Will requirements by state
Last updated
Witnesses, notarization, handwritten and electronic wills, and self-proving affidavits for all 50 states and DC, in one table. Each state links to its full guide. These are educational source notes, not legal advice; check the current statute before signing.
| State | Witnesses | Notarization | Holographic | Electronic wills | Self-proving affidavit | Primary statute | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Ala. Code § 43-8-131 | — |
| Alaska | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | AS § 13.12.502 | — |
| Arizona | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Under review | Available | A.R.S. § 14-2502 | — |
| Arkansas | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Ark. Code § 28-25-103 | — |
| California | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Cal. Prob. Code § 6110 | — |
| Colorado | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Under review | Available | C.R.S. § 15-11-502 | — |
| Connecticut | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Only if valid where made | No e-will law identified | Available | C.G.S. § 45a-251 | — |
| Delaware | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | 12 Del. C. § 202 | — |
| District of Columbia | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Not yet verified | Under review | Not yet verified | D.C. Code § 18-103 | — |
| Florida | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | Under review | Available | Fla. Stat. § 732.502 | — |
| Georgia | 2 (age 14+) | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | O.C.G.A. § 53-4-20 | — |
| Hawaii | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | HRS § 560:2-502 | October 13, 2026 |
| Idaho | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Under review | Available | Idaho Code § 15-2-502 | — |
| Illinois | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | Under review | Available | 755 ILCS 5/4-3 | — |
| Indiana | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | Under review | Available | IC 29-1-5-3 | — |
| Iowa | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Only if valid where made | No e-will law identified | Available | Iowa Code § 633.279 | — |
| Kansas | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | K.S.A. § 59-606 | — |
| Kentucky | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Authorizedeffective July 15, 2026 | Available | KRS 394.040 | October 13, 2026 |
| Louisiana | 2 | Notarial testament only | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Not used | La. C.C. arts. 1575–1576 | October 13, 2026 |
| Maine | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | 18-C M.R.S. § 2-502 | — |
| Maryland | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Military / mariners only | Under review | Available | Md. Est. & Trusts § 4-102 | — |
| Massachusetts | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | M.G.L. c. 190B § 2-502 | — |
| Michigan | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Not authorized | Available | MCL 700.2502 | October 13, 2026 |
| Minnesota | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | Under review | Available | Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502 | — |
| Mississippi | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Miss. Code § 91-5-1 | — |
| Missouri | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | Authorizedeffective August 28, 2025 | Available | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 474.320 | October 13, 2026 |
| Montana | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | MCA § 72-2-522 | — |
| Nebraska | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2327 | — |
| Nevada | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Under review | Available | NRS 133.040 | — |
| New Hampshire | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | RSA 551:2 | — |
| New Jersey | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | N.J.S.A. 3B:3-2 | October 13, 2026 |
| New Mexico | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | NMSA § 45-2-502 | October 13, 2026 |
| New York | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Military / mariners only | Under review | Available | EPTL 3-2.1 | — |
| North Carolina | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | N.C.G.S. § 31-3.3 | October 13, 2026 |
| North Dakota | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Under review | Available | NDCC § 30.1-08-02 | — |
| Ohio | 2 | Not required | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Not used | O.R.C. § 2107.03 | — |
| Oklahoma | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Under review | Available | 84 O.S. § 55 | — |
| Oregon | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | ORS 112.235 | — |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | 20 Pa.C.S. § 2502 | — |
| Rhode Island | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-5-5 | — |
| South Carolina | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Only if valid where made | No e-will law identified | Available | S.C. Code § 62-2-502 | — |
| South Dakota | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | SDCL § 29A-2-502 | — |
| Tennessee | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | T.C.A. § 32-1-104 | — |
| Texas | 2 (age 14+) | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Tex. Est. Code § 251.051 | — |
| Utah | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | Under review | Available | Utah Code § 75-2-502 | — |
| Vermont | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Not recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | 14 V.S.A. § 5 | — |
| Virginia | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Va. Code § 64.2-403 | — |
| Washington | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Only if valid where made | Under review | Available | RCW 11.12.020 | — |
| West Virginia | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | W. Va. Code § 41-1-3 | — |
| Wisconsin | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Only if valid where made | No e-will law identified | Available | Wis. Stat. § 853.03 | — |
| Wyoming | 2 | Not required (used for optional affidavit) | Recognized | No e-will law identified | Available | Wyo. Stat. § 2-6-112 | — |
“Under review” means we're still checking that state's current electronic-will law. Download the full table as CSV.
How to cite
Citation
Pactlio, "Will Requirements by State (2026)", https://www.pactlio.com/wills/requirements-by-state (last updated October 13, 2026). Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Frequently asked questions
Do wills need to be notarized?
In most states, no. Of the 50 states, only Louisiana uses a notary as part of a standard will signing. In 48 states a notary is used only for an optional self-proving affidavit, which lets the probate court accept the will without contacting your witnesses. Louisiana and Ohio do not use a separate self-proving affidavit.
Which states accept handwritten wills?
27 states recognize holographic (handwritten, unwitnessed) wills: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. Connecticut, Iowa, South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin accept one only if it was valid where it was made, and Maryland and New York accept them only from members of the armed forces or mariners. The rest require witnesses.
Which states allow electronic wills?
Verified so far: Kentucky (KRS 394.700–394.715, effective July 15, 2026) and Missouri (RSMo §§ 474.540–474.564, effective August 28, 2025). Michigan does not currently authorize them. We're still verifying the electronic-will status of Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and District of Columbia, so check the current statute before signing a will electronically. Everywhere else, print your will and sign it on paper.
This is general information, not legal advice.