Holographic Wills by State: Where They Are Valid

A holographic will is a will written and signed entirely in your own handwriting, with no witnesses. 27 states accept one, 2 recognize it only for military service members, and the remaining 21 do not recognize it at all. Whether a handwritten will is valid depends entirely on your state.

By Settled Estate Editorial Team

Published: July 16, 2026Updated: July 16, 2026

The Short Answer

A standard will is typed and signed in front of two witnesses. A holographic will skips the witnesses: it is handwritten and signed by the maker alone. That makes it easy to create in a hurry, but it also makes it easy to challenge, and in about two-fifths of states it is not valid at all. The table below shows where a handwritten, unwitnessed will is accepted and the statute that governs it in each state.

What Makes a Will “Holographic”

In the states that accept them, a holographic will generally must meet three tests:

Handwriting. The signature and the material provisions (the parts that say who inherits) must be in the testator’s own hand. A typed or fill-in-the-blank form does not qualify.
Signature. The maker must sign it. A few states also want it dated.
Testamentary intent. The document has to show the writer meant it to be a will, not a note or a draft.

No witnesses are required in those states, which is the whole point. Everywhere else, a will is valid only if two witnesses watched the maker sign, so a purely handwritten will fails. For the standard witnessing rules, see our state estate-planning guides.

Holographic Will Validity by State

Find your state below. “Recognized” means a resident can make a valid handwritten, unwitnessed will if it meets the state’s rules. “Military service only” means it counts only for armed-forces members. “Not recognized” means a will must be witnessed, so a handwritten one has no legal effect. Every entry cites the governing statute.

State	Handwritten will accepted?	Governing statute & requirement
Alabama	Not recognized	Ala. Code § 43-8-131A will must be signed by the testator and attested by two witnesses.
Alaska	Recognized	Alaska Stat. § 13.12.502Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are in the testator's handwriting.
Arizona	Recognized	Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2503Valid if the signature and material provisions are in the testator's handwriting.
Arkansas	Recognized	Ark. Code § 28-25-104Handwriting must be proved by three credible disinterested witnesses at probate.
California	Recognized	Cal. Prob. Code § 6111Valid if the signature and material provisions are in the testator's handwriting; a date is not required but its absence can create problems.
Colorado	Recognized	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-11-502Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Connecticut	Not recognized	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-251A will must be in writing, signed, and attested by two witnesses.
Delaware	Not recognized	12 Del. Code § 202A will must be signed and attested by two credible witnesses.
Florida	Not recognized	Fla. Stat. § 732.502Requires two attesting witnesses. Florida expressly refuses to admit a holographic will even if valid where it was executed.
Georgia	Not recognized	Ga. Code § 53-4-20A will must be signed and attested by two competent witnesses.
Hawaii	Recognized	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 560:2-502Uniform Probate Code (§ 560:2-502(b)): valid whether or not witnessed if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Idaho	Recognized	Idaho Code § 15-2-503Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material provisions are handwritten.
Illinois	Not recognized	755 ILCS 5/4-3A will must be signed and attested in the testator's presence by two credible witnesses.
Indiana	Not recognized	Ind. Code § 29-1-5-3A will must be signed and attested by two witnesses.
Iowa	Not recognized	Iowa Code § 633.279A will must be signed and declared, and witnessed by two competent witnesses.
Kansas	Not recognized	Kan. Stat. § 59-606A will must be signed and attested by two or more competent witnesses.
Kentucky	Recognized	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 394.040A will wholly written and signed by the testator needs no witnesses.
Louisiana	Recognized	La. Civ. Code art. 1575Civil-law 'olographic testament': must be entirely written, dated, and signed in the testator's hand; proved by two credible witnesses.
Maine	Recognized	Me. Stat. tit. 18-C, § 2-502Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Maryland	Military service only	Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 4-103Recognized only for a member of the armed forces while serving outside the United States; void one year after discharge unless the maker has since died or lost capacity.
Massachusetts	Not recognized	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, § 2-502Massachusetts adopted the Uniform Probate Code but omitted the holographic-will provision; two witnesses are required.
Michigan	Recognized	Mich. Comp. Laws § 700.2502Valid if dated and if the signature and material portions are in the testator's handwriting.
Minnesota	Not recognized	Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502Minnesota adopted the Uniform Probate Code but omitted the holographic-will provision; two witnesses are required.
Mississippi	Recognized	Miss. Code § 91-5-1A will wholly written and subscribed by the testator needs no attesting witnesses.
Missouri	Not recognized	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 474.320A will must be signed and attested by two or more competent witnesses.
Montana	Recognized	Mont. Code § 72-2-522Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Nebraska	Recognized	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2328Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Nevada	Recognized	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 133.090Valid if the signature, date, and material provisions are in the testator's handwriting.
New Hampshire	Not recognized	N.H. Rev. Stat. § 551:2A will must be signed and attested by two or more credible witnesses.
New Jersey	Recognized	N.J. Stat. § 3B:3-2(b)Valid if the signature and material provisions are in the testator's handwriting.
New Mexico	Not recognized	N.M. Stat. § 45-2-502New Mexico adopted the Uniform Probate Code but omitted the holographic-will provision; two witnesses are required.
New York	Military service only	N.Y. Est. Powers & Trusts Law § 3-2.2Recognized only for armed-forces members during war or armed conflict and for mariners at sea; expires one year after discharge (three years for mariners).
North Carolina	Recognized	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 31-3.4Must be in the testator's handwriting, signed, and found after death among valuable papers or in safekeeping with another; handwriting proved by three witnesses.
North Dakota	Recognized	N.D. Cent. Code § 30.1-08-02Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Ohio	Not recognized	Ohio Rev. Code § 2107.03A will must be signed and attested by two competent witnesses.
Oklahoma	Recognized	Okla. Stat. tit. 84, § 54Must be entirely written, dated, and signed in the testator's hand.
Oregon	Not recognized	Or. Rev. Stat. § 112.235A will must be signed and attested by two witnesses.
Pennsylvania	Recognized	20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2502Pennsylvania does not require witnesses for a signed will, so a handwritten signed will is valid.
Rhode Island	Not recognized	R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-5-5A will must be signed and attested by two or more witnesses; a narrow exception exists for soldiers and mariners.
South Carolina	Not recognized	S.C. Code § 62-2-502South Carolina adopted the Uniform Probate Code but omitted the holographic-will provision; two witnesses are required.
South Dakota	Recognized	S.D. Codified Laws § 29A-2-502Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Tennessee	Recognized	Tenn. Code § 32-1-105Must be entirely in the testator's handwriting and signed; handwriting proved by two witnesses.
Texas	Recognized	Tex. Est. Code § 251.052A will wholly in the testator's handwriting needs no attesting witnesses.
Utah	Recognized	Utah Code § 75-2-502Uniform Probate Code: valid if the signature and material portions are handwritten.
Vermont	Not recognized	Vt. Stat. tit. 14, § 5A will must be signed and attested by two or more credible witnesses.
Virginia	Recognized	Va. Code § 64.2-403Must be wholly in the testator's handwriting and signed; at probate two disinterested witnesses must prove the handwriting.
Washington	Not recognized	Wash. Rev. Code § 11.12.020A will must be signed and attested by two competent witnesses.
West Virginia	Recognized	W. Va. Code § 41-1-3A will wholly in the testator's handwriting and signed needs no witnesses.
Wisconsin	Not recognized	Wis. Stat. § 853.03A will must be signed and witnessed by two people; a will valid where executed may be honored, but Wisconsin does not authorize resident holographic wills.
Wyoming	Recognized	Wyo. Stat. § 2-6-113Must be entirely written and signed in the testator's hand.

Statutes verified against each state’s primary code. Laws change, so confirm the current rule for your state before you rely on a handwritten will.

Why Holographic Wills Are Risky

Even where they are legal, handwritten wills cause more fights than they prevent. The common problems:

Proof of handwriting. With no witnesses, someone has to prove the document really is in the deceased’s hand, often with multiple witnesses or a handwriting expert. That adds cost and delay to probate.
Ambiguity. Home-drafted language is easy to misread. Vague gifts, missing residuary clauses, and no named executor are common and invite disputes.
Easy to contest. The lack of witnesses makes a will contest over capacity or undue influence easier to bring.
Crossing state lines. A holographic will valid in one state may be refused in another, as Florida does.

A Safer Way to Write a Will

A holographic will is better than no will, but a standard witnessed will is valid in every state and far harder to challenge. A typed will signed before two witnesses costs little, works anywhere, and removes the handwriting and ambiguity problems above. Many people use an online will service or an estate attorney to produce one. If you want to understand the documents a full plan includes, see estate planning documents and how a will fits alongside a living trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a holographic will?

A holographic will is a will written and signed entirely in the maker’s own handwriting, with no attesting witnesses. Most states that accept one require that the signature and the material provisions (who gets what) be in the testator’s hand. It is the opposite of the standard typed will signed in front of two witnesses.

Is a handwritten will legal?

It depends on the state. 27 states accept a purely handwritten, unwitnessed will if it meets their rules. Maryland and New York accept one only from armed-forces members (and, in New York, mariners at sea). The remaining states do not recognize holographic wills at all, so a handwritten will there has no legal effect unless it was also signed by two witnesses.

Does a holographic will need to be notarized?

No. Notarization is not what makes a holographic will valid, and a notary cannot substitute for the witnesses a state requires for a standard will. In the states that accept holographic wills, what matters is that the document is in the testator’s handwriting and signed. In the states that do not, adding a notary does not fix it.

Will a handwritten will from one state be accepted in another?

Often, but not always. Many states honor a will that was valid where it was signed, which can carry a holographic will across state lines. Some states are stricter: Florida refuses to admit a holographic will even if it was valid in the state where it was made. Because the rules differ, a handwritten will is a weak substitute for a properly witnessed one.

Information current as of July 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 your state can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.