How to make a will in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania will requirements at a glance

How to sign a will in Pennsylvania

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. (20 Pa.C.S. 3132.1 (UPC form or PA form; may be made before an officer, or before an attorney with an officer's certification; not available if the will is signed by mark or by another))
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.

Witness rules

No witnesses are required at signing. The will must be in writing and signed by the testator at the end. Exception: if the testator signs by mark, or has someone else sign, two witnesses must sign in the testator's presence (20 Pa.C.S. 2502). To probate the will, however, two competent witnesses must prove it under oath, usually by confirming the testator's signature, with subscribing witnesses preferred when available (20 Pa.C.S. 3132). A self-proving affidavit replaces that testimony unless the will is contested (20 Pa.C.S. 3132.1), so two witnesses at signing are strongly advisable.

If a witness inherits: No statutory penalty: the former witnesses section (20 Pa.C.S. 2504) was repealed in 1974, and no current Title 20 provision voids gifts to witnesses.

Handwritten wills

Any written will signed at the end is valid, including an unwitnessed handwritten one. At probate, two competent witnesses must prove the testator's signature or handwriting (20 Pa.C.S. 2502, 3132).

Self-proving affidavit

Pennsylvania lets you and your witnesses sign a self-proving affidavit, so the court can accept your will without contacting your witnesses. (20 Pa.C.S. 3132.1 (UPC form or PA form; may be made before an officer, or before an attorney with an officer's certification; not available if the will is signed by mark or by another))

Can I sign my will online in Pennsylvania?

No. SB 1138 (2025-2026 session) would adopt the Uniform Electronic Wills Act. Its last action was referral to Senate Judiciary on Jan. 9, 2026, and it is not law.

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

Online notarization: No statute or rule addresses remotely notarizing a 20 Pa.C.S. 3132.1 self-proving affidavit, and the witness affidavit form recites that the witnesses were present and saw the testator sign. (57 Pa.C.S. 306.1 (Act 97 of 2020, effective immediately on Oct. 29, 2020))

Good to know in Pennsylvania

Placement matters: anything written after the signature is not part of the will, though it does not invalidate what comes before (20 Pa.C.S. 2502(1)). No statute provides for lifetime deposit with the Register of Wills; check the county Register.

Estate and inheritance taxes

Pennsylvania has an inheritance tax on what some heirs receive; gifts to charity are generally exempt. The federal estate tax applies only to estates over $15,000,000 per person in 2026, and gifts to charity are deductible.

Pennsylvania will questions

Does a will need to be notarized in Pennsylvania?

No. Two witnesses make a Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?

Any written will signed at the end is valid, including an unwitnessed handwritten one. At probate, two competent witnesses must prove the testator's signature or handwriting (20 Pa.C.S. 2502, 3132).

Can a beneficiary witness a will in Pennsylvania?

No statutory penalty: the former witnesses section (20 Pa.C.S. 2504) was repealed in 1974, and no current Title 20 provision voids gifts to witnesses.

Can I make a will online in Pennsylvania?

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

Does Pennsylvania have an estate or inheritance tax?

Pennsylvania has an inheritance tax on what some heirs receive; gifts to charity are generally exempt. 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 Pennsylvania statutes. Laws change, and this is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, talk with a Pennsylvania attorney.