Is an Online Will Legal in Colorado?
An online service can prepare a valid Colorado will, and Colorado offers more execution paths than almost any state: a printed will signed by two witnesses (who may sign later and need not be in anyone's presence), a printed will acknowledged before a notary with no witnesses at all, a fully handwritten holographic will, or an electronic will under §§ 15-11-1301 to 15-11-1311 executed with remotely present witnesses or a Colorado notary.
The Answer at a Glance
Prepare the will online
ValidWhether a will drafted with online software can become a valid Colorado will.
Sign it fully remotely
RecognizedWhether Colorado recognizes an electronic will executed without an in-person paper signing.
What this means for you
For an electronic will, the signature must be an electronic image of a handwritten signature, not a typed name or click-to-sign mark, and a remote notarization only works through a notary located in Colorado. Interested witnesses do not endanger a Colorado will or their gift. If a signing goes wrong, the § 15-11-503 harmless-error rule can save the document on clear and convincing evidence of intent, but that means a court proceeding; executing cleanly and adding the § 15-11-504 self-proving affidavit is far cheaper.
What Colorado Law Requires
The governing law is C.R.S. tit. 15, art. 11, pt. 5 (Wills), §§ 15-11-501 to 15-11-513; Colorado Uniform Electronic Wills Act at §§ 15-11-1301 to 15-11-1311. Each rule below links to the official source it was read from.
| Requirement | The Colorado rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Who can make a will | Age 18 or older, sound mind. | C.R.S. § 15-11-501 |
| Written document | Required. | C.R.S. § 15-11-502(1)(a) |
| Signature | The testator signs. The will may be signed in the testator's name by some other individual in the testator's conscious presence and by the testator's direction; conscious presence requires physical proximity to the testator but not necessarily line of sight (§ 15-11-502(4)). | C.R.S. § 15-11-502(1)(b) |
| Witnesses | 2. Either the will is signed by at least two individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after witnessing the testator's signing of the will or the testator's acknowledgment of that signature or acknowledgment of the will (they may sign either before or after the testator's death), or the will is acknowledged by the testator before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments. The witnesses need not sign in the testator's presence or in each other's presence. | C.R.S. § 15-11-502(1)(c) |
| Notarization | Not required for validity. A self-proving affidavit is optional and speeds probate. | C.R.S. § 15-11-504 |
Signing Day in Colorado
Either the will is signed by at least two individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after witnessing the testator's signing of the will or the testator's acknowledgment of that signature or acknowledgment of the will (they may sign either before or after the testator's death), or the will is acknowledged by the testator before a notary public or other individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments. The witnesses need not sign in the testator's presence or in each other's presence.
The notarized alternative in § 15-11-502(1)(c)(II) means a Colorado will can be valid with no witnesses at all; the two-witness figure describes the standard witnessed path. Under the harmless-error rule of § 15-11-503, a defectively executed document can still be treated as a will on clear and convincing evidence of the decedent's intent.
The self-proving step worth adding
Available for a will executed with attesting witnesses; § 15-11-504 speaks only to attested wills, so a will executed through the notarization alternative is not made self-proved this way. The affidavit runs on the testator's acknowledgment and the witnesses' affidavits, evidenced by the officer's certificate under official seal in the statutory form. Timing: at execution (simultaneously executed, attested and made self-proved) or at any time after execution.
Choose witnesses carefully
An individual generally competent to be a witness may act as a witness to a will, and the signing of a will by an interested witness does not invalidate the will or any provision of it. Colorado has no purging statute; the interested witness keeps the gift.
Shortcuts Colorado Does and Does Not Recognize
Handwritten (holographic) wills
YesThe signature and material portions of the document must be in the testator's handwriting; witnessing is not required and no date is required. Intent that the document constitute the testator's will can be established by extrinsic evidence, including portions of the document not in the testator's handwriting, such as preprinted form language.
A will that does not comply with § 15-11-502(1) is valid as a holographic will, whether or not witnessed, if it meets these requirements. (C.R.S. § 15-11-502(2))
Oral wills
NoSection 15-11-502(1)(a) requires a will to be in writing (or, under the electronic wills act, a record readable as text), and no Colorado statute authorizes a nuncupative (oral) will. Even the harmless-error rule of § 15-11-503 reaches only documents and writings added upon documents, not spoken words. (C.R.S. § 15-11-502(1)(a))
Electronic wills
YesThe Colorado Uniform Electronic Wills Act (enacted 2021 by HB 21-1004, relocated to part 13 by SB 21-266, effective July 2, 2021) requires the electronic will to be a record readable as text at signing. An electronic symbol of a testator or witness must be an electronic image of that person's handwritten signature affixed to the electronic will (§ 15-11-1302(5)(b)), so a typed name or click-to-sign mark does not qualify. The act carries its own harmless-error rule at § 15-11-1306, and § 15-11-1308 lets an electronic will be simultaneously executed, attested and made self-proving, using a Colorado-located notary in physical or electronic presence when fewer than two witnesses are physically with the testator. (C.R.S. §§ 15-11-1301 to 15-11-1311)
Remote witnessing: allowed within the statute’s conditions. The electronic will must be signed in the physical or electronic presence of the testator by at least two individuals, each of whom is a resident of a state and physically located in a state at the time of signing, within a reasonable time after witnessing the signing of the will or the testator's acknowledgment of the signing or of the will. Alternatively the testator may acknowledge the electronic will before, and in the physical or electronic presence of, a notary public or other individual authorized by Colorado law to notarize records who is located in Colorado when the notarial act is performed. A proxy signing for the testator must act in the testator's physical presence.
A Will Signed in Another State
A written will is valid if executed in compliance with § 15-11-502 or § 15-11-503 or if its execution complies with the law at the time of execution of the place where the will is executed, or with the law of the place where, at the time of execution or at the time of death, the testator is domiciled, has a place of abode, or is a national. (C.R.S. § 15-11-506)
Keep Going
- The full Colorado will-requirements guide covers capacity, revocation, and what happens when formalities fail.
- Colorado estate planning sets the will beside the other documents a complete plan needs.
- A Colorado revocable living trust is the main alternative when avoiding probate is the goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make my will online in Colorado?
Does a Colorado will need to be notarized?
How many witnesses does a Colorado will need?
Are handwritten (holographic) wills valid in Colorado?
Are electronic wills legal in Colorado?
Is a will made in another state valid in Colorado?
Verified against C.R.S. tit. 15, art. 11, pt. 5 (Wills), §§ 15-11-501 to 15-11-513; Colorado Uniform Electronic Wills Act at §§ 15-11-1301 to 15-11-1311 on August 16, 2026
Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Colorado can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.
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