Educational guide — not legal advice. Will-execution rules are state-specific and change over time. Confirm current requirements with a licensed Georgia attorney before relying on them.
The short answer
No — a will does not have to be notarized in Georgia to be valid. What O.C.G.A. §53-4-20 requires is your signature and two witnesses. Let’s be precise.
Under O.C.G.A. §53-4-20, a valid Georgia will must be:
- In writing
- Signed by the testator (the person making the will), or by someone else at their direction and in their presence
- Attested and signed by at least two competent witnesses, each of whom witnesses the signing and signs in the testator’s presence
Notarization is not on that list. A typed will signed by you and two witnesses is valid in Georgia with no notary involved (O.C.G.A. §53-4-20).
(One Georgia quirk worth a mention: Georgia lets a person as young as 14 make a valid will, one of the lowest age thresholds in the country.)
Georgia does not recognize handwritten wills
Some states honor a holographic (handwritten, unwitnessed) will. Georgia does not. A will written entirely in your own hand but not witnessed by two people is invalid in Georgia. Georgia therefore has no unwitnessed route to a valid will: the two witnesses O.C.G.A. §53-4-20 requires apply in every case.
The Georgia twist: the self-proving affidavit (this one is notarized)
Here’s where a notary does come in. Georgia uses a self-proving affidavit (O.C.G.A. §53-4-24), and that document is notarized.
A self-proving affidavit is a short sworn statement, signed by you and your two witnesses in front of a notary, confirming the will was properly executed. It’s attached to the will. The benefit:
- When your will goes to probate, the court can admit it without contacting your witnesses — no tracking people down years later.
Stated precisely: the will itself doesn’t need notarization, but the optional self-proving affidavit does. Most attorney-drafted Georgia wills include a self-proving affidavit by default.
Where a notary is and is not required
- For validity: No notary required. Sign with two competent witnesses.
- For the self-proving affidavit: a notary, because O.C.G.A. §53-4-24 prescribes an affidavit sworn before an officer authorized to administer oaths. It is optional.
A Georgia will without a self-proving affidavit is still completely valid; it just means your witnesses may need to confirm it at probate (Georgia has procedures for proving a will through witness testimony).
A notarized but unwitnessed typed will
A will typed, signed before a notary and not witnessed does not meet the execution requirements set out above. A notary’s acknowledgement is not among them.
A notarized but unwitnessed typed will is not valid in Georgia. The notary does not replace the two witnesses required by §53-4-20 — and because Georgia doesn’t accept handwritten wills, there’s no fallback.
Who can witness a Georgia will?
- Witnesses must be competent (generally adults of sound mind) — O.C.G.A. §53-4-20.
- A disinterested witness is one who does not inherit under the will. In Georgia, a gift to an interested witness can be void (though the will itself can still stand and the witness’s testimony remains valid) if there aren’t enough other competent witnesses.
- Both witnesses must sign in your presence, which O.C.G.A. §53-4-20 requires.
Quick checklist for a valid Georgia will
- [ ] In writing (typed — Georgia does not accept handwritten wills)
- [ ] Signed by you (or at your direction, in your presence)
- [ ] Two competent witnesses sign in your presence
- [ ] Witnesses are disinterested (don’t inherit) — not a requirement of the execution statute
- [ ] Self-proving affidavit signed by you + witnesses before a notary — optional under §53-4-24
What to do if your will is notarized but not witnessed
If you typed a will and signed it in front of a notary without two witnesses, treat it as invalid in Georgia — and, because Georgia doesn’t accept handwritten wills, there’s no fallback. What the statutes leave available:
- Re-execution under §53-4-20 — signature before two competent witnesses who each witness the signing and sign in the testator’s presence.
Georgia does not recognize holographic wills, so §53-4-20 is the only route to a valid Georgia will.
Re-execution carries no statutory fee; the cost is whatever an attorney or service charges, if one is used.
What about electronic and online wills in Georgia?
A few practical notes for 2026:
- Georgia has no electronic-wills statute. The execution requirements set out above are written for a signed paper document.
- Remote online notarization may be available for the affidavit, but remember notarization isn’t what makes a will valid in Georgia — it only matters for the optional self-proving affidavit, and it never substitutes for the two witnesses.
- If you use an online will service, it will still instruct you to print, sign, and witness the final document in front of two people. The document is not executed until that step is completed.
What the record shows
Georgia does not require a will to be notarised. O.C.G.A. §53-4-20 requires the will to be in writing, signed by the testator, and attested by two competent witnesses. Georgia does not recognise holographic wills, so the two witnesses are required in every case. Notarisation appears only in the optional self-proving affidavit under §53-4-24, which permits the probate court to admit the will without witness testimony. A notary’s acknowledgement does not substitute for the statutory witnesses.
Common questions
Is a will valid in Georgia without a notary?
Yes. A typed will signed before two competent witnesses is valid with no notary (O.C.G.A. §53-4-20). Notarization only matters for the optional self-proving affidavit under §53-4-24.
Does Georgia accept handwritten wills?
No. Georgia does not recognize holographic (handwritten, unwitnessed) wills. A valid Georgia will must be witnessed by two people under O.C.G.A. §53-4-20.
What is a self-proving affidavit in Georgia?
A notarized statement signed by you and your witnesses confirming the will was executed properly. It lets the will be probated without witness testimony. Optional.
Can I notarize my will instead of using witnesses?
No. A notary does not substitute for the two witnesses O.C.G.A. §53-4-20 requires. A notarized-but-unwitnessed will is invalid.
Related reading
- How Much Does an Estate Plan Cost in Georgia?
- Do You Need a Living Trust in Georgia?
- Estate Planning in Georgia: The Complete Guide
- Does a Will Have to Be Notarized in California? (compare)
- How to Write a Will (and What Makes It Valid)
Educational information only — not legal advice. Georgia will-execution rules are set by statute and can change; confirm current requirements with a licensed Georgia attorney before relying on them. Sources: O.C.G.A. §§53-4-20, 53-4-23, 53-4-24; State Bar of Georgia.