Short answer. 2 witnesses. A self-proving affidavit is sworn before a notary. Handwritten wills: no.
At a glance
- Witnesses
- Signed in front of two witnesses, who sign in the testator's presence (Nolo, citing Conn. Gen. Stat. 45a-251).
"in front of two witnesses"
- Beneficiary as witness
- A witness who, or whose spouse, gets a gift under the will could lose it (Nolo, citing 45a-258).
- Self-proving affidavit
- Allowed. Per Nolo (citing 45a-285), the testator and witnesses sign an affidavit before a notary.
- Handwritten wills
- Not recognized, per Nolo's Connecticut page (updated September 2025).
"Connecticut doesn't permit holographic wills"
- Electronic wills
- Not authorized; the will must be on paper, per Nolo's Connecticut page (updated September 2025).
"You can't make a digital or electronic will in Connecticut."
- Remote witnesses
- Not provided for: no Connecticut law we found lets witnesses appear by video, and e-wills aren't authorized (Nolo's Connecticut page, updated September 2025).
- Minimum age
- 18 or older. The probate courts' affidavit for a witness proving a will (form PC-210) has the witness swear the testator was at least 18.
"the testator was at least 18 years of age and of sound mind and memory"
Worth knowing
Only the minimum age was confirmed. The state's statute site couldn't be opened for this check, so the witness count, the self-proving affidavit and the other rules are left unconfirmed. The probate courts' form PC-210 is a witness's sworn statement used after the testator's death, signed before a judge, clerk, notary public or commissioner of the Superior Court; it isn't a self-proving affidavit made at the signing.
Signing day here
- Witnesses to bring: Bring 2 witnesses.
- Notary and the self-proving affidavit: Have a notary there for the self-proving affidavit. The official page we read names a notary public.
The full list, with ID and who shouldn't witness: signing-day checklist for Connecticut.
MCC Solutions provides notaries and witnesses for signings in New Jersey (estate planning signings, the estate planning signing package, witness services). Elsewhere, a local notary can help with the self-proving affidavit.
Sources
- Affidavit in Proof of Will and/or Codicil, form PC-210 (rev. 1/19), Connecticut Probate Courts (checked November 2026)
- Nolo (secondary source): How to Make a Will in Connecticut (Nolo, updated September 2025) (checked November 2026)
Sourced from official pages; a few facts from vetted secondary sources, marked "(secondary source)".
General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. Have a lawyer prepare or review your will. Checked November 2026 against the official pages listed above. Rules change, and how a rule applies to one will is a question for a lawyer licensed in the state. A notary can't give legal advice or draft a will.
Common questions
How many witnesses does a will need in Connecticut?
2. Signed in front of two witnesses, who sign in the testator's presence (Nolo, citing Conn. Gen. Stat. 45a-251).
Does a will need a notary in Connecticut?
Not to be valid on the pages we read; the notary is for the self-proving affidavit. Allowed. Per Nolo (citing 45a-285), the testator and witnesses sign an affidavit before a notary.
Can a beneficiary witness a will in Connecticut?
A witness who, or whose spouse, gets a gift under the will could lose it (Nolo, citing 45a-258).
Is a handwritten will valid in Connecticut?
Not recognized, per Nolo's Connecticut page (updated September 2025).
Are electronic wills allowed in Connecticut?
Not authorized; the will must be on paper, per Nolo's Connecticut page (updated September 2025).
How old do you have to be to make a will in Connecticut?
18 or older. The probate courts' affidavit for a witness proving a will (form PC-210) has the witness swear the testator was at least 18.
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