Is an Online Will Legal in Minnesota?
An online service can prepare a valid Minnesota will. The standard path is to print it and execute it under § 524.2-502: the testator signs, and two witnesses sign within a reasonable time after witnessing the signing or an acknowledgment. Minnesota ALSO recognizes electronic wills signed with electronic signatures, and its presence definition lets witnesses observe the signing remotely by simultaneous sight-and-sound communication, with no attorney supervision requirement.
The Answer at a Glance
Prepare the will online
ValidWhether a will drafted with online software can become a valid Minnesota will.
Sign it fully remotely
RecognizedWhether Minnesota recognizes an electronic will executed without an in-person paper signing.
What this means for you
Notarization is never required for validity, and witnesses may even benefit under the will without penalty, though disinterested witnesses remain the safer practice. If you execute electronically, make a certified paper copy under § 524.2-518, since courts and institutions work from paper, and consider adding the § 524.2-504 self-proving affidavit, which still runs through an officer authorized to administer oaths.
What Minnesota Law Requires
The governing law is Minn. Stat. ch. 524, art. 2 (Uniform Probate Code, wills), §§ 524.2-501 to 524.2-518; electronic wills integrated by 2023 Minn. Laws ch. 21 (Uniform Electronic Wills Act). Each rule below links to the official source it was read from.
| Requirement | The Minnesota rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Who can make a will | Age 18 or older, of sound mind. | Minn. Stat. § 524.2-501 |
| Written document | Required. | Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502(1) |
| 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, or signed by the testator's conservator pursuant to a court order under § 524.5-411. | Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502(2) |
| Witnesses | 2. The will must be signed by at least two individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after witnessing 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. 'Presence' includes either being in a physical location that allows the individual to see and hear the testator, or communicating simultaneously with the testator by means of an electronic device or process by sight and sound to substantially the same extent as physical presence (§ 524.1-201(43)), so a witness may observe the signing remotely. | Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502(3) |
| Notarization | Not required for validity. A self-proving affidavit is optional and speeds probate. | Minn. Stat. § 524.2-504 |
Signing Day in Minnesota
The will must be signed by at least two individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after witnessing 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. 'Presence' includes either being in a physical location that allows the individual to see and hear the testator, or communicating simultaneously with the testator by means of an electronic device or process by sight and sound to substantially the same extent as physical presence (§ 524.1-201(43)), so a witness may observe the signing remotely.
The self-proving step worth adding
The 2023 Uniform Electronic Wills Act changed the statutory affidavit forms from 'before me' to 'in my presence', aligning self-proof with the presence definition that includes simultaneous sight-and-sound electronic communication. 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. Timing: contemporaneously with execution, 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. Minnesota has no purging rule.
Shortcuts Minnesota Does and Does Not Recognize
Handwritten (holographic) wills
NoMinnesota has no holographic-will provision; a will must be signed by two witnesses under § 524.2-502. An unwitnessed document can be given effect only under the § 524.2-503 harmless-error rule, which requires clear and convincing evidence that the decedent intended the document to be a will and applies to documents executed on or after March 13, 2020. An out-of-state holographic will may also be valid under § 524.2-506 if its execution complied with the law of the place of execution or of the testator's domicile, abode, or nationality. (Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502)
Oral wills
NoMinnesota has no nuncupative-will provision: § 524.2-502 requires a will to be in writing, and the writing definition, while it includes electronic records, reaches only reasonably permanent records readable as text, not spoken words. (Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502)
Electronic wills
YesRather than a standalone electronic-wills chapter, the 2023 Uniform Electronic Wills Act works through definitions: an 'electronic will' is a will or codicil created, signed, or maintained in an electronic or similar medium, retrievable in perceivable form, and capable of verification that the writing has not been altered after its signing (§ 524.1-201(17)); 'will' includes an electronic will (§ 524.1-201(62)); and 'writing' and 'signed' cover electronic records and electronic signatures, so the ordinary § 524.2-502 execution requirements apply. An individual may create a certified paper copy of an electronic will by affirming under penalty of perjury that it is a complete, true, and accurate copy, and the certified paper copy may be substituted whenever an original will is required (§ 524.2-518). (Minn. Stat. §§ 524.1-201, 524.2-502)
Remote witnessing: allowed within the statute’s conditions. 'Presence' or 'conscious presence' means either being in a physical location in relation to the testator that allows the individual to see and hear the testator, or being in a state and communicating simultaneously with the testator by means of an electronic device or process by sight and sound to substantially the same extent as if physically present, allowing for reasonable accommodation for individuals with hearing, vision, or speech impairments (§ 524.1-201(43)). Unlike some states, the statute imposes no attorney-supervision requirement and no requirement that remote witnesses be located in Minnesota.
A Will Signed in Another State
A will is valid if executed in compliance with § 524.2-502 or if its execution complies with the law at the time of execution of the place where the testator executes the will, 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. (Minn. Stat. § 524.2-506)
Keep Going
- The full Minnesota will-requirements guide covers capacity, revocation, and what happens when formalities fail.
- Minnesota estate planning sets the will beside the other documents a complete plan needs.
- A Minnesota revocable living trust is the main alternative when avoiding probate is the goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make my will online in Minnesota?
Does a Minnesota will need to be notarized?
How many witnesses does a Minnesota will need?
Are handwritten (holographic) wills valid in Minnesota?
Are electronic wills legal in Minnesota?
Is a will made in another state valid in Minnesota?
SourcesOfficial references used for this page
Verified against Minn. Stat. ch. 524, art. 2 (Uniform Probate Code, wills), §§ 524.2-501 to 524.2-518; electronic wills integrated by 2023 Minn. Laws ch. 21 (Uniform Electronic Wills Act) 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 Minnesota can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.
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