State Requirements
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives are governed by state law. The exact rules — including how many witnesses you need, whether notarization is required, and whether a handwritten (holographic) will is accepted — vary from state to state.
- Most states require two adult witnesses for a will.
- Some states require notarization in addition to witnesses.
- A small number of states accept holographic (handwritten) wills.
- Powers of attorney and healthcare directives have their own state-specific execution rules.
Quick reference by state
| State | Witnesses | Notary required | Holographic | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (AL) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Alaska (AK) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Arizona (AZ) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Arkansas (AR) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| California (CA) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Colorado (CO) | 2 | Yes | Accepted | Two witnesses OR notarization accepted. Uniform Probate Code state. |
| Connecticut (CT) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Delaware (DE) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| District of Columbia (DC) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Florida (FL) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. One witness cannot be a spouse or blood relative. |
| Georgia (GA) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Hawaii (HI) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Idaho (ID) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Illinois (IL) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Indiana (IN) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Iowa (IA) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Kansas (KS) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Kentucky (KY) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Louisiana (LA) | 2 | Yes | Accepted | Two witnesses AND notarization required. Louisiana is a Civil Law state — consult an attorney. |
| Maine (ME) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Maryland (MD) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Massachusetts (MA) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Michigan (MI) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Michigan does NOT accept holographic (handwritten) wills. |
| Minnesota (MN) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Mississippi (MS) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Missouri (MO) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Montana (MT) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Nebraska (NE) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Nevada (NV) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| New Hampshire (NH) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| New Jersey (NJ) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| New Mexico (NM) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| New York (NY) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| North Carolina (NC) | 2 | Yes | Accepted | Two witnesses AND notarization required. |
| North Dakota (ND) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Ohio (OH) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Oklahoma (OK) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Oregon (OR) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Rhode Island (RI) | 3 | No | Not accepted | THREE witnesses required — unique requirement in the US. |
| South Carolina (SC) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| South Dakota (SD) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Tennessee (TN) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Texas (TX) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Utah (UT) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Vermont (VT) | 3 | No | Not accepted | THREE witnesses required. |
| Virginia (VA) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Washington (WA) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| West Virginia (WV) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
| Wisconsin (WI) | 2 | No | Not accepted | Two witnesses required. Notarization is optional but recommended for a self-proving affidavit. |
| Wyoming (WY) | 2 | No | Accepted | Two witnesses required. Holographic (handwritten) wills are accepted in this state. |
⚖️ VoiceWill helps you prepare information and draft documents but does not guarantee legal validity without proper execution. Verify requirements with a licensed attorney in your state, and follow your state's witness, notarization, and signing rules before relying on any document.