Letter of authorisation
Someone else can do it, if the paper says who and what.
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Example
Example: letting a neighbour collect a parcel from the delivery office
Sarah Example, of 14 Sample Road, Anytown AB1 2CD, found a missed-delivery card for a parcel and will be away until the end of the month. Her neighbour David Specimen is to collect it. Settings: Plain English letter; What they may do: Collect documents, post or goods; Paper A4.
- The heading reads Authority to collect, and the letter says she authorises him to collect documents, post or goods addressed to her and to sign for them.
- The signature line is at the foot, labelled Signature of the person giving authority; a small note under it says most offices also want a copy of both ID documents.
| Field | What she types | On the letter |
|---|---|---|
| You — name and address | Sarah Example, 14 Sample Road, Anytown AB1 2CD (three lines) | In the box under Given by |
| Your ID document number | Passport 123456789 | ID document number: Passport 123456789 |
| The person you are authorising | David Specimen, 16 Sample Road, Anytown AB1 2CD | In the same box, under Authorised person |
| Their ID document number | Driving licence SPECI 801234 DS9AB | Under his address |
| Exactly what is authorised | Collect the parcel addressed to me that is waiting at the Anytown delivery office (card left on 9 November 2026, reference 1234 5678 9012) / Sign for it on my behalf | In the box headed What is authorised, one line each |
| Valid until | 30 November 2026 | Valid until: 30 November 2026 |
| Written at, Date | Anytown, 10 November 2026 | Place and date: Anytown, 10 November 2026 |
letter-of-authority.pdf, one A4 page. Sarah signs it by hand before she leaves; David takes it to the counter with the card, his driving licence and a copy of her passport. Nothing of ours is printed on it.
How it works
- Choose the country. That decides the wording, the layout and the date format.
- Put in both people, with an ID number each — a name alone does not identify anybody at a counter.
- Say exactly what is authorised. Narrow beats broad: an office will act on a specific instruction and hesitate over a vague one.
- Download, print and sign it by hand. Take a copy of both ID documents with you.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a power of attorney have to be notarised?
- For most everyday things, no. A private written authority is form-free in most of these countries and is what offices, parcel depots and workshops actually accept. Notarisation is needed for particular acts — property being the usual one — and for anything a registry has to record.
- What makes one valid?
- Four things, and they are exactly what this form guarantees: both people identifiable, not just named; what is being authorised, specifically; where and when it was written; and the signature of the person giving the authority, by hand. Everything else on these sheets is decoration.
- Why does it ask for ID numbers?
- Because the person at the counter has to be able to match the paper to the human standing in front of them. Almost every office also wants a copy of both identity documents attached, so take them.
- Should I write it broadly, just in case?
- No. A broad authority is worse in both directions: it gives away more than you meant, and it makes a careful official hesitate rather than act. Write the specific errand — "collect my registration certificate from the Bürgeramt Mitte" — and make another one next time.
- What about a lasting power of attorney or a living will?
- Not this, deliberately. A lasting power of attorney, a Vorsorgevollmacht or a living will decides what happens when somebody can no longer speak for themselves; the requirements vary, and a template that is merely plausible is worse than none. That is a conversation with a solicitor, a notary or an advice centre.
- How do I authorise someone to collect a parcel or a document for me?
- Choose Collect documents, post or goods. The letter is then headed Authority to collect and lets the person collect what is addressed to you and sign for it. In What is authorised, name the place and the item, with the reference from the card or letter you were sent, and give an end date. Send the person with their own ID and a copy of yours. (For a Japanese 委任状, use its own page.)
- Is it free?
- Yes, and nothing of ours is printed on the sheet, on any plan: it is a document you send or hand over as it is.
Made for a specific use
Related tools
委 Japanese letter of authority The form a Japanese office asks for when somebody goes in your place. 退 Notice letter The letter, and the date it actually ends. 委 Attestation d'hébergement The French proof of address for someone with no lease. 委 Promissory note (借用書) Money lent, written down properly.