State guide
Advance Directive Forms in California
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 10
We link to official sources only. We are not a law firm and we never write legal documents. The form you sign must come from an official or authorised source in your state.
What this document does
An advance directive is where you write down the healthcare treatment you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself. In most states it also names a healthcare agent — the person who speaks for you when you cannot.
Where to get the California form
California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General publishes the current form here: https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/ProbateCodeAdvanceHealthCareDirectiveForm-fillable.pdf
California has no required form (Probate Code section 4701). The Attorney General publishes this statutory model form, which you may use as-is or as a starting point.
Background reading: California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General guidance
Why California's official answer is "there is no required form"
This is the single most useful thing to know before you start looking: California does not require a particular form. Probate Code section 4701 sets out what a valid Advance Health Care Directive has to contain, not what it has to look like. Any document that meets those requirements works.
That is a deliberate choice by the state, not a loophole. But it creates a practical problem, because when no form is mandatory, every website you visit will offer you a different document and none of them is "the official one". Some are fine. Others are marketing for a service you do not need, or a template that quietly leaves out one of the required elements.
The way out is the statutory model form published by the California Department of Justice. It satisfies the requirements by construction, it is free, and it does both jobs in one document: naming your agent, and recording your treatment wishes. You can use it exactly as printed, or as a starting point to write your own.
Because everything sits in a single document in California, it is also easy to keep complete. One signature, one copy to your doctor, one copy to your agent, done.
Because no California form is mandatory, where you download from matters more than usual. Use the Attorney General's model form. A document from an unfamiliar template site can look official and still miss a required element.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way California requires. Many states need witnesses or a notary. The form itself says which — follow the form, not a blog.
- Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor. A form nobody can find is a form that does not work.
- Keep the original somewhere reachable — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
- Add it to your checklist so your trusted contact knows it exists and where it lives.
Frequently asked
Is the California advance directive form free?
Yes. California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the California form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way California law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed California advance directive?
Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere reachable at home — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.