Advance Personal Plan Form NT: How to Fill It Out Correctly

The Advance Personal Plan is the Northern Territory's all-in-one substitute decision-making document — combining what other states handle through separate powers of attorney, guardianship forms, and advance care directives. The statutory form is free to download from the NT Government website, but filling it out correctly matters enormously. A missing section or a witness who does not qualify under the Advance Personal Planning Act 2013 can render the entire document legally ineffective.

Where to Get the Form

The approved APP form is available from two official sources:

• NT Government website (nt.gov.au) — downloadable as a PDF
• Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) office — available in person in Darwin

Do not use generic Australian power of attorney templates. The NT's APP is a jurisdiction-specific instrument with its own execution requirements. An interstate instrument may be recognised only if it meets the NT's recognition rules, and property dealings may require NT Land Titles Office registration.

The Five Sections Explained

The APP form is divided into five lettered sections. Only two are mandatory — the rest are optional, though completing them gives your decision-makers clearer authority.

Section A — Personal Details (mandatory). Your full legal name, date of birth, and address. This identifies you as the maker of the plan.

Section B — Advance Care Statements (optional). Non-binding statements about your values, lifestyle preferences, and wishes. These guide your decision-makers but are not legally enforceable. You might note your preference for staying at home as long as possible, your cultural or religious practices, or your views on residential aged care.

Section C — Advance Consent Decisions (optional but powerful). Legally binding directions about specific medical treatments. Unlike the non-binding statements in Section B, an Advance Consent Decision is enforceable — health practitioners must follow it unless NTCAT orders that it be disregarded. You can consent to or refuse specific treatments, including end-of-life care. Think carefully before completing this section, and consider discussing it with your GP.

Section D — Appointing Decision-Makers (optional). This is where you name the people who will manage your affairs if you lose capacity. You can appoint different decision-makers for different domains — one person for financial matters, another for healthcare. You can also appoint alternative decision-makers as backups.

Section E — Execution (mandatory). Your signature and your witness's certification. Without this section properly completed, the APP has no legal effect.

Common Mistakes That Invalidate the Form

Using the wrong witness. The NT has a specific list of authorised witnesses: JPs, legal practitioners, health practitioners, social workers, accountants, police officers, local government CEOs, and NT school principals. A family friend or neighbour who is not in one of these categories cannot witness the signing.

Having the decision-maker witness the signing. Anyone appointed as a decision-maker (or an alternative decision-maker) in the plan cannot also serve as the witness. This is a direct conflict of interest under the Act.

Skipping Section E. Every APP must include a completed execution page with both the maker's signature and the witness's certification. A plan that has not been formally signed and witnessed is not legally operative.

Not printing double-sided for LTO registration. If you plan to register with the Land Titles Office for property transactions, the document must be printed double-sided on 80 gsm paper. Single-sided documents are rejected or hit with a requisition fee.

Signing on Someone's Behalf

If the maker is physically unable to sign due to illness or disability, another adult can sign on their behalf. The requirements are strict:

• The representative must sign in the maker's physical presence and at their direction
• The representative must be at least 18 years old
• The representative cannot be an appointed decision-maker under the plan
• The authorised witness must observe the representative signing

After You Complete the Form

Once the form is signed and witnessed, register it. PGT registration is free and puts your plan on the central database that hospitals access in emergencies. LTO registration is mandatory if your decision-maker needs to deal with real property and costs approximately $171 (115 revenue units at the current rate).

For a complete walkthrough of the form, the registration process, and the split-document strategy that prevents bank rejections, see the Northern Territory Power of Attorney Kit.

See more Northern Territory guides →