Registering a Lasting Power of Attorney: Step-by-Step Guide 2026

The gap between signing an LPA and registering it is one of the most dangerous mistakes people make in planning for the future. Signing an LPA is only the first step — until it is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian, it cannot be used by anyone. This guide explains the registration process in full and highlights the critical timing considerations.

Signed vs Registered: A Critical Distinction

An LPA document becomes legally valid only once it has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. A signed, even witnessed and certified LPA that has not been registered has no legal effect and cannot be used by the attorney.

This matters enormously in practice. Consider a common scenario: an elderly person signs an LPA in case they lose mental capacity, but does not register it immediately, thinking they will do so “when needed.” If they then have a stroke or are diagnosed with dementia, they may no longer have the mental capacity to consent to registering the LPA — and if the LPA has not already been registered, it cannot be used. The family is then left with no choice but to apply to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order, which is far more expensive, time-consuming, and intrusive.

The only safe approach is to register the LPA immediately after it is signed and witnessed. Registration costs £82 per LPA and there is no disadvantage to registering early.

The Online MyLPA Service vs Paper Registration

From November 2023, the OPG introduced a new online service called MyLPA (accessed via GOV.UK). For LPAs created and submitted entirely through the MyLPA service, registration is significantly simpler and faster than the old paper process.

Online registration via MyLPA:

• The LPA is created, signed, and submitted entirely online — no paper forms needed
• The donor, certificate provider, and attorneys must each have a GOV.UK account to sign their section of the LPA online
• Registration is submitted automatically at the end of the process — there is no separate registration step
• Processing time is currently approximately 20 weeks, which is the same as paper but without the risk of postal delays or lost documents
• Fee payment is made online at the point of submission

Paper registration (existing LPAs):

• LPAs created on paper (before or after the introduction of MyLPA) must be registered by submitting the completed paper forms to the OPG by post
• The application to register a paper LPA is made on the LP3 form (notice to persons who are to be notified of the LPA application) and by returning the signed LPA with a cheque or postal order for £82 per LPA
• Paper applications typically take longer than online and carry a greater risk of delay due to errors in the forms

The OPG strongly recommends using the online MyLPA service for any new LPAs created from November 2023 onwards. For LPAs already created on paper but not yet registered, the paper registration route remains available and is perfectly valid.

The Registration Fee and Fee Remission Scheme

The current fee for registering an LPA with the OPG is £82 per LPA. If you are making both a Property and Financial Affairs LPA and a Health and Welfare LPA — which is generally advisable, as they cover different areas of decision-making — the combined cost is £164.

A fee remission scheme (called “Help with Fees” or “remission”) is available for those on low incomes or benefits. Eligibility is assessed based on your gross annual income:

• Full remission: If you receive certain means-tested benefits (such as Universal Credit, Income Support, Pension Credit), you pay no fee
• 50% remission: If your gross annual income is £12,000 or less, you pay half the standard fee (currently £41 per LPA)
• Full fee applies: If your income exceeds £12,000, you pay the standard £82 per LPA

To apply for a fee remission, complete form LPA120A and send it with your LPA registration application. Include evidence of income or benefits as required. The OPG will confirm whether remission is granted before processing the registration.

The Certificate Provider’s Role

Before an LPA can be registered, a certificate provider must have signed the document to certify that the donor understands what they are signing and is not being pressured into making the LPA. This is a fundamental safeguard against abuse.

A certificate provider must be someone who:

• Has known the donor personally for at least two years (a “person of knowledge”), or is a professional such as a solicitor, GP, or registered social worker (a “professional certificate provider”)
• Is not a family member of the donor or any of the attorneys
• Is not an employee of the donor’s care home (if they live in one)
• Is mentally capable and over 18 years of age

The certificate provider certifies that in their opinion:

• The donor understands the purpose of the LPA and the scope of the authority being granted
• No fraud or undue pressure is being used to induce the donor to create the LPA
• There is nothing else to prevent the LPA being created

If the OPG receives an LPA without a properly completed certificate provider section, the application will be rejected. This is one of the most common reasons for registration delays, so it is worth ensuring the certificate provider section is completed correctly before submission.

Current Registration Timescales and Why Acting Early Matters

As of early 2026, the OPG is processing LPA registrations in approximately 20 weeks for online applications. Paper applications can take longer, particularly if there are any errors in the forms that require clarification.

Twenty weeks is a very long time in the context of a sudden health event. A person who has a heart attack, suffers a stroke, or receives a diagnosis of dementia may lose capacity within days or weeks — long before a 20-week processing time would allow a newly registered LPA to be used.

This is why the consistent advice from solicitors, the OPG, and financial advisers is to:

• Create and register both types of LPA while you are in good health and have full mental capacity
• Do not treat an LPA as something to do “when needed” — the moment you need it may be exactly the moment you can no longer make it
• Review registered LPAs periodically to ensure the named attorneys are still suitable and willing to act
• If circumstances change (attorneys move abroad, relationships break down), update the LPA sooner rather than later — changes require creating and registering a new LPA

A registered LPA that is never needed costs £82 and sits in a drawer. An unregistered LPA when it is urgently needed can result in an expensive Court of Protection deputyship application costing thousands of pounds and months of delay. The investment in registering early is almost always justified.