Is an Online Will Legal in Maine?

An online service can prepare a valid Maine will. The document is printed and executed under 18-C M.R.S. § 2-502: the testator signs it (or directs another person to sign in the testator's conscious presence), and two witnesses sign within a reasonable time after witnessing the signing or the testator's acknowledgment. Maine also recognizes unwitnessed holographic wills whose signature and material portions are in the testator's handwriting. Maine law does not authorize electronic wills, so a fully remote, screen-only execution is not available.

Published: August 16, 2026Statutes verified: August 16, 2026

The Answer at a Glance

Prepare the will online

Valid

Whether a will drafted with online software can become a valid Maine will.

Sign it fully remotely

Paper signing

Whether Maine recognizes an electronic will executed without an in-person paper signing.

What this means for you

Maine's witness rule is more forgiving than most: witnesses do not have to sign in the testator's presence, only within a reasonable time after witnessing. Adding the § 2-503 self-proving affidavit before a notary or other oath officer saves tracking down witnesses at probate. One caution: Maine never enacted the Uniform Probate Code's harmless-error rule (Maine's § 2-503 is its self-proof section), so an execution defect is harder to cure here than in full UPC states.

What Maine Law Requires

The governing law is 18-C M.R.S. Article 2, Part 5 (Wills), §§ 2-501 to 2-517. Each rule below links to the official source it was read from.

Requirement	The Maine rule	Statute
Who can make a will	Age 18 or older, sound mind; emancipated minors qualify.	18-C M.R.S. § 2-501
Written document	Required.	18-C M.R.S. § 2-502(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.	18-C M.R.S. § 2-502(1)(B)
Witnesses	2. The will must be signed by at least 2 individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after the individual witnessed either the signing of the will or the testator's acknowledgment of that signature or acknowledgment of the will. The statute does not require the witnesses to sign in the testator's presence or in each other's presence.	18-C M.R.S. § 2-502(1)(C)
Notarization	Not required for validity. A self-proving affidavit is optional and speeds probate.	18-C M.R.S. § 2-503

Signing Day in Maine

The will must be signed by at least 2 individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after the individual witnessed either the signing of the will or the testator's acknowledgment of that signature or acknowledgment of the will. The statute does not require the witnesses to sign in the testator's presence or in each other's presence.

Any individual generally competent to be a witness may act as a witness to a will (§ 2-504(1)).

The self-proving step worth adding

Self-proof is optional. A signature affixed to a self-proving affidavit attached to a will is considered a signature affixed to the will, if necessary to prove the will's due execution (§ 2-503(3)). Timing: at execution or at any time after execution.

Choose witnesses carefully

The signing of a will by an interested witness does not invalidate the will or any portion of it (§ 2-504(2)). Maine has no purging rule; the interested witness keeps the gift.

Shortcuts Maine Does and Does Not Recognize

Handwritten (holographic) wills

Yes

A will that does not comply with § 2-502(1) is valid as a holographic will, whether or not witnessed, if the signature and material portions of the document are in the testator's handwriting. Intent that the document constitute the testator's will can be established by extrinsic evidence, including, for holographic wills, portions of the document that are not in the testator's handwriting (§ 2-502(3)).

No witnesses, no notary, and no date are required for a holographic will; the handwriting and signature requirements carry the whole burden. (18-C M.R.S. § 2-502(2))

Oral wills

Both execution paths in § 2-502 require a written document (a signed and witnessed writing, or a holograph in the testator's handwriting). Part 5 of Article 2 (§§ 2-501 to 2-517, section list verified at the official site on 2026-08-16) contains no nuncupative-will provision. (18-C M.R.S. § 2-502)

Electronic wills

Basis for the negative: § 2-502 requires a written will signed and witnessed as described (or a holograph in the testator's handwriting), and Part 5 of Article 2 (§§ 2-501 to 2-517, verified against the official section list on 2026-08-16) contains no electronic-will authorization. Maine's Uniform Electronic Transactions Act also excludes from its scope any transaction governed by a law governing the creation and execution of wills, codicils or testamentary trusts (10 M.R.S. § 9403, see source me_10_9403), so a general e-signature is not a path around the will formalities. (18-C M.R.S. § 2-502)

A Will Signed in Another State

A written will is valid if executed in compliance with § 2-502, or if its execution complies with the law at the time of execution of the place where the will is executed, or of 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, or if executed in compliance with 10 U.S.C. § 1044d (military testamentary instruments). (18-C M.R.S. § 2-505)

Keep Going

The full Maine will-requirements guide covers capacity, revocation, and what happens when formalities fail.
Maine estate planning sets the will beside the other documents a complete plan needs.
A Maine revocable living trust is the main alternative when avoiding probate is the goal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my will online in Maine?

Does a Maine will need to be notarized?

No. Notarization is not required for a valid Maine will. The optional self-proving step under 18-C M.R.S. § 2-503 makes probate easier: Self-proof is optional. A signature affixed to a self-proving affidavit attached to a will is considered a signature affixed to the will, if necessary to prove the will's due execution (§ 2-503(3)).

How many witnesses does a Maine will need?

2. The will must be signed by at least 2 individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after the individual witnessed either the signing of the will or the testator's acknowledgment of that signature or acknowledgment of the will. The statute does not require the witnesses to sign in the testator's presence or in each other's presence. (18-C M.R.S. § 2-502(1)(C))

Are handwritten (holographic) wills valid in Maine?

Yes. A will that does not comply with § 2-502(1) is valid as a holographic will, whether or not witnessed, if the signature and material portions of the document are in the testator's handwriting. Intent that the document constitute the testator's will can be established by extrinsic evidence, including, for holographic wills, portions of the document that are not in the testator's handwriting (§ 2-502(3)). No witnesses, no notary, and no date are required for a holographic will; the handwriting and signature requirements carry the whole burden. (18-C M.R.S. § 2-502(2))

Are electronic wills legal in Maine?

No. Basis for the negative: § 2-502 requires a written will signed and witnessed as described (or a holograph in the testator's handwriting), and Part 5 of Article 2 (§§ 2-501 to 2-517, verified against the official section list on 2026-08-16) contains no electronic-will authorization. Maine's Uniform Electronic Transactions Act also excludes from its scope any transaction governed by a law governing the creation and execution of wills, codicils or testamentary trusts (10 M.R.S. § 9403, see source me_10_9403), so a general e-signature is not a path around the will formalities. (18-C M.R.S. § 2-502)

Is a will made in another state valid in Maine?

Generally yes, within the statute’s terms. A written will is valid if executed in compliance with § 2-502, or if its execution complies with the law at the time of execution of the place where the will is executed, or of 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, or if executed in compliance with 10 U.S.C. § 1044d (military testamentary instruments). (18-C M.R.S. § 2-505)

SourcesOfficial references used for this page

Verified against 18-C M.R.S. Article 2, Part 5 (Wills), §§ 2-501 to 2-517 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 Maine can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.

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