Short answer. 2 witnesses. A self-proving affidavit is sworn before a notary. Handwritten wills: yes.
At a glance
- Witnesses
- Two or more credible witnesses, who sign in the testator's presence, unless the will is wholly handwritten (statute as quoted by the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2022).
"it shall be attested by two (2) or more credible witnesses"
- Beneficiary as witness
- An interested witness who stands to inherit can lose the gift (Nolo, citing Miss. Code 91-5-9).
"interested witness who stands to inherit from your will can lose the gift"
- Self-proving affidavit
- Allowed. Per Nolo (citing Miss. Code 91-7-7), the testator and witnesses sign an affidavit before a notary.
- Handwritten wills
- A will wholly written and signed by the testator doesn't need witnesses.
"if not wholly written and subscribed by himself or herself"
- Electronic wills
- Not authorized, per Nolo's Mississippi page (updated August 2025).
"Mississippi currently doesn't allow e-wills"
- Remote witnesses
- Not provided for: no Mississippi law we found lets witnesses appear by video, and e-wills aren't authorized (Nolo's Mississippi page, updated August 2025).
- Minimum age
- 18 or older, of sound and disposing mind.
"Every person eighteen (18) years of age or older, being of sound and disposing mind"
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 Mississippi.
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
- In re Last Will and Testament of Luke Beard (Miss. 2022), quoting Miss. Code 91-5-1 (Mississippi Courts) (checked November 2026)
- Nolo (secondary source): How to Make a Will in Mississippi (Nolo, updated August 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 Mississippi?
2. Two or more credible witnesses, who sign in the testator's presence, unless the will is wholly handwritten (statute as quoted by the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2022).
Does a will need a notary in Mississippi?
Not to be valid on the pages we read; the notary is for the self-proving affidavit. Allowed. Per Nolo (citing Miss. Code 91-7-7), the testator and witnesses sign an affidavit before a notary.
Can a beneficiary witness a will in Mississippi?
An interested witness who stands to inherit can lose the gift (Nolo, citing Miss. Code 91-5-9). The statute: "interested witness who stands to inherit from your will can lose the gift."
Is a handwritten will valid in Mississippi?
A will wholly written and signed by the testator doesn't need witnesses.
Are electronic wills allowed in Mississippi?
Not authorized, per Nolo's Mississippi page (updated August 2025).
How old do you have to be to make a will in Mississippi?
18 or older, of sound and disposing mind.
All states: will witness requirements by state · Minnesota · Missouri