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Home > Guides > Faxing a power of attorney
Often, yes. Many banks, insurers, and attorneys accept a faxed power of attorney as working authority to act on instructions. But acceptance is not universal: real estate recordings usually require the original wet-ink document, and some institutions insist on seeing the original before they rely on it. Ask the recipient first.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Banks, brokerages, insurance companies, and law offices deal in faxed POAs every day. For them, the fax is typically enough to start acting: processing a transaction, releasing records, or communicating with the attorney-in-fact. What they commonly do next is ask for the original to follow by mail for their permanent file. So the practical pattern is fax first for speed, mail the original right behind it. A short cover note saying "original to follow by mail" prevents the follow-up phone call asking where it is.
| Recipient | Usually accepts a fax? |
|---|---|
| Banks and brokerages | Usually yes, original often requested for the file |
| Insurance companies | Often yes for claims and beneficiary matters |
| Attorneys and law offices | Usually yes as working authority |
| County recorders (real estate) | Usually no, original required for recording |
| Government agencies | Varies, call ahead |
Recording is the big exception. If the POA will be used to sign a deed or mortgage, the county recorder almost always wants the original with wet-ink signatures, and sometimes a raised notary seal that a fax cannot reproduce. Fax the copy to the title company or attorney so they can review the language, but plan on the original traveling by mail or courier for the actual recording.
Witnessing and notarization rules add another wrinkle. Several US states require a POA to be signed before two witnesses or a notary to be valid at all, and a faxed copy makes it harder for a skeptical institution to verify those formalities were met. A crisp fax helps: use fine-resolution mode so signatures, dates, and notary stamps stay legible, and include every page. A POA faxed without its signature page is just paper with intentions.
In most everyday dealings, yes. Courts and businesses in both the US and Canada routinely treat faxed signatures as evidence that the document was signed, especially when nobody disputes it. The trouble starts only when someone does dispute it: a faxed copy is weaker proof of execution than the original, and an institution that suspects forgery will demand the original. If the POA authorizes large transfers or a property sale, expect that demand and have the original ready.
Confirm acceptance before you fax. A two-minute call to the bank's legal desk or the attorney's office saves the embarrassment of a rejected fax and a blown deadline. Fax every page, including the signature and notary pages, in fine resolution. Keep the confirmation page: it proves what you sent and when, which matters if anyone later claims they never got it. Then mail the original the same day with tracking, and note on the cover sheet that the original is on its way. The fax buys you speed; the original buys you certainty.
With LetterAgent, fax is currently in testing: you describe the fax to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted total, and the fax is sent to a US or Canadian number. For a POA, confirm with the recipient that a faxed copy is acceptable before you send, and mail the original separately for their file.
Ready to fax it? Fax with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is sent.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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