What is a codicil?
A codicil is a formal amendment to an existing will — a separate legal document that changes, adds or revokes specific clauses while leaving the rest of the will in force. It dates from an era when rewriting a will meant rewriting every page by hand, and it survives today mostly for tiny changes: swapping an executor, updating an address, adjusting a single cash gift.
Does a codicil need the same signing as a will?
Here is the part people miss: a codicil is not a casual note. It must be executed with exactly the same ceremony as the will itself — signed by you in the presence of two witnesses who are together at the same time, then signed by each witness in your presence, all in wet ink. The witnesses do not need to be the same people who witnessed the will, but the same rules apply: no beneficiaries, and no beneficiaries' spouses or civil partners. See how to sign a will for the full ceremony.
Why do codicils cause problems?
- They get lost. A codicil stored apart from its will may never be found — and an unnoticed codicil that surfaces years later can upend an estate.
- They contradict. Each codicil must be read against the will and every earlier codicil; ambiguity between documents is a classic source of disputes.
- They revive what you meant to bury. A codicil republishes the will as at its new date, which can accidentally reinstate clauses you thought were gone.
Is a fresh will better than a codicil?
A new will revokes the old one entirely, leaving a single clean document that says exactly what you want now. For anything beyond the most trivial tweak, it is the safer choice — our guide to changing your will explains why. It is also why SwiftWill includes free updates for life: whenever life changes, you can make a fresh will in about 15 minutes rather than layering amendments onto an ageing document.