Advance Health Directive Cost in Western Australia

The Document Itself Is Free — The Complications Aren't

The statutory Advance Health Directive (AHD) form in Western Australia is a free download from the HealthyWA website. The Enduring Power of Guardianship (EPG) form is free from the Office of the Public Advocate. Neither document carries a government filing fee — there's no registration requirement and no lodgement cost.

So the short answer to "what does it cost?" is: nothing, if you do it yourself correctly.

The longer answer is that the free forms come with significant complexity — multi-part statutory requirements, strict witnessing rules, and clinical language that most people struggle with — and the cost of getting it wrong is that your directive is legally invalid when your family needs it most.

The Free Path: Government Forms

WA's Department of Health publishes the prescribed AHD form through HealthyWA. The form has six parts:

• Part 1: Personal details (mandatory)
• Part 2: Health conditions (optional — cross out if not completing)
• Part 3: Values and preferences (optional — cross out if not completing)
• Part 4: Treatment decisions (mandatory — must include at least one)
• Part 5: Additional information (optional)
• Part 6: Witnessing and signatures (mandatory)

The form is free. The accompanying guide is free. But neither one walks you through the clinical implications of the treatment decisions you're making, how to word your preferences so clinicians can act on them, or what to do if your local community doesn't have an accessible authorised witness.

The Office of the Public Advocate provides the EPG form and information kit at no cost. Same pattern: the form is free, the practical execution support is minimal.

The DIY Path: What You Need

If you're completing an AHD yourself without professional help, here's what's involved:

Costs that are genuinely zero:

• Downloading the AHD and EPG forms
• Completing the forms yourself
• Having the forms witnessed (most authorised witnesses don't charge for witnessing — JPs, pharmacists, and police officers typically witness for free)
• Uploading to My Health Record (free, through myGov)

Costs that may arise:

• GP consultation to discuss treatment preferences: the cost depends on your GP's fees and Medicare arrangements. The AHD guide recommends consulting your GP before completing Part 4, particularly if you have existing health conditions.
• Photocopying and certified copies: costs depend on the provider and whether certification is needed.
• Scanning at high resolution (300dpi, black and white) for My Health Record upload: free if you have a scanner; a fee may apply if you use a local library or office supply shop.

Total DIY cost: can be $0, but may be higher, depending on whether you pay for a GP consultation, copies, or scanning.

The Solicitor Path: Perth Pricing

If you want professional drafting and advice, Perth elder-law solicitors offer advance care planning services at a range of price points.

Individual document drafting:

• AHD, EPG, or EPA: $195–$660

Comprehensive packages (AHD + EPG + EPA, sometimes bundled with a Will):

• Comprehensive packages: $1,700–$3,800

These fees cover professional advice on treatment decisions, proper execution and witnessing (the solicitor handles this), and sometimes a capacity assessment conducted during the appointment.

Citizens Advice Bureau WA offers a subsidised alternative: $50 per document (EPG, EPA) plus $50 for the appointment. Wait times can be several weeks, and availability is limited in regional areas.

Online Platforms: Safewill, Willed, and ezyWill

Commercial online will-making platforms have entered the Australian market, offering digital estate planning at lower price points than traditional solicitors.

• Safewill: From around $160 for a Will package. Includes some advance care planning, but their AHD support is generic (national templates rather than WA-specific).
• Willed: Similar price range, with a focus on Wills and EPAs. Limited AHD support.
• ezyWill: Offers WA-specific EPA and EPG forms as add-ons.

The limitation of these platforms for WA advance care planning is that they don't solve the two hardest problems: making clinically sound treatment decisions (Part 4 of the AHD), and navigating the physical witnessing requirements. You still need two witnesses in the room with you — there's no online workaround for that in WA.

The Hidden Cost of Getting It Wrong

The most expensive outcome isn't paying for professional help — it's completing a free form incorrectly and having it declared invalid when it matters.

Common errors that invalidate a WA AHD:

• Using a retired professional as a witness. Under the Oaths, Affidavits and Statutory Declarations Act 2005, the authorised witness must be currently registered or practising. A retired GP, retired nurse, or retired teacher doesn't qualify. More on this in our witnessing requirements post.
• Not completing Part 4. The AHD must contain at least one binding treatment decision to be valid. Filling in only Part 1 (personal details) and Part 3 (values) doesn't create a directive — it creates a statement that has no legal force.
• Leaving optional parts blank without crossing them out. The WA Department of Health instructs makers to physically cross out any optional parts they choose not to complete. Leaving them blank creates ambiguity that can be exploited in a legal challenge.
• Vague treatment language. Writing "no heroic measures" or "do what the doctor thinks is best" doesn't give clinicians enough specificity to act. These phrases are routinely disregarded in favour of standard clinical protocols.

When an AHD is invalid, treatment decisions fall to the statutory hierarchy of treatment decision-makers — which may not reflect the person's wishes or relationships.

Comparing the Options

The Middle Path

Most Western Australians don't need a $3,000 solicitor package, but they do need more support than a bare government form provides. The gap between "free form with no guidance" and "full legal package" is where most people get stuck — and where most errors happen.

The Western Australia Advance Directive & Living Will Kit fills that gap. It includes treatment decision worksheets that translate clinical options into plain language, a complete witnessing checklist, step-by-step form completion instructions (including what to cross out and why), and a My Health Record upload guide. It also covers the EPG appointment process, so you're not dealing with two separate planning projects.

The cost of the kit is a fraction of what a Perth solicitor charges, and it gives you the practical support the free government forms don't include. What it doesn't replace is independent legal advice for complex situations — blended families, large estates, or disputes over guardianship appointments. For those, a solicitor is the right call.

See more Western Australia guides →