Which form of authority is present when an agent's actions fall within or beyond the express or implied authority granted by the principal?

Study for the Aceable Agent Finance Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Actual authority comes from the principal’s grant and includes two forms: express authority, which is clearly stated in words (written or oral), and implied authority, which arises from the duties, relationship, and customary practices that enable the agent to carry out the express mandate. When the agent acts within this granted scope, the principal is bound by those actions. If the agent acts beyond the express or implied authority, those acts aren’t within actual authority unless the principal later ratifies them or false impressions create apparent authority. This concept—agency by actual authority—covers both express and implied authority and is distinct from ostensible (apparent) authority, which depends on how third parties perceive the principal’s representations rather than on the agent’s actual grant.