Advance Directive in California—When and How To Make It

Unfortunate events, such as difficult medical conditions, can happen unexpectedly. The best way to deal with them if they occur and have more peace of mind is to prepare properly. You can achieve this by creating an advance directive in time.

In this article, we’ll tell you all you need to know about making an advance directive in California. We’ll also explain how you can create this document without trouble if you sign up for DoNotPay.

California Advance Health Care Directive—What Is It?

A health care directive enables you to outline your wishes and instructions regarding specific medical procedures (refuse or require certain treatments) for when you lose the ability to make decisions yourself. It is used in situations when you are seriously ill or injured.

In California, this document is also referred to as a personal directive, medical directive, or advance decision.

Health Care Directive in California—What Parts Does It Consist Of?

California advance health care directives consist of four parts. In the following table, you can find more details on each:

California Medical Power of Attorney and Living Will Explained

In California, you can create both a living will and a medical POA or only one of the documents. When making a living will, you need to be aware of the available forms and the cost of the process.

If you decide to draw up a medical POA in California, you should know who you can appoint as your agent according to state laws. This person cannot be:

1. Your supervising health care provider
2. The operator of a facility where you are receiving medical care
3. An employee of a health care institution where you are receiving care

Make an Advance Directive in California With DoNotPay’s Help

You can draw up an advance directive by:

• Hiring a lawyer
• Customizing advance directive forms
• Registering for DoNotPay

Keep in mind that a lawyer will charge you sky-high fees, while online forms won’t be sufficient if you lack legal knowledge. With DoNotPay’s help, you will save both time and money and get an airtight legal document. Here is everything you need to do:

1. Access DoNotPay
2. Find our Advance Health Care Directive product
3. Appoint a health care agent and choose the power you want to transfer to them
4. Enter the relevant medical information (your hospital, doctor, etc.)

How Do You Make an Advance Directive Valid in California?

The Golden State laws require you to sign your advance directive before a notary public or two adult witnesses. These individuals cannot be:

• Your health care provider or their employee
• The operator or an employee of a community care facility you’re being treated at
• Your health care agent
• Related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption
• Entitled to any portion of your estate

Skip the Bureaucratic Hurdles With Our Help

If your unfinished tasks are piling up each day, we can help save you time and energy. Let DoNotPay do the heavy lifting and complete the following for you:

In one fell swoop, our app will draft legal documents, fax them online, and get them notarized. In case you need to request a college fee waiver, find unclaimed money, file a FOIA request, or contest parking tickets, you can count on DoNotPay’s help.

We Offer Even More Ways To Assist You

Once you sign up for DoNotPay, there aren’t many problems that we can’t solve for you. Take a look at the table below to get an idea of what we can help you with: