Estate Planning State Laws: Creating a Valid Will
This chart highlights the state laws related to estate planning and creating a valid will, including the type of will allowed in your state (statutory, written, oral), the number of witnesses required, whether you need a notary, and more. Check back often, as this chart is updated frequently.
If you don't find what you're looking for, see our chart of state laws related to Remote Execution of Estate Planning Documents, Death with Dignity, and Funeral Designations.
For more information, see our Estate Planning Materials & Resources, and our State-Specific Estate Planning Toolkit.
| State | Written/Oral/ Statutory | Number of Witnesses Required | Notarization Required | Probate Process: UPC/Non-UPC | Has Statutory Will Form | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALABAMA | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| ALASKA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic will, which doesn't require witnesses) | UPC | |||||
| ARIZONA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic will, which doesn't require witnesses) | UPC | |||||
| ARKANSAS | Written | 2 (But allows holographic will, which doesn't require witnesses) | Non-UPC | Self proving provision does not give model affidavit | ||||
| CALIFORNIA | Written/Statutory (California Probate Code, Part 1, Chapter 6) | 2 (But allows holographic will, which doesn't require witnesses) | Non-UPC | x | http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/CAStatutoryWillForm_ab_1986_bill_20100715_chaptered.pdf | Self proving provision does not give model affidavit | ||
| COLORADO | Written | 2 (But allows holographic will) | UPC | Can also have notary public authorize without witnesses | C.R.S.A. § 15-11-502; https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/2017/title-15/colorado-probate-code/article-11/part-5/section-15-11-502/ | |||
| CONNECTICUT | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | Self proving provision does not give model affidavit | ||||
| DELAWARE | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| *DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | Self proving is only available for electronic wills | https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/18-908 | |||
| FLORIDA | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| GEORGIA | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| HAWAII | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | |||||
| IDAHO | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | |||||
| ILLINOIS | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| INDIANA | Written/Oral (I.C. 29-1-5-4) | 2 | Non-UPC | If there is an interested witness and will cannot be proven without their testimony, then the parts of the will related to that witness are void | I.C. 29-1-5-2(c) ; https://codes.findlaw.com/in/title-29-probate/in-code-sect-29-1-5-2/ | |||
| IOWA | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| KANSAS | Written/Oral (K.S.A. 59-608) | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| KENTUCKY | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills if written by the testator) | Non-UPC | |||||
| LOUISIANA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic will if written, signed, and dated by testator) | Non-UPC | |||||
| MAINE | Written/Statutory (18-C M.R.S.A. § 2-517) | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | x | http://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/18-C/title18-Csec2-517.pdf | |||
| MARYLAND | Written | 2(Allows holographic wills for those in military; MD Code, Estates and Trusts § 4-103) | Non-UPC | Self proving required if electronic will or remotely notarized; witnesses must be in physical presence of testator if not electronic | https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=get§ion=4-102 | |||
| MASSACHUSETTS | Written | 2 | UPC | |||||
| MICHIGAN | Written/Statutory (M.C.L.A. 700.2519) | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | x | http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(cdhuhhkfgz0ngz2tn4yfjsjk))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-700-2519.pdf | |||
| MINNESOTA | Written | 2 | UPC | |||||
| MISSISSIPPI | Written/Oral (Miss. Code § 91-5-15) | 2 (But allows holographic will) | Non-UPC | Oral will must be written within 6 months to be probated; Self proving provision does not give model affidavit | ||||
| MISSOURI | Written/Oral (V.A.M.S. 474.340) | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| MONTANA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | |||||
| NEBRASKA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | |||||
| NEVADA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | |||||
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | Written/Oral (only for soldiers; N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 551:15) | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| NEW JERSEY | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | |||||
| NEW MEXICO | Written/Statutory (N.M.S.A. § 45-2A-17 | 2 | UPC | x | https://willforms.org/wp-content/uploads/New-Mexico-Last-Will-and-Testament-Form.pdf | |||
| NEW YORK | Written/Oral (limited to military NY CLS EPTL § 3-2.2) | 2 (holographic wills limited to military NY CLS EPTL § 3-2.2) | Non-UPC | |||||
| NORTH CAROLINA | Written/Oral (limited N.C.G.S. § 31-3.5) | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | |||||
| NORTH DAKOTA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | No witnesses needed if acknowledged by testator in front of a notary | https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t30-1c08.pdf | |||
| OHIO | Written/Oral (Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2107.60) | 2 | Non-UPC | Oral will must be written within 10 days and signed by two witnesses | https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2107.60 | |||
| OKLAHOMA | Written/Oral (limited to military Okla. Stat. tit. 84 § 84-46) | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | |||||
| OREGON | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| PENNSYLVANIA | Written | 0 | Non-UPC | 2 witnesses required if testator is unable to sign will themselves | https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=20&div=0&chpt=25&sctn=2&subsctn=0 | |||
| *PUERTO RICO | Written/Oral (31 L.P.R.A. § 2144) | 0 | Non-UPC | |||||
| RHODE ISLAND | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| SOUTH CAROLINA | Written | 2 | UPC | |||||
| SOUTH DAKOTA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | |||||
| TENNESSEE | Written/Oral (Tenn. Code Ann. § 32-1-106) | 2 (But allows holographic will) | Non-UPC | Has an informal probate process similar UPC states | ||||
| TEXAS | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | |||||
| UTAH | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | UPC | |||||
| VERMONT | Written | 2 | Non-UPC | Self proving provision does not give model affidavit | ||||
| VIRGINIA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | |||||
| WASHINGTON | Written/Oral (limited to military. Wash. Rev. Code § 11 12-025) | 2 | Non-UPC | |||||
| WEST VIRGINIA | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | Self proving provision does not give model affidavit | ||||
| WISCONSIN | Written/Statutory | 2 | Non-UPC | x | https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/853/ii/55 | |||
| WYOMING | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | |||||
| GUAM | Written | 2 (But allows holographic wills) | Non-UPC | More Information | http://www.guamcourts.org/CompilerofLaws/GCA/15gca/15gc002.PDF | |||
| Last Updated | 2/24 |