What Do I Need to Sign My Will in District of Columbia?
Witness, notary, and remote online notarization (RON) requirements for wills in District of Columbia.
District of Columbia requires 2 witnesses for a willD.C. Code § 18-103Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. A witness must be at least 18 years old.
District of Columbia does not require notarization for a will to be validD.C. Code § 18-103Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. District of Columbia has no execution-time affidavit; a witness affidavit at probate can substitute for live testimony, so no notary is involved when the will is signed.
Yes. A will can be executed entirely remotely in District of Columbia: the signing happens in a live video session with an online notary, with 2 witnesses in the same video sessionD.C. Code § 1-1231.13aVerified Sep 9, 2026View source.
To execute a will in District of Columbia: Find 2 adults to serve as witnesses. Review witness restrictions to ensure eligibility. Keep the original will in a secure location. Sign remotely: signer, notary, and 2 witnesses in one live video session
Yes. District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia form, or adding a District of Columbia affidavit, removes that step. The District of Columbia document portability tool carries the recognition rule by document type.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Serious Diagnosis
A serious diagnosis changes priorities. Healthcare proxies, financial powers of attorney, and the documents that ensure your wishes are honored.
Learn more
Moving to a New State
State laws vary significantly for wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. What to review after relocating to make sure your estate plan still works.
Learn more
Divorce
What divorce does and does not undo: beneficiary designations, your will, powers of attorney, and the one account your ex stays on until you change it.
Learn moreForms for Planning Your Estate in District of Columbia
Free forms for planning your estate in District of Columbia: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Last Will and Testament
In District of Columbia, a will is signed before 2D.C. Code § 18-103Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and the witnesses sign an affidavit at probate instead of a self-proving affidavitD.C. Code § 18-103Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
District of Columbia requires 2DC Code § 21-2207Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses for a healthcare power of attorney; notarization is not requiredDC Code § 21-2207Verified Oct 15, 2026View source.
Financial Power of Attorney
District of Columbia treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultD.C. Code §§ 21-2601.04, 21-2601.05, 21-2601.06, 21-2601.09, 21-2601.13, 21-2601.14, 21-2601.19, 21-2601.20, 21-2602.01, 21-2602.17, 21-2603.01, 21-2603.03Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed before a notaryD.C. Code §§ 21-2601.04, 21-2601.05, 21-2601.06, 21-2601.09, 21-2601.13, 21-2601.14, 21-2601.19, 21-2601.20, 21-2602.01, 21-2602.17, 21-2603.01, 21-2603.03Verified Sep 18, 2026View source.
Transfer on Death Deed
In District of Columbia, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryD.C. Code 19-604.01 to 19-604.19Verified Oct 18, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathD.C. Code 19-604.01 to 19-604.19Verified 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 District of Columbia, the living will is the DeclarationD.C. Code Title 7, Ch. 6, Subch. II (Natural Death Act of 1981, D.C. Law 4-69), §§ 7-621 to 7-630Verified Sep 27, 2026View source, a document of its own, apart from the healthcare power of attorney.
Pour-Over Will
In District of Columbia, a pour-over will is signed before 2D.C. Code § 18-103Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
Tools for Planning Your Estate in District of Columbia
Free tools for planning your estate in District of Columbia: 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 District of Columbia, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 2%D.C. Code § 20-753 (reasonableness review of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%D.C. Code § 20-753 (reasonableness review of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)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 District of Columbia runs $3,820Estimate: 10 hours at $382, Clio's District of Columbia Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,730Estimate: 15 hours at $382, Clio's District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia runs $1,041Estimate: 3 hours at $347, Clio's District of Columbia Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,082Estimate: 6 hours at $347, Clio's District of Columbia 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 $26,493D.C. Code § 20-753 (reasonableness review of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)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 District of Columbia, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a will or a separate signed writingD.C. Code §§ 21-102, 21-103(a), 21-105 (estate, by deed or will), 21-101(b), 21-107Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18D.C. Code § 46-101; see also § 21-104Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Probate in District of Columbia takes 6 months to 12 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 2%D.C. Code § 20-753 (reasonableness review of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%D.C. Code § 20-753 (reasonableness review of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
Do I Need a TOD Deed?
District of Columbia authorizes transfer on death deedsD.C. Code 19-604.01 to 19-604.19Verified Oct 17, 2026View source: a recorded, revocable deed that passes real property at death outside probate.
When you're ready, we're here.
District of Columbia Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering District of Columbia probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.