Under what condition can an agent usually act on behalf of the principal to create legal obligations?

An agent can typically act on behalf of a principal to create legal obligations when the agent has been authorized to do so by the principal. This authorization can be either expressed (clearly stated in a formal agreement) or implied (inferred from the principal's conduct or circumstances). Without this authorization, any actions taken by the agent may not bind the principal legally, and the principal may not be held liable for those actions.

While there are circumstances under which an agent should act reasonably or meet certain age requirements, such stipulations do not inherently grant the agent the authority to create obligations on the principal's behalf. The primary and most critical element is the explicit authorization from the principal, which defines the scope of the agent's powers and responsibilities.