Will signing checklist

1. 1

   Gather both witnesses in one room

   Choose two independent adults who can see you sign: not anyone who inherits under the will, and not the spouse or civil partner of anyone who does. GOV.UK says witnesses should be over 18. Keep everyone together until the last signature is on the page.

2. 2

   Sign the will in front of both witnesses

   With both witnesses watching at the same time, sign the final printed will in ink. If you signed it earlier, tell both witnesses together that the signature is yours. Someone else can sign for you in your presence and at your direction, but take legal advice before using that route.

3. 3

   Each witness signs in your presence

   Each witness then signs while you watch. The law does not require the witnesses to sign in front of each other, but keeping everyone in the room is the simplest way to show the rules were followed. Ask each witness to print their name and address so they can be traced later.

4. 4

   Date the will

   Write the date on which everyone signed. Section 9 does not require a date, but a probate registry can ask for evidence of when the will was signed if the date is missing or unclear.

5. 5

   Store the original and tell your executors

   Keep the signed original somewhere safe and tell your executors where it is. A copy is not a substitute for the original. Do not staple, pin or clip anything to it, and do not write on it after signing.

Who should not witness?

• Anyone who inherits under the will: the will stays valid but their gift fails (Wills Act 1837 s.15)
• The spouse or civil partner of anyone who inherits: that person's gift fails (s.15)
• Anyone under 18: the Act sets no minimum age, but GOV.UK says witnesses should be over 18
• Anyone who is blind or cannot see you sign: Ministry of Justice guidance says blind people cannot witness a will
• Anyone who does not understand that they are witnessing your signature
• Someone joining by video call: video witnessing only covered wills made from 31 January 2020 to 31 January 2024

Which mistakes can make a will or a gift fail?

• Signing, or acknowledging your signature, with only one witness present, or with the two witnesses present at different times (s.9)
• A witness signing before you have signed or acknowledged your signature in front of both witnesses (s.9)
• A witness signing when you are not there to see it (s.9)
• A beneficiary, or a beneficiary's spouse or civil partner, acting as a witness: the will stands but that gift fails (s.15)
• Changes written on the will after signing that are not themselves signed and witnessed (s.21)
• Relying on a video call or an electronic signature instead of signing on paper with both witnesses physically present

What else helps at probate?

• Read the final printed version through before anyone signs, and sign that version rather than an earlier draft.
• Keep an attestation clause above the witness signatures. Without one, the probate registry may ask a witness for a statement about how the will was signed (Non-Contentious Probate Rules 1987, rule 12).
• Do not staple, pin or clip anything to the signed will. Marks that suggest something was attached or removed can lead the registry to ask for an explanation (rules 14 and 15).
• Choose witnesses who are likely to be easy to trace in future.