proxy or medical power of attorney) is the person who speaks to doctors for you if you cannot — choosing treatments, providers, and facilities and seeing your medical records. The living will records your own instructions about life-sustaining treatment if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious with no reasonable hope of recovery.
Who Can Be Your Agent and Witnesses in District of Columbia
Your agent: In District of Columbia, your health care agent cannot be The health-care agent under the durable POA may not be the principal's health-care provider (or its employee). The attending physician should not serve as both provider and agent. Choose someone you trust who knows your values and will advocate for you.
Your witnesses: In District of Columbia, a witness must NOT be D.C. Code § 21-2205 (durable POA for health care): TWO adult witnesses required; the witnesses may NOT include the principal, the principal's health-care provider, or an employee of the health-care provider; and at least ONE witness must not be related to the principal by blood, marriage, or adoption and not be entitled to any part of the estate by will or operation of law. No notary required. The Living Will Declaration (§ 7-622, Natural Death Act) adds: a witness may not be related by blood/marriage/domestic partnership, entitled to the estate, directly financially responsible for the declarant's medical care, the attending physician, or an employee of the physician or facility. If the declarant is in an intermediate/skilled care facility, one witness must be a patient advocate or ombudsman (§ 7-623).. Pick neutral adults.
Who Decides If You Have No Directive in District of Columbia?
If you have not named a health care agent, District of Columbia law decides who speaks for you: D.C. Code § 21-2210 substitute decision-maker priority (descending): (1) court-appointed guardian or conservator; (2) court-appointed intellectual-disability advocate; (3) spouse or domestic partner; (4) adult child; (5) parent; (6) adult sibling; (7) religious superior (if applicable); (8) a close friend; (9) the nearest living relative. Decision-making passes to the next class only if no one in a prior class is reasonably available, capable, and willing. An unmarried partner usually has no automatic say. Signing a directive is how you choose your own decision-maker instead of leaving it to this default.
Updating, Revoking, and Sharing Your Directive
Review your directive after any major change — a new diagnosis, a divorce, the death of your agent, or a move to a new state (a directive valid where you signed it is usually honored elsewhere, but it is wise to re-sign under your new state's rules). You can revoke it any time by telling your agent or doctor or by signing a new one. After signing, give copies to your agent, your alternate, and your doctor and keep the original where it can be found quickly — a directive no one can locate cannot help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an advance directive made online valid in District of Columbia?
Yes, if you sign it correctly. District of Columbia requires 2 witnesses. The document this tool creates is a standard advance directive — combines a durable power of attorney for health care (d.c. code § 21-2205, health-care decisions act) + a living will declaration (d.c. code § 7-622, natural death act); it becomes legally effective when you sign it as described above.
Do I need a lawyer to make an advance directive in District of Columbia?
No. A properly signed advance directive is valid whether or not a lawyer prepares it. See an attorney if you have complex wishes, a serious illness, or want detailed limits on specific treatments.
What is the difference between a living will and a healthcare power of attorney?
A living will states your own wishes about life-sustaining treatment. A healthcare power of attorney (agent/proxy) names a person to make medical decisions for you. This generator combines both in one District of Columbia directive.
Does my District of Columbia directive need to be notarized?
No, District of Columbia does not require notarization; 2 witnesses is what makes it valid.
Who can witness my advance directive in District of Columbia?
Adults who are not D.C. Code § 21-2205 (durable POA for health care): TWO adult witnesses required; the witnesses may NOT include the principal, the principal's health-care provider, or an employee of the health-care provider; and at least ONE witness must not be related to the principal by blood, marriage, or adoption and not be entitled to any part of the estate by will or operation of law. No notary required. The Living Will Declaration (§ 7-622, Natural Death Act) adds: a witness may not be related by blood/marriage/domestic partnership, entitled to the estate, directly financially responsible for the declarant's medical care, the attending physician, or an employee of the physician or facility. If the declarant is in an intermediate/skilled care facility, one witness must be a patient advocate or ombudsman (§ 7-623)..
What happens if I don't have an advance directive in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia decides who makes your medical decisions: D.C. Code § 21-2210 substitute decision-maker priority (descending): (1) court-appointed guardian or conservator; (2) court-appointed intellectual-disability advocate; (3) spouse or domestic partner; (4) adult child; (5) parent; (6) adult sibling; (7) religious superior (if applicable); (8) a close friend; (9) the nearest living relative. Decision-making passes to the next class only if no one in a prior class is reasonably available, capable, and willing.
Can my agent override my living will?
No. Your agent must follow the clear wishes you write down. The living will guides your agent and your doctors; the agent fills in decisions you did not specifically address.
Do I have to file my directive with a court?
No. An advance directive is not filed with any court. You keep the signed original and give copies to your agent and your doctor so it is available when needed.
Is this really free?
Yes. The generator is free, requires no account, and runs entirely in your browser — your answers are not sent to a server. It is general information, not legal or medical advice.
Disclaimer
This generator produces a general-purpose advance directive and is not legal or medical advice or a substitute for an attorney or your physician. Healthcare-directive law changes; the District of Columbia requirements here are current as of 2026-06-05. A directive is only effective if signed as your state requires. For a serious illness, detailed treatment limits, or complex family situations, talk to your doctor and a District of Columbia estate-planning attorney. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
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