Holographic Will
A will written in the testator's own handwriting and signed, without witnesses. Roughly half of US states recognize holographic wills under strict conditions; the rest treat unwitnessed handwritten wills as invalid.
What it means
Where recognized, a holographic will typically requires the material provisions (or the entire document) to be in the testator's handwriting plus a signature — some states add conditions, like requiring the document to be dated. Holographic wills are harder to probate (handwriting must be proven) and easier to contest, so witnessed wills remain the safer instrument even in states that accept them.
Primary sources
State-by-state
Holographic Will is treated differently depending on jurisdiction. These guides cover the state-specific statutes and disclosures:
Read more
- Is an Online Will Legal? State Rules That Decide (2026) — Online wills are legal in all 50 states when signed and witnessed correctly. See the exact execution rules that make or break validity, state by state.