State guide
Advance Directive Forms in Minnesota
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 14
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 Minnesota form
Minnesota Department of Health publishes the current form here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/regulation/infobulletins/advdirlg.html
Minnesota law does not require a specific form.
Background reading: Minnesota Department of Health guidance
You may find two different Minnesota forms. Both are fine.
Minnesota does something that catches people out. Because the state does not require a specific form, more than one official Minnesota document is in circulation — the Department of Health publishes a version, and the Board on Aging publishes its own alongside plain-language guidance. They look different, and neither is wrong.
The document itself is called a Health Care Directive, and the name is accurate: it does both jobs in one place. You name your agent and you record your treatment wishes in the same document, rather than completing two and hoping both get signed.
Because the wording is not prescribed, Minnesota law focuses on what the document has to contain rather than what it has to look like. That gives you room. You can use a state version as printed, write your own, or adapt one, as long as it says who decides and what you want.
If you are not sure which to use, the Department of Health's version is the straightforward choice. The Board on Aging's pages are worth reading for the explanation of how it works, which is written for families rather than for lawyers.
Two legitimate Minnesota sources publish different-looking Health Care Directives. If you have one and a relative has another, that is not a conflict — both are valid. What matters is that the copy you sign clearly names your agent.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way Minnesota 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 Minnesota advance directive form free?
Yes. Minnesota Department of Health publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the Minnesota form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way Minnesota law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed Minnesota 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.