Does an online will need to be notarised or witnessed?

Witnessed: yes, effectively always — two witnesses in England & Wales (Wills Act 1837 s.9) and in essentially all US states. Notarised: generally not required for the will to be valid in the US (Louisiana is the notable exception). Many US states let you add an optional notarised self-proving affidavit that speeds up probate. An online tool can draft all of this, but the signing and witnessing must happen offline, on paper.

Can a witness to my will also inherit under it?

No — and this is the trap that catches people. In England & Wales, under Wills Act 1837 s.15, if a witness (or their spouse) is also a beneficiary, the gift to them is void, even though the rest of the will stays valid. US states strongly advise “disinterested” witnesses for the same reason. Choose two witnesses who inherit nothing under the will.

Is an online will legally valid in the UK?

The document can be, but only after you print it and sign it in wet ink in front of two witnesses who are both present at the same time and who then sign it too. There is currently no valid electronic-only will in England & Wales — the Wills Act 1837 s.9 formalities still govern. Any service implying you’re “done” once you download the PDF is misleading you.

What happens to my company shares when I die?

This is where founders get caught out. Your shares don’t simply pass under your will if your company documents say otherwise. In the UK, a shareholders’ agreement or cross-option agreement can control what happens on death; in the US, an LLC operating agreement often passes only an economic interest, not management rights, and a buy-sell agreement may govern the transfer. GitLaw flags this and helps you align your will with your company paperwork — something a generic will maker won’t.

Is a handwritten will valid?

Sometimes, but it’s risky. About half of US states recognise handwritten (“holographic”) wills under specific conditions; many don’t. In England & Wales a handwritten will still needs the same two-witness signing to be valid. A typed, properly witnessed will avoids the ambiguity that gets handwritten wills challenged.

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Draft a clear, plain-language will in minutes. GitLaw explains each clause as you go and is honest about the one step no online tool can do for you: a will only becomes legally valid once you print it and sign it in wet ink before two witnesses.

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How making a will actually works

Four honest steps — and the one we can’t do for you

Most online will makers hand you a PDF and stay quiet about the fact that it isn’t valid yet. Here’s the whole path, including the offline signing step that makes a will count.

Example will for Alex Morgan, leaving the estate to my spouse and two children. Drafted August 6, 2026. This is a sample — your own answers fill every clause.

The step that makes it valid

This is the part no online service can do for you, and we won’t pretend otherwise. Print your will. Sign it in wet ink in front of two adult witnesses who are present at the same time, and have them sign too. Critical rule: a witness must not be a beneficiary or married to one. In England & Wales this is Wills Act 1837 s.15 — the gift to that person is void even though the will still stands. Effectively every US state also requires two witnesses, and disinterested witnesses are strongly advised. Until this is done, your will is just a draft. There is no valid electronic-only will in England & Wales, and e-wills are recognised in only a minority of US states.

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Three ways a will written at home fails

Not because it’s hard — because the process is confusing and every service buries the one step that matters. The result is estates decided by default rules and gifts lost on a technicality.

2 witnessesRequired for a valid will in England & Wales — both present when you sign (Wills Act 1837 s.9)

VoidedA gift to a witness fails under Wills Act 1837 s.15 (E&W)

£0What an unsigned online will is worth until it’s witnessed

Wills Act 1837 ss.9 and 15 (legislation.gov.uk).

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GitLaw is an AI agent for your legal documents

It drafts, explains and versions your will — and is candid about the offline steps it can’t do for you.

Drafts in plain languageA clear will from your answers, with each clause explained as you go.

Honest about validityTells you plainly that signing and witnessing — not the download — is what makes a will count.

US & UK awareWording and signing rules that match your jurisdiction, with a founder-aware view of company shares.

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