Authorization Letter in 2026: Simple Power of Attorney Guide

An authorization letter — also called a simple power of attorney letter — is a short document in which one person (the principal) gives another person (the agent) written permission to act on their behalf for a specific everyday task: collecting a package or an official document, running a banking errand, completing an administrative step, or picking a child up from school. This guide covers what a simple written authorization can and cannot do, the elements it must contain, and how to get it accepted on the first try.

What a Simple Authorization Letter Can Cover

A written authorization works well for one-off, low-stakes delegations where the organisation mainly needs written proof that you agreed:

• Parcels and mail: collecting a package, registered letter, or held delivery at a counter
• Documents and certificates: picking up a diploma, certificate, or file from a school, employer, or public office
• Banking errands: simple counter operations where your bank accepts a written authorization (many require their own form — see below)
• Administrative steps: filing or retrieving paperwork at a town hall, agency, or service desk
• School pickups: authorising a relative or trusted adult to collect your child

What It Cannot Replace

A simple authorization letter is not a substitute for a notarized or registered power of attorney. The higher the stakes, the more formality is required:

• Durable or financial power of attorney: managing someone's finances or affairs in case of incapacity requires a formal deed, usually prepared with a notary or lawyer
• Property transactions: selling or mortgaging real estate follows its own formal process
• Medical decisions: healthcare choices are governed by a separate legal framework
• Court representation: generally reserved to lawyers or subject to specific procedures

When in doubt, ask the organisation what form of authority it expects before drafting anything.

Required Elements

To be accepted, your letter should contain all of the following:

• Full identity of the principal: name, date and place of birth, address
• Full identity of the agent: the same details for the person acting on your behalf
• Precise scope: exactly what the agent may do — one task, one organisation ("collect the registered letter held at the Main Street post office" rather than "handle my mail")
• Validity dates: a start and end date, or a single date for a one-off errand
• Both ID references: the type and number of each person's identity document
• Date, place, and handwritten signature of the principal

How the Recipient Verifies It

Acceptance is always at the organisation's discretion, so expect the clerk who receives your agent to run a few checks:

• the agent's ID is compared with the identity stated in the letter
• the attached copy of the principal's ID is used to check the identity details and, often, the signature on the letter
• the requested task is checked against the stated scope and validity dates
• some organisations call the principal to confirm, or require their own in-house form instead of a free-form letter

Sample Structure

1. Title: "Authorization Letter" or "Authorization to [task]"
2. Principal's identification: "I, the undersigned, [full name], born on [date] in [place], residing at [address], holder of ID no. [number]"
3. Delegation sentence: "hereby authorise [agent's full name], born on [date] in [place], residing at [address], holder of ID no. [number]"
4. Scope: "to [precise task] on my behalf"
5. Validity: "This authorization is valid from [start date] to [end date]."
6. Closing: date, place, signature, and a mention that copies of both IDs are attached

Delivery Tips

• Give the agent the signed original — many counters refuse photocopies or photos on a phone
• Attach a photocopy of your ID and make sure the agent carries their own
• Check first whether the organisation provides its own authorization form; if so, use it
• When the organisation allows it, email a scanned copy ahead of the visit, and keep a copy for yourself

Common Pitfalls

• Scope too broad: "to act on my behalf" invites refusal — name the exact task and organisation
• Missing dates: without a validity period the recipient cannot tell whether the letter still applies
• No ID copy attached: the letter alone rarely suffices to verify the principal's identity
• Mismatched details: a typo in a name or ID number is enough for a cautious clerk to turn the agent away
• Wrong instrument: using a simple letter for a matter that requires a notarized power of attorney

Validity and Revocation

The authorization is valid for the period stated in the letter. The principal can revoke it at any time by sending a written notice to the agent and, if applicable, to the organisation concerned. Upon the death of either party, the authorization automatically ends. Keeping the validity window short — a single date for a one-off errand — is the simplest safeguard.

A Note for Readers in France

In France this document is called a procuration, and a few tasks follow dedicated procedures rather than a free-form letter: banks require their own procuration form, usually signed at the branch; La Poste offers a mail procuration set up online or at a post office; certain administrative steps rely on standard CERFA forms; and proxy voting has its own official process that a simple letter cannot replace.