Alaska Vehicle Power of Attorney

Introduction

Key Things to Know

1. 1

   The Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles publishes form 847, titled Power of Attorney, which appoints an attorney-in-fact to sign any and all documents for the one vehicle described on it.

2. 2

   Form 847 must be notarized. The page prints a Subscribed and Sworn acknowledgment block with a seal area and a commission expiration line, and states that only the original, notarized document is acceptable.

3. 3

   A DMV representative can take the oath instead of a notary public. The acknowledgment line reads Signature of Notary Public or DMV Representative, with a login identifier and office location recorded where a DMV representative signs.

4. 4

   The whole form must be completed in full in ink, so a scan, a fax or a photocopy of a completed 847 will not be accepted at the counter.

5. 5

   The authority printed on the form runs wider than title work: the four named examples are a vehicle purchase, a vehicle sale, an Application for Title and/or Registration, and a transfer of ownership.

6. 6

   The appointee is named in four parts: full first name, full middle name, full last name and suffix. An initial or a familiar name is not what the form asks for.

7. 7

   The vehicle is described in seven items on form 847: license plate number, serial number or VIN, year, make, model, body style and color.

Alaska Requirements for Vehicle Power of Attorney

• DMV Form 847, Power of Attorney

  Alaska uses form 847, titled Power of Attorney, published by the State of Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. The posted revision is dated 08/03/2018. It appoints an attorney-in-fact to sign any and all documents for the one vehicle described on the form.

• Notarization Required on the Face of the Form

  Form 847 prints a Subscribed and Sworn acknowledgment block with a seal area and a commission expiration line, and states that only the original, notarized document is acceptable. The owner must sign in front of the officer rather than in advance.

• A DMV Representative May Take the Oath

  The acknowledgment line reads Signature of Notary Public or DMV Representative, and where a DMV representative signs, the form records that representative's login identifier and office location in place of a notary commission.

• Completed in Full in Ink, Original Only

  The instruction above the revision date requires the form to be completed in full in ink and states that only the original, notarized document is acceptable. An owner who is out of state has to send the signed original rather than a scan or a fax.

• Four Named Powers, Wider Than Title Work

  The appointment sentence authorizes the attorney-in-fact to sign any and all documents for the vehicle described, including but not limited to a vehicle purchase, a vehicle sale, an Application for Title and/or Registration, and a transfer of ownership.

• Appointee Named in Four Parts

  The appointment band asks for the full first name, full middle name, full last name and suffix of the person being appointed to act for the owner, so an initial or a shortened name is not what the Division is asking for.

• Seven Item Vehicle Description, Color Included

  The vehicle information band calls for the license plate number, the serial number or VIN, the year, the make, the model, the body style and the color. Copy the serial number from the title, since a mismatched digit is a common rejection.

• Owner or Company Agent Signature Block

  The signature band is labeled for an owner or a company agent: printed name, license or identification number, signature, date, and a separate company name line. The appointee then presents the original with the Alaska transaction paperwork it supports.