How to make a will in Ohio

Ohio will requirements at a glance

How to sign a will in Ohio

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. No notary needed. Ohio doesn't use a separate notarized self-proving affidavit. The witness statement printed in your will records how it was signed, so keep each witness's name, address and phone number with your will.
5. Store the original safely and tell your executor where it is. Ohio 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

The will must be signed at the end by the testator (or by another person in the testator's conscious presence at the testator's express direction). Two or more competent witnesses who saw the testator sign, or heard the testator acknowledge the signature, must attest and subscribe in the testator's conscious presence. 'Conscious presence' excludes sight or sound through telephonic, electronic, or other distant communication. The statute has no each-other presence rule (R.C. 2107.03).

If a witness inherits: A gift to one of only two witnesses is void, but that witness keeps up to the share they would inherit without the will (R.C. 2107.15).

Handwritten wills

A will may be handwritten but still needs two witnesses; Ohio has no unwitnessed holographic will (R.C. 2107.03).

Self-proving affidavit

Ohio doesn't use a separate self-proving affidavit. (None. R.C. 2107.18 lets the probate court admit a will if due execution appears from the face of the will; witness testimony is needed only if the court requires it.)

Can I sign my will online in Ohio?

No. No Ohio statute authorizes electronic wills, and the execution statute expressly bars remote witnessing.

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

Online notarization: Ohio wills need no notarization and Ohio has no self-proving affidavit, so RON has no role in will execution. Witnesses must be physically present. (R.C. 147.64 (online notarization), effective 2019-09-20)

Good to know in Ohio

The testator's signature must be at the end of the will. A living testator can deposit the will with the county probate judge for a $25 fee (R.C. 2107.07).

Estate and inheritance taxes

Ohio 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.

Ohio will questions

Does a will need to be notarized in Ohio?

No. Two witnesses make a Ohio will valid, and Ohio doesn't use a separate notarized self-proving affidavit.

Are handwritten wills legal in Ohio?

A will may be handwritten but still needs two witnesses; Ohio has no unwitnessed holographic will (R.C. 2107.03).

Can a beneficiary witness a will in Ohio?

A gift to one of only two witnesses is void, but that witness keeps up to the share they would inherit without the will (R.C. 2107.15).

Can I make a will online in Ohio?

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

Does Ohio have an estate or inheritance tax?

Ohio 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 Ohio statutes. Laws change, and this is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, talk with a Ohio attorney.