What Do I Need to Sign My Will in Minnesota?
Witness, notary, and remote online notarization (RON) requirements for wills in Minnesota.
Minnesota requires 2 witnesses for a willMinn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. A witness must be at least 18 years old.
Minnesota does not require notarization for a will to be validMinn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. The notary's usual role in Minnesota 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 Minnesota: the signing happens in a live video session with an online notary, with 2 witnesses in the same video sessionMinn. Stat. § 358.645Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
To execute a will in Minnesota: 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. Minnesota has adopted the Uniform Probate Code, which validates a will under any of three tests: it complied with the law of the place of execution, the law of the testator's domicile when signed, or the law of the testator's domicile at death (UPC § 2-506). The practical wrinkle is the self-proving affidavit: without one, the witnesses may need to testify when the will enters probate. The Minnesota document portability tool carries the recognition rule by document type.
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Free forms for planning your estate in Minnesota: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Last Will and Testament
In Minnesota, a will is signed before 2Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyMinn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Minnesota allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2Minn. Stat. § 145C.16Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
Financial Power of Attorney
Minnesota requires explicit durability language for a power of attorney to survive incapacityMinn. Stat. §§ 523.01, 523.02, 523.05, 523.07, 523.075, 523.08, 523.17, 523.18, 523.20, 523.23, 523.231, 523.24Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed before a notaryMinn. Stat. §§ 523.01, 523.02, 523.05, 523.07, 523.075, 523.08, 523.17, 523.18, 523.20, 523.23, 523.231, 523.24Verified Sep 18, 2026View source.
Transfer on Death Deed
In Minnesota, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryMinn. Stat. 507.071Verified Oct 18, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathMinn. Stat. 507.071Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Vehicle Transfer on Death
Name a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle at death without probate. Available in 26 states and the District of Columbia.
Living Will
In Minnesota, the living will is the Health Care DirectiveMinn. Stat. ch. 145C (Health Care Directives), §§ 145C.01-145C.18Verified Sep 27, 2026View source, a written instruction that is valid with no agent named.
Pour-Over Will
In Minnesota, a pour-over will is signed before 2Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
Tools for Planning Your Estate in Minnesota
Free tools for planning your estate in Minnesota: 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 Minnesota, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.9%Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721)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 Minnesota runs $3,530Estimate: 10 hours at $353, Clio's Minnesota Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,295Estimate: 15 hours at $353, Clio's Minnesota 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 Minnesota runs $1,035Estimate: 3 hours at $345, Clio's Minnesota Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,070Estimate: 6 hours at $345, Clio's Minnesota 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 $26,108Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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How Do I Name a Guardian for My Minor Children?
In Minnesota, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a will or a separate signed writingMinn. Stat. §§ 524.5-202, 524.5-204; execution per § 145C.03Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18Minn. Stat. § 645.451, subds. 1, 3Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Probate in Minnesota takes 4 months to 6 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 1.9%Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
Do I Need a TOD Deed?
Minnesota authorizes transfer on death deedsMinn. Stat. 507.071Verified Oct 17, 2026View source: a recorded, revocable deed that passes real property at death outside probate.
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Minnesota Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering Minnesota probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.