Free Pennsylvania Last Will and Testament

In Pennsylvania, a will needs no witnesses to be valid, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimony.

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Your Information

This information identifies you as the person making this will. It also determines your state's specific execution requirements.

First Name*

Middle Name

Last Name*

Date of Birth(MM/DD/YYYY)*

Email Address*

Phone Number*

Street Address*

City*

State*

ZIP Code*

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No. Pennsylvania does not require witnesses for a valid will; the testator's signature alone is sufficient, though witnesses make the will easier to prove at probate.

No. Pennsylvania does not require notarization for a will to be valid. The notary's role is the self-proving affidavit, a notarized statement the testator and witnesses sign with the will so it enters probate without locating the witnesses; the form includes it.

Yes. Pennsylvania recognizes holographic (handwritten) wills when the material provisions are in the testator's handwriting. A holographic will typically needs no witnesses, but it is easier to challenge than a formally executed will.

A will directs who inherits, but the estate still passes through Pennsylvania probate, where the court validates the will and oversees the distribution. A simple estate typically takes 6 months to 9 months, with attorney fees of typically 1.9% to 3% of the estate. In Pennsylvania, estates with personal property of $50,000 or less qualify for the Settlement of Small Estates on Petition, a court procedure short of full probate. Assets held in a revocable living trust pass outside probate.

Pennsylvania allows remote online notarization (RON) for wills, so the self-proving affidavit can be notarized by video call with an approved online notary; the will itself is still signed and witnessed under Pennsylvania's execution rules.

Why Create a Will in Pennsylvania?

Without a will, Pennsylvania intestacy laws decide who inherits your property. This often means assets go to relatives you may not have chosen, while close friends, partners, or charities receive nothing. Who inherits under Pennsylvania intestacy law shows how the state would divide your estate.

A will specifies who inherits, can name guardians for children, and appoints an executor to manage the process.

Pennsylvania does not require witnesses for a valid will — the testator's signature alone is sufficient. While witnesses aren't mandatory, having them strengthens the document during probate. The document carries the signature blocks Pennsylvania recognizes.

Pennsylvania offers simplified probate for estates under $50,000. A will still names guardians and appoints an executor, and directs who inherits what the simplified procedure collects.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated October 19, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Pennsylvania statutes and official state code. How we research.

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An attorney-prepared will in Pennsylvania runs $1,014 to $2,028, against $0 to $299 up front with an online service, and probate on a $500,000 estate adds about $26,087.

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In Pennsylvania, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a will or a separate signed writing, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18.

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Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?

In Pennsylvania, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.9% to 3% of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.

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What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?

An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Pennsylvania runs $3,830 to $5,745 and a simple will $1,014 to $2,028, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.

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How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?

In Pennsylvania, four years at a public university cost about $114,932 and the cost of living is near the U.S. average; an inheritance tax falls on beneficiaries by relationship.

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Check if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.

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All Pennsylvania tools

Pennsylvania Estate Planning Resources

In-depth guides covering Pennsylvania probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.

Free Pennsylvania Last Will and Testament

In Pennsylvania, a will needs no witnesses to be valid, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimony.

Progress0%

Why Create a Will in Pennsylvania?

A will specifies who inherits, can name guardians for children, and appoints an executor to manage the process.

Pennsylvania offers simplified probate for estates under $50,000. A will still names guardians and appoints an executor, and directs who inherits what the simplified procedure collects.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated October 19, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Pennsylvania statutes and official state code. How we research.

Free Pennsylvania Last Will and Testament

Your Information

Is this your situation?

New Baby or Adoption

Marriage

Divorce

New Home

Forms for Planning Your Estate in Pennsylvania

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Financial Power of Attorney

Living Will

Tools for Planning Your Estate in Pennsylvania

How Much Does a Will Cost?

How Do I Name a Guardian for My Minor Children?

Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?

What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?

How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?

Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?

How Do I Sign Estate Documents?

Will My Estate Documents Transfer?

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Pennsylvania Estate Planning Resources

Free Pennsylvania Last Will and Testament

Your Information