Is an Online Will Legal in Vermont?

An online service can prepare a valid Vermont will. The document is printed and executed under 14 V.S.A. § 5: the testator signs it in the presence of two or more credible witnesses, and the witnesses attest and subscribe in the presence of the testator and of each other. Vermont 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 Vermont will.

Sign it fully remotely

Paper signing

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

What this means for you

Vermont's ceremony is stricter than many states: everyone signs in one room, with the testator signing in front of the witnesses and the witnesses signing in front of the testator and each other. Use witnesses who take nothing under the will, since a gift to a subscribing witness or that witness's spouse is voidable unless two other competent witnesses signed. Adding the 14 V.S.A. § 108 sworn acknowledgment before a notary at the signing makes the will self-proved and speeds probate.

What Vermont Law Requires

The governing law is 14 V.S.A. ch. 1 (Wills); self-proof and probate of wills at 14 V.S.A. ch. 3. Each rule below links to the official source it was read from.

Requirement	The Vermont rule	Statute
Who can make a will	Age 18 or older, sound mind; emancipated minors qualify.	14 V.S.A. § 1
Written document	Required.	14 V.S.A. § 5(a)(1)
Signature	The testator signs. The will may be signed in the testator's name by some other person in the testator's presence and by the testator's express direction.	14 V.S.A. § 5(a)(2)
Witnesses	2. The will must be signed in the presence of two or more credible witnesses by the testator (or by the proxy in the testator's presence and by the testator's express direction), and attested and subscribed by the witnesses in the presence of the testator and each other.	14 V.S.A. § 5(a)
Notarization	Not required for validity. A self-proving affidavit is optional and speeds probate.	14 V.S.A. § 108

Signing Day in Vermont

The will must be signed in the presence of two or more credible witnesses by the testator (or by the proxy in the testator's presence and by the testator's express direction), and attested and subscribed by the witnesses in the presence of the testator and each other.

Vermont is stricter than most states here: the testator must sign in front of the witnesses, and the witnesses must sign in front of the testator and of each other. Older Vermont sources describe a three-witness requirement; the current section, as amended by 2005, No. 106 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, requires two or more credible witnesses.

The self-proving step worth adding

A will may be self-proved as to its execution by the sworn acknowledgment of the testator and the witnesses covering four facts: the testator signed the instrument as the testator's will or expressly directed another to sign in the presence of two witnesses; the signing was the testator's free and voluntary act; each witness signed at the request of the testator, in the testator's presence, and in the presence of the other witness; and to the best knowledge of each witness the testator was at least 18 or emancipated by court order, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence. The statute does not state a deadline for making the acknowledgment.

Choose witnesses carefully

Any beneficial devise or legacy made or given in a will to a subscribing witness or to the spouse of a subscribing witness is voidable unless there are two other competent, subscribing witnesses to the will. A provision for payment of a debt is not void and does not disqualify the creditor as a witness.

Shortcuts Vermont Does and Does Not Recognize

Handwritten (holographic) wills

No Vermont statute recognizes an unwitnessed handwritten will: 14 V.S.A. § 5 requires attestation by two or more credible witnesses, and chapter 1 of Title 14 (section list verified at the official site on 2026-08-16) contains no holographic-will provision. A holographic will executed outside Vermont in the mode prescribed by the law of the place of execution or of the testator's domicile can qualify under 14 V.S.A. § 112, which requires only that the will be in writing and subscribed by the testator. (14 V.S.A. § 5)

Oral wills

Chapter 1 of Title 14 states no oral-will procedure. For military testators, 14 V.S.A. § 7(a) provides that the chapter does not prevent a person in active military service from disposing of his or her estate as he or she might otherwise have done, and § 7(b) gives a military will prepared and executed under 10 U.S.C. § 1044d the same force and effect as a will executed in the Vermont mode; whether the § 7(a) savings clause would reach an oral disposition is not spelled out in the statute. Everyone else must use a written, witnessed will under § 5. (14 V.S.A. §§ 5, 7)

Electronic wills

Basis for the negative: 14 V.S.A. § 5 requires a written will signed in the physical presence of two or more credible witnesses who attest and subscribe in the presence of the testator and each other, and chapter 1 of Title 14 (section list verified at the official site on 2026-08-16) contains no electronic-will authorization. Vermont has not enacted the Uniform Electronic Wills Act or any equivalent. (14 V.S.A. § 5)

Remote witnessing: not recognized.

A Will Signed in Another State

A last will and testament executed outside Vermont in the mode prescribed by the law, either of the place where executed or of the testator's domicile, is deemed to be legally executed and has the same force and effect as if executed in the mode prescribed by Vermont law, provided the will is in writing and subscribed by the testator. (14 V.S.A. § 112)

Keep Going

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my will online in Vermont?

Does a Vermont will need to be notarized?

No. Notarization is not required for a valid Vermont will. The optional self-proving step under 14 V.S.A. § 108 makes probate easier: A will may be self-proved as to its execution by the sworn acknowledgment of the testator and the witnesses covering four facts: the testator signed the instrument as the testator's will or expressly directed another to sign in the presence of two witnesses; the signing was the testator's free and voluntary act; each witness signed at the request of the testator, in the testator's presence, and in the presence of the other witness; and to the best knowledge of each witness the testator was at least 18 or emancipated by court order, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence. The statute does not state a deadline for making the acknowledgment.

How many witnesses does a Vermont will need?

2. The will must be signed in the presence of two or more credible witnesses by the testator (or by the proxy in the testator's presence and by the testator's express direction), and attested and subscribed by the witnesses in the presence of the testator and each other. (14 V.S.A. § 5(a))

Are handwritten (holographic) wills valid in Vermont?

No. No Vermont statute recognizes an unwitnessed handwritten will: 14 V.S.A. § 5 requires attestation by two or more credible witnesses, and chapter 1 of Title 14 (section list verified at the official site on 2026-08-16) contains no holographic-will provision. A holographic will executed outside Vermont in the mode prescribed by the law of the place of execution or of the testator's domicile can qualify under 14 V.S.A. § 112, which requires only that the will be in writing and subscribed by the testator. (14 V.S.A. § 5)

Are electronic wills legal in Vermont?

No. Basis for the negative: 14 V.S.A. § 5 requires a written will signed in the physical presence of two or more credible witnesses who attest and subscribe in the presence of the testator and each other, and chapter 1 of Title 14 (section list verified at the official site on 2026-08-16) contains no electronic-will authorization. Vermont has not enacted the Uniform Electronic Wills Act or any equivalent. (14 V.S.A. § 5)

Is a will made in another state valid in Vermont?

Generally yes, within the statute’s terms. A last will and testament executed outside Vermont in the mode prescribed by the law, either of the place where executed or of the testator's domicile, is deemed to be legally executed and has the same force and effect as if executed in the mode prescribed by Vermont law, provided the will is in writing and subscribed by the testator. (14 V.S.A. § 112)

SourcesOfficial references used for this page

Verified against 14 V.S.A. ch. 1 (Wills); self-proof and probate of wills at 14 V.S.A. ch. 3 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 Vermont can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.

More Vermont Resources

Explore the rest of the Vermont probate hub.

Start here

Do I need probate?4 pages

Costs and money5 pages

File for probate2 pages

Transfer assets4 pages

Learn and reference5 pages