What Do I Need to Sign My Will in Kentucky?
Witness, notary, and remote online notarization (RON) requirements for wills in Kentucky.
Kentucky requires 2 witnesses for a willKRS 394.040Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. A witness must be at least 18 years old.
Kentucky does not require notarization for a will to be validKRS 394.040Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. The notary's usual role in Kentucky is the optional self-proving affidavit: a notarized statement signed with the will that lets it enter probate without locating the witnesses.
Yes. A will can be executed entirely remotely in Kentucky: the signing happens in a live video session with an online notary, with 2 witnesses in the same video sessionKRS 423.455Verified Oct 15, 2026View source.
To execute a will in Kentucky: Find 2 adults to serve as witnesses. Review witness restrictions to ensure eligibility. Get the document notarized (standard practice, not required). Sign remotely: signer, notary, and 2 witnesses in one live video session
Yes. Kentucky has not adopted the Uniform Probate Code, but its probate code accepts a will that was valid under the law of the place it was signed. The practical wrinkle is the self-proving affidavit: a foreign will without one forces the witnesses to be located and either appear or sign declarations, and re-executing on a Kentucky form, or adding a Kentucky affidavit, removes that step. The Kentucky document portability tool carries the recognition rule by document type.
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Free forms for planning your estate in Kentucky: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Last Will and Testament
In Kentucky, a will is signed before 2KRS 394.040Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyKRS 394.040Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Kentucky allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2KRS 311.625Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
Financial Power of Attorney
Kentucky treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultKRS § 457.050Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed with no witness or notary requirementKRS § 457.050Verified Sep 18, 2026View source.
Living Will
In Kentucky, the living will is the Living Will DirectiveKRS 311.621 to 311.643 (Kentucky Living Will Directive Act); KRS 311.623, 311.625Verified Sep 27, 2026View source, a written instruction that is valid with no agent named.
Pour-Over Will
In Kentucky, a pour-over will is signed before 2KRS 394.040Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
Tools for Planning Your Estate in Kentucky
Free tools for planning your estate in Kentucky: what a will or trust costs, whether you need a trust or TOD deed, and how documents are signed.
Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
Check if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Kentucky, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.5%Reasonable compensation; no probate-specific attorney fee statute (SCR 3.130-1.5(a) general rule)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.4%Reasonable compensation; no probate-specific attorney fee statute (SCR 3.130-1.5(a) general rule)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Kentucky runs $3,440Estimate: 10 hours at $344, Clio's Kentucky Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,160Estimate: 15 hours at $344, Clio's Kentucky Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
An attorney-prepared will in Kentucky runs $819Estimate: 3 hours at $273, Clio's Kentucky Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $1,638Estimate: 6 hours at $273, Clio's Kentucky Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $299 up front with an online service, and probate on a $500,000 estate adds about $23,308Reasonable compensation; no probate-specific attorney fee statute (SCR 3.130-1.5(a) general rule)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
How Do I Name a Guardian for My Minor Children?
In Kentucky, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a willKRS 387.040; KRS 387.032 (court considers nominee, best-interest standard)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18KRS 2.015; KRS 387.010(1) ("minor" = under 18)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Probate in Kentucky takes 6 months to 12 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 1.5%Reasonable compensation; no probate-specific attorney fee statute (SCR 3.130-1.5(a) general rule)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.4%Reasonable compensation; no probate-specific attorney fee statute (SCR 3.130-1.5(a) general rule)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
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Kentucky Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering Kentucky probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.