How to make a will in Michigan

Michigan will requirements at a glance

How to sign a will in Michigan

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. (MCL 700.2504)
5. Store the original safely and tell your executor where it is. Michigan also lets you deposit your will with the probate court for safekeeping.

Who can make a will

Anyone 18 or older and of sound mind.

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 (MCL 700.2502(1)(c)).

If a witness inherits: No effect: signing by an interested witness does not invalidate the will or any provision (MCL 700.2505(2)).

Handwritten wills

Must be dated, with the testator's signature and the material portions in the testator's handwriting (MCL 700.2502(2)).

Self-proving affidavit

Michigan lets you and your witnesses sign a self-proving affidavit, so the court can accept your will without contacting your witnesses. (MCL 700.2504)

Can I sign my will online in Michigan?

No. Not authorized. HB 5701 (2026), which would allow electronic wills and remote witnessing, was introduced 2026-03-10 and is still in the House Judiciary Committee.

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

Online notarization: The notary law has no will exclusion, but EPIC's witness and self-proving rules don't address remote participation. The broader COVID-era audiovisual rule (MCL 55.286c) applied only to acts from 2020-04-30 to 2021-06-30. (MCL 55.286b (2018 PA 330, eff. 2018-09-30))

Good to know in Michigan

A handwritten will must be dated to qualify as holographic. A sealed will may be deposited with the probate court in the testator's county for a fee (MCL 700.2515).

Estate and inheritance taxes

Michigan has no state estate or inheritance tax (2026). The federal estate tax applies only to estates over $15,000,000 per person in 2026, and gifts to charity are deductible.

Michigan will questions

Does a will need to be notarized in Michigan?

No. Two witnesses make a Michigan 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 Michigan?

Must be dated, with the testator's signature and the material portions in the testator's handwriting (MCL 700.2502(2)).

Can a beneficiary witness a will in Michigan?

No effect: signing by an interested witness does not invalidate the will or any provision (MCL 700.2505(2)).

Can I make a will online in Michigan?

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

Does Michigan have an estate or inheritance tax?

Michigan has no state estate or inheritance tax (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 Michigan statutes. Laws change, and this is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, talk with a Michigan attorney.