Wisconsin GF-223 Form: How to Fill Out the Power of Attorney

Where to Get the Form

Form GF-223 is published by the Wisconsin Court System. The current revision is dated 10/25, with a Hmong translation correction issued 07/03/26. Download it directly from the Wisconsin Courts website — search for "GF-223" on their circuit court forms page. The form is free.

GF-223 is the statutory instrument authorized under Wis. Stat. § 48.979. Any document that substantially conforms to the language printed in that statute is legally valid, but using the official form avoids questions from school registrars and clinic staff.

Section-by-Section Walkthrough

Child Information

Enter the full legal name of each child covered by the delegation. One form can cover multiple children. Include dates of birth. If the children have different parents with different custody arrangements, use a separate GF-223 for each custody group.

Parent/Delegator Section

Every parent who holds legal custody of the child signs here. This is the most common sticking point:

• Joint legal custody (whether married, divorced or separated): both parents must sign. A delegation signed by only one parent when both hold legal custody is invalid.
• Sole legal custody: the sole custodian signs alone. Attach a certified copy of the court order granting sole custody, or a certified death certificate if the other parent is deceased.
• Unmarried parents: if the father's paternity has been adjudicated and he shares legal custody, both sign. If paternity was never established, only the mother has legal custody and signs alone.

Scope of Delegation

The form lets the parent specify which powers to delegate. The statute covers school enrollment, routine medical care, dental treatment, day-to-day caregiving and driver's license sponsorship. A parent can delegate all of these or limit the delegation to specific areas — for example, school only, or medical only.

If the child might need care beyond routine treatment (surgery, blood transfusions, experimental procedures), attach a written addendum describing exactly what the agent may authorize. The standard form does not cover extraordinary medical interventions.

Duration

Write a start date and end date. If no end date is specified, the delegation defaults to one year from execution. Relatives (as defined in § 48.02(15) — grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, first cousin, nephew, niece, step-parent) may hold a delegation longer than one year without court approval. Non-relatives cannot exceed one year without prior court approval through the circuit court.

Statement of Agent

The person receiving the delegation — the grandparent, relative or family friend — fills out this section. By signing, the agent confirms they have received the delegation, are fit and willing to care for the child, and agree to act within the delegated scope.

Optional Notary Block

Notarization is not required by statute for a standard delegation. The form includes an optional attestation block. Get it notarized anyway. Schools and medical providers routinely hesitate when presented with an unnotarized delegation. Wisconsin notaries may charge no more than $5 for most in-person notarial acts. If the parent is incarcerated, prison social workers can arrange notary services.

After You Sign

1. Keep the original with the agent (the grandparent or relative caregiver).
2. Distribute copies to the child's school, pediatrician, dentist and pharmacy. Each institution should have a copy on file before the agent tries to make decisions there.
3. Set a renewal reminder for 60 days before the expiration date. There is no automatic renewal — you will need to execute a new GF-223 from scratch.
4. Store a digital backup (photograph or scan) in case the paper copy is lost.

When Court Filing Is Required

Most families do not file GF-223 with a court. Court filing is mandatory only when:

• The child is under active juvenile court jurisdiction (CHIPS, JIPS or delinquency proceedings)
• The agent is a non-relative and the delegation exceeds one year
• The child is an Indian child; additional tribal notice and court-consent procedures apply, including Form IW-1783A

When court filing is required, follow the county circuit court's juvenile-division process. Local packets differ. Waukesha County and Milwaukee County Children's Court require Form GF-223, a petition for court approval, copies of existing custody orders and a Guardian ad Litem deposit.

Common Mistakes

Only one parent signed when both have custody. This invalidates the form. Schools and clinics can reject it.

No proof of sole custody attached. If only one parent signs, attach a certified court order or death certificate. Without it, institutions have no way to verify that a second signature is not required.

Expired form still in use. Once the end date passes (or one year from execution if no date was specified), the delegation has no legal effect. A school or clinic that discovers the expiration can refuse to deal with the agent immediately.

Non-relative exceeding one year without court approval. This is not just an administrative problem — it carries statutory penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and up to nine months imprisonment.

The Wisconsin School and Medical Consent Guide includes a GF-223 execution checklist, an expiry tracker and step-by-step scripts for presenting the form to schools and medical providers.

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