A form of deed characteristically made by a single person (or sometimes by two or more persons having the same or similar interests) in favour of one or more other persons, but that does not need to be signed or executed by any other party except the person (or persons) making the promises contained in the instrument to be effective.

Promises made in a deed poll can be enforced by a person who is not a party to the deed poll, if that person is named or sufficiently identified as the person for whose benefit the promise is made (see the summary of the law in Accordent Pty Ltd v Bresimark Nominees Pty Ltd (2008) 101 SASR 286; [2008] SASC 196 at [66]-[69]).