How to make a will in Maine

Maine will requirements at a glance

How to sign a will in Maine

1. Print your will and read every word. Fill in any blanks in ink, but don't sign yet.
2. Choose two adult witnesses who receive nothing under your will and aren't married to anyone who does.
3. Sign and date your will in front of both witnesses, at the same time. Then each witness signs while you and the other witness watch.
4. Make it self-proving. You and your witnesses sign a short self-proving affidavit in front of a notary, so the court won't need to find your witnesses later. (18-C M.R.S. §2-503 (note: Maine numbers this §2-503, not UPC §2-504))
5. Store the original safely and tell your executor where it is.

Who can make a will

Anyone 18 or older and of sound mind. A legally emancipated minor may also make a will (18-C M.R.S. §2-501).

Witness rules

Signed by at least 2 individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after witnessing the testator's signing or the testator's acknowledgment of the signature or the will (18-C §2-502(1)). The statute has no each-other presence requirement.

If a witness inherits: No effect: signing by an interested witness does not invalidate the will or any part of it (18-C §2-504(2)).

Handwritten wills

Signature and material portions of the document in the testator's handwriting; witnesses not required (18-C §2-502(2)).

Self-proving affidavit

Maine lets you and your witnesses sign a self-proving affidavit, so the court can accept your will without contacting your witnesses. (18-C M.R.S. §2-503 (note: Maine numbers this §2-503, not UPC §2-504))

Can I sign my will online in Maine?

No. No electronic-will or remote-witnessing statute found in the Maine Probate Code (Title 18-C, Article 2).

Print your will and sign it on paper with your witnesses in the same room.

Online notarization: §1915 doesn't exclude wills (its exclusions cover only certain election acts and marriages), but the Probate Code doesn't say whether witnesses or the oath officer may take part remotely. (4 M.R.S. §1915 (RULONA, PL 2021, c. 651, eff. 2023-07-01))

Good to know in Maine

Maine probate courts have not been allowed to accept wills for safekeeping since 1997-09-19 (18-C §2-514). Maine's section numbers differ from the UPC (self-proved will is §2-503, who may witness is §2-504).

Estate and inheritance taxes

Maine has a state estate tax on estates worth more than about $7,160,000 (2026). The federal estate tax applies only to estates over $15,000,000 per person in 2026, and gifts to charity are deductible.

Maine will questions

Does a will need to be notarized in Maine?

No. Two witnesses make a Maine will valid. A notary is needed only for the optional self-proving affidavit, which lets the court accept your will without contacting your witnesses.

Are handwritten wills legal in Maine?

Signature and material portions of the document in the testator's handwriting; witnesses not required (18-C §2-502(2)).

Can a beneficiary witness a will in Maine?

No effect: signing by an interested witness does not invalidate the will or any part of it (18-C §2-504(2)).

Can I make a will online in Maine?

You can write your will online for free with MyLastWill, then print it and sign it with your witnesses. Maine doesn't allow electronic wills, so the will must be signed on paper.

Does Maine have an estate or inheritance tax?

Maine has a state estate tax on estates worth more than about $7,160,000 (2026). The federal estate tax applies only to estates over $15,000,000 per person in 2026, and gifts to charity are deductible.

Last reviewed October 24, 2026 against Maine statutes. Laws change, and this is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, talk with a Maine attorney.