Who should be present to sign and witness my Will?

Frequently Asked Questions

Ensure your whole Will is firmly stapled together in one corner, and no other documents are attached to it.

Until it has been signed and witnessed, your Will has no legal validity. To make your Will valid, you must sign and date it in the presence of two witnesses.

Make sure you understand the contents of your Will before asking anyone to witness or sign it.

You must inform your witnesses that they are witnessing the signing of your Will, and they must then sign in your presence and in the presence of each other. You should all see each other sign the document. Witnesses must include their names and addresses. This entire process is your responsibility.

There are some criteria for being a witnesses:

  1. A witness must not be a beneficiary or spouses of a beneficiary of your Will.
  2. Witnesses must be over 18 and of sound mind and vision – a blind person cannot witness a Will.
  3. They should not be very old or hard to trace, in case question should arise later concerning the validity of your Will.

Please note the following important points:

  • If a witness is a beneficiary of your Will, your Will will still be valid but the beneficiary will lose the benefit of his or her gift.
  • If a witness later becomes a spouse of a beneficiary under your Will, your Will remains valid and the beneficiary will not lose the benefit of his or her gift.
  • Amending your Will in any way is not recommended: Do not change your Will by adding or removing words or provisions. Do not cross out, delete, or otherwise erase any part of your Will once it has been completed.