No, a will does not need to be notarized in Pennsylvania to be legally valid. State law requires only that the will be in writing and signed by the person making it at the end of the document. Notarization comes up only in connection with an optional add-on called a self-proving affidavit, which smooths the probate process but has no effect on whether the will itself holds up.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 2502
What Pennsylvania Actually Requires for a Valid Will
Under 20 Pa. C.S. § 2502, a valid will must be in writing and signed by the testator at the end. Anything appearing below the signature is treated as if it isn’t there, though it won’t invalidate what sits above it.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 2502
The testator must be at least 18 years old and of sound mind when they sign.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 2501 Sound mind means they understand that the document distributes their property after death and can identify the people and assets involved.
Here is what surprises most people: Pennsylvania does not require witnesses for a will to be valid, as long as the testator signs it themselves. The will is enforceable with just the testator’s signature and nothing else. No notary. No witnesses. Nothing more.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 2502
That said, having two witnesses sign is strongly recommended. After the testator dies, someone will need to verify that the signature is genuine. Witnesses who were in the room can confirm it easily; distant relatives guessing at handwriting cannot.
Where Notarization Does Come In: The Self-Proving Affidavit
The notarization question centers on an optional document called a self-proving affidavit. This is not the will itself, but a separate sworn statement attached to it. Its purpose is to eliminate a step during probate.
Without the affidavit, the Register of Wills typically needs the original witnesses to come in and confirm that they watched the testator sign. If years have passed or the witnesses have moved, died, or lost touch, tracking them down can stall the entire process.
Under 20 Pa. C.S. § 3132.1, a self-proving affidavit creates a legal presumption that the will was properly signed. When a will carrying this affidavit is submitted for probate, the register accepts it as proof of valid execution without requiring witness testimony, unless someone files a formal contest.3Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 3132.1
Think of it as pre-packaging the proof. The will is valid either way, but the affidavit saves your executor from a potentially frustrating scavenger hunt years down the line. For most people with any meaningful assets, the small effort of completing one is worth it.
How a Self-Proving Affidavit Is Executed
Creating a self-proving affidavit requires the testator and two witnesses to each sign sworn statements. A notary public is the usual choice, but the statute is actually broader. The acknowledgment and affidavits can be made before any officer authorized to administer oaths under Pennsylvania law, or before an attorney at law who then certifies the signatures to such an officer.3Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 3132.1
In practice, the testator signs an acknowledgment swearing they executed the will freely and voluntarily. Each witness signs a separate affidavit confirming they watched the testator sign, that the signing appeared voluntary, and that the testator seemed to be of sound mind. The officer or attorney then signs and affixes an official seal. This can happen when the will is originally signed, or at any later date.3Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 3132.1
One important limitation: wills signed by mark, or signed by another person on behalf of the testator, cannot use the self-proving affidavit shortcut. Those wills still require traditional witness proof at probate.4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 3132.1
When Witnesses Are Legally Required
While a standard will needs no witnesses, Pennsylvania does require them when the testator cannot sign their own name. In these situations, witnesses stand in for the signature itself, and notarization still isn’t required for validity.
If the testator cannot write their name but can make a mark, the mark counts as a valid signature. The testator’s name must also be written on the document, either before or after the mark is made, and two witnesses must watch the testator make the mark and then sign the will themselves in the testator’s presence.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 2502
If the testator cannot make even a mark, someone else may sign the testator’s name for them. The signing must happen in the testator’s presence and at their explicit direction. The testator must also verbally declare the document to be their will in front of two witnesses, who then sign it while the testator is present.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 2502
Both scenarios share the same logic. When the testator’s own handwritten signature isn’t on the page, the law demands extra safeguards to prove the will reflects what the testator actually wanted.
Handwritten and Electronic Wills
Pennsylvania allows handwritten wills, but they must follow the same rules as typed ones. A handwritten will is valid as long as it’s signed by the testator at the end. There is no separate category of “holographic will” in Pennsylvania that relaxes the signature requirement based on handwriting alone.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 20 – Section 2502 If you handwrite your will, getting witnesses and a self-proving affidavit is especially worthwhile, since there is no attorney or template lending the document obvious credibility.
Electronic wills are a different story. Pennsylvania does not recognize them. The state’s Electronic Transactions Act specifically excludes estate planning documents, and Pennsylvania courts have ruled that an electronic signature does not meet the legal standard for signing a will. The testator must physically put ink to paper. Several other states have adopted the Uniform Electronic Wills Act, but as of 2026, Pennsylvania is not among them.
The Bottom Line on Notarization
A notary is never the gatekeeper of a valid Pennsylvania will. The gatekeeper is the testator’s own signature at the end of a written document, made while they are 18 or older and of sound mind. A notary becomes useful only when you want to attach a self-proving affidavit so that probate goes smoothly later. That is a strong reason to involve one, but it is a convenience reason, not a validity reason. If you have signed your will and never seen a notary, the document still speaks for you.