Is an Online Will Legal in Nevada?

An online service can prepare a valid Nevada will. The standard path is to print it and execute it under NRS 133.040: the testator signs, and two competent witnesses subscribe their names in the testator's presence. Nevada also recognizes electronic wills under NRS 133.085, which can be executed and witnessed remotely by audio-video communication under NRS 133.088, or made with no witnesses at all when the record carries an authentication characteristic of the testator or an electronic notary's signature and seal.

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 Nevada will.

Sign it fully remotely

Recognized

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

What this means for you

Do not let a beneficiary act as a witness: NRS 133.060 voids all devises to a subscribing witness unless two other competent witnesses also signed. Self-proof is unusually easy in Nevada because a witness declaration under penalty of perjury needs no notary, but for an electronic will, self-proof also requires a qualified custodian to hold the electronic record. Nevada holographic wills are valid but must be handwritten, signed and dated in the testator's own hand.

What Nevada Law Requires

The governing law is NRS ch. 133 (Wills); electronic wills at NRS 133.085 to 133.088 and qualified custodians at NRS 133.300 to 133.340. Each rule below links to the official source it was read from.

Requirement	The Nevada rule	Statute
Who can make a will	Age 18 or older, sound mind.	NRS 133.020
Written document	Required.	NRS 133.040
Signature	The testator signs. The will may be signed by an attending person at the testator's express direction.	NRS 133.040
Witnesses	2. The will must be attested by at least two competent witnesses who subscribe their names to the will in the presence of the testator. The statute requires the witnesses to sign in the testator's presence; it does not state that they must sign in each other's presence or that they must watch the testator sign.	NRS 133.040
Notarization	Not required for validity. A self-proving affidavit is optional and speeds probate.	NRS 133.050

Signing Day in Nevada

The will must be attested by at least two competent witnesses who subscribe their names to the will in the presence of the testator. The statute requires the witnesses to sign in the testator's presence; it does not state that they must sign in each other's presence or that they must watch the testator sign.

The self-proving step worth adding

Nevada allows self-proof two ways: a witness declaration under penalty of perjury, which requires no notary, or an affidavit sworn before any person authorized to administer oaths. Either must be written on the will or attached to it (for an electronic will, incorporated in, attached to or logically associated with the record), and the court accepts it as if the testimony were taken in court. Timing: at execution or afterwards; the statute sets no deadline, and a self-proving affidavit or declaration executed at the same time as the will can supply a missing witness signature under NRS 133.055.

Choose witnesses carefully

All devises in a will to a subscribing witness are void unless there are two other competent subscribing witnesses to the will.

Shortcuts Nevada Does and Does Not Recognize

Handwritten (holographic) wills

Yes

The signature, date and material provisions must be written by the hand of the testator. Nevada, unlike most holographic-will states, requires a handwritten date. No witnesses or notarization are required, the will is subject to no other form, and it may be made in or out of Nevada.

A valid holographic will has the same force and effect as if formally executed. (NRS 133.090)

Oral wills

Nevada states the negative expressly: a nuncupative or oral will is not valid. (NRS 133.100)

Electronic wills

Yes

An electronic will is created and maintained in an electronic record and must contain the date and the testator's electronic signature plus at least one of: an authentication characteristic of the testator (a fingerprint, retinal scan, voice or facial recognition, video recording, digitized signature or other commercially reasonable authentication), the electronic signature and seal of an electronic notary public placed in the testator's presence, or the electronic signatures of two attesting witnesses placed in the testator's presence. So a Nevada electronic will can be valid with no witnesses at all. To be self-proving it must incorporate the witnesses' declarations or affidavits, designate a qualified custodian, and remain in the qualified custodian's custody until reduced to a certified paper original (NRS 133.086). (NRS 133.085)

Remote witnessing: allowed within the statute’s conditions. NRS 133.085 requires the attesting witnesses or electronic notary to act in the presence of the testator, and NRS 133.088 deems persons in different physical locations to be in each other's presence if they can communicate by audio-video communication. An electronically executed document is deemed executed in Nevada and governed by Nevada law when the anchoring conditions of NRS 133.088(1)(e) are met, such as the testator stating an intent to execute under Nevada law, the document saying Nevada law governs, witnesses or an electronic notary physically located in Nevada, or a self-proving electronic will designating a Nevada-based qualified custodian.

A Will Signed in Another State

A will executed outside Nevada is deemed legally executed if it is in writing, subscribed by the testator, and executed in the manner prescribed by the law either of the state where it was executed or of the testator's domicile; 'subscribed' includes placing an electronic signature on an electronic will. (NRS 133.080)

Keep Going

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my will online in Nevada?

Does a Nevada will need to be notarized?

No. Notarization is not required for a valid Nevada will. The optional self-proving step under NRS 133.050 makes probate easier: Nevada allows self-proof two ways: a witness declaration under penalty of perjury, which requires no notary, or an affidavit sworn before any person authorized to administer oaths. Either must be written on the will or attached to it (for an electronic will, incorporated in, attached to or logically associated with the record), and the court accepts it as if the testimony were taken in court.

How many witnesses does a Nevada will need?

2. The will must be attested by at least two competent witnesses who subscribe their names to the will in the presence of the testator. The statute requires the witnesses to sign in the testator's presence; it does not state that they must sign in each other's presence or that they must watch the testator sign. (NRS 133.040)

Are handwritten (holographic) wills valid in Nevada?

Yes. The signature, date and material provisions must be written by the hand of the testator. Nevada, unlike most holographic-will states, requires a handwritten date. No witnesses or notarization are required, the will is subject to no other form, and it may be made in or out of Nevada. A valid holographic will has the same force and effect as if formally executed. (NRS 133.090)

Are electronic wills legal in Nevada?

Yes. An electronic will is created and maintained in an electronic record and must contain the date and the testator's electronic signature plus at least one of: an authentication characteristic of the testator (a fingerprint, retinal scan, voice or facial recognition, video recording, digitized signature or other commercially reasonable authentication), the electronic signature and seal of an electronic notary public placed in the testator's presence, or the electronic signatures of two attesting witnesses placed in the testator's presence. So a Nevada electronic will can be valid with no witnesses at all. To be self-proving it must incorporate the witnesses' declarations or affidavits, designate a qualified custodian, and remain in the qualified custodian's custody until reduced to a certified paper original (NRS 133.086). (NRS 133.085)

Is a will made in another state valid in Nevada?

Generally yes, within the statute’s terms. A will executed outside Nevada is deemed legally executed if it is in writing, subscribed by the testator, and executed in the manner prescribed by the law either of the state where it was executed or of the testator's domicile; 'subscribed' includes placing an electronic signature on an electronic will. (NRS 133.080)

SourcesOfficial references used for this page

Verified against NRS ch. 133 (Wills); electronic wills at NRS 133.085 to 133.088 and qualified custodians at NRS 133.300 to 133.340 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 Nevada can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.

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