How to execute your Kentucky power of attorney.

• 01You sign the POA. Per KRS 457.050(1), the principal signs the power of attorney. (If you are physically unable to sign, KRS 457.050(1) allows another person to sign your name in your conscious presence at your direction; the reason must be stated in the POA.)
• 02A Kentucky notary acknowledges your signature. Per KRS 457.050(2), the signature is presumed genuine when acknowledged before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments. The notary completes the acknowledgment block at the end of the form (your draft has this block built in).
• 03That's it — no witnesses required. A Kentucky power of attorney is not a will. The two-witness rule that applies to wills (KRS 394.040) does not apply to POAs. KRS 457.050 sets the entire execution standard: principal signature plus notary acknowledgment.

Wet ink versus electronic signature. Kentucky accepts electronic signatures on a power of attorney under the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (KRS 369.107(4) — "if a law requires a signature, an electronic signature satisfies the law"). KRS 369.103(2)(a) excludes wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts from UETA but does not exclude POAs. Despite the legal validity, banks, hospitals, and other third-party institutions sometimes decline to honor an electronically signed POA — third-party acceptance is the practical reason most Kentuckians sign POAs in wet ink. It's a hedge, not a statutory requirement.

• 01Banks and credit unions. Most Kentucky banks and credit unions provide free notary service to their customers during business hours. Call ahead to confirm the notary will be available.
• 02UPS Stores and shipping centers. Many UPS Stores have a notary on staff for a small per-signature fee (typically $5–15).
• 03Mobile notaries. A mobile notary will travel to your home or care facility for a fee (~$50–$150 in most Kentucky counties). Search "mobile notary" plus your county.

The Kentucky Secretary of State publishes a directory of commissioned notaries. Find it at sos.ky.gov/notarytools.

Kentucky permits Remote Online Notarization (RON) for powers of attorney under KRS 423.355. With RON, a Kentucky-commissioned online notary verifies your identity through credential analysis and identity proofing, then acknowledges your signature over a recorded video session. The notary stamps the document electronically and retains the audio-video recording for at least ten years (KRS 423.355(5)(c)).

What RON is good for. Distant principals, limited-mobility principals, and clients who can't easily reach a Kentucky notary in person. The legal validity of an RON-notarized POA is identical to an in-person-notarized POA (KRS 423.355(8)).

The practical caveat. Some banks, hospitals, and government agencies decline to honor RON-notarized POAs even though they are legally valid. If your POA is likely to be used at a specific institution, ask that institution about its acceptance posture before choosing RON. For a POA that may need to be honored across many institutions, in-person notary is still the conservative default.

• ·DocuSign Notary — docusign.com/products/notary. Per-document fee.
• ·Notarize.com — notarize.com. Per-document fee.
• ·BlueNotary — bluenotary.us. Per-document fee.

Bluegrass Trueform Legal Co. LLC has no business relationship with the platforms above. They are listed for your convenience.