How to sign and witness your Will properly

Short answer: Print your Will, then sign it in ink in front of two adult witnesses who are both present at the same time. The witnesses then sign too. Getting this step wrong is one of the most common reasons a Will is challenged.

The basic steps

1. Print your Will on plain paper. Do not staple, unstaple or attach anything to it afterwards.
2. Gather two independent adult witnesses. Both must be present when you sign.
3. Sign your Will in ink where indicated, while both witnesses watch.
4. Each witness signs in your presence. In some places (including the ACT) the witnesses must also sign in each other's presence, so it is best practice everywhere to keep all three people together throughout.
5. Store the original somewhere safe and tell your executor where it is.

Who should not be a witness

Do not ask a Beneficiary, or the spouse or partner of a Beneficiary, to witness your Will. In some States and territories (New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory) a gift to a Beneficiary who witnessed the Will can be void. Even where it is not void, it invites argument. Choose witnesses with nothing to gain.

What about electronic signing?

Some jurisdictions allow electronic or remote witnessing of Wills in certain circumstances. At this time RapidWills only recommends printing and "wet ink" execution, to minimise the potential for invalid electronic execution.

RapidWills makes this easy

Your RapidWills Will sets out each of the requirements for wet-ink execution based on the State or territory you live in. Follow those instructions closely to ensure your Will is enforceable.