A Kentucky will is a crucial legal instrument that represents the final wishes of a testator (the document’s creator) with regard to their personal property and how they’d wish it to be distributed to their selected heirs. A thought-out and properly drafted last will can be vital to those you love upon your death, even if you haven’t got lots of assets.
Below, you’re able to download a free Kentucky last will and testament form that you can fill out and print. In addition to that, you will find recommendations regarding the last will preparation process and a table with state requirements and laws.
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Kentucky inheritance laws with a will are set out in KRS Chapter 394, which governs who can make a will, how it must be signed, and how many witnesses it needs. The table below summarizes the core requirements, and the sections after it explain how to meet them when you build your document.
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Kentucky law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
| Requirements | State laws | |
| Statutes | Chapter 394 – Wills | |
| Definition | 394.010 “Will” defined | |
| Signing requirement | Two witnesses | 394.040 Requisites of a valid will |
| Age of testator | 18 and older with a few exceptions | 394.020 Persons competent to make , 394.030 Minor can make will, when |
| Age of witnesses | 18 and older | 394.040 Requisites of a valid will |
| Self-proving wills | Allowed | 394.225 Self-proved will |
| Handwritten wills | Recognized under certain circumstances | 394.040 Requisites of a valid will |
| Oral wills | Not recognized | |
| Holographic wills | Recognized under certain circumstances | |
Tip: This state does not require you to notarize your will, but adding a self-proving affidavit under Ky. Rev. Stat. § 394.225 lets your witnesses skip an extra trip to court during probate.[2]
Below are seven general steps that are usually involved in making a will in the state of Kentucky. We also provided some of the screenshots from our template so that you could have a reference.
1. Think about your possible choices. One thing to consider is whether you wish to write the whole thing by hand or use a last will and testament form with fillable fields. We recommend using the latter as it already contains most of the general legalese and you just need to fill in the blanks. You can also try our document maker, special software that will guide you through the whole process step-by-step to make will creation a bit easier for any Kentuckian.
2. Specify your details. Fill in your full legal name and address (the city, county, and state of residence) to establish the testator of the last will and testament. Reread the remaining portion of the passage, including the details you’ve entered. State law requires the testator to sign the will, or direct someone else to sign it in their presence, for it to be valid.[1]
3. Establish the executor (or executrix). In this passage, you determine who’ll execute your last will and testament by entering their full name, along with their city, county, and state of residence. Nearly all states have specific policies concerning out-of-state agents (KY 395.005) and executors, which typically means more paperwork and delay. For that reason, it’s recommended to appoint a person known to you who lives in the same state as you.
It could happen that your main representative won’t be able to carry out your will because of a sickness, death, unwillingness, or some other reasons. In this situation, the court will appoint its own representative to handle the duties instead. To avoid that outcome, you can name a backup executor by giving the same details you provided for the main one.
4. Establish the guardian (optional). It’s possible to specify a trusted person as a guardian if you have minor or dependent children that need to be looked after. If there are no directions pertaining to who should take care of your kids, the guardian will be chosen by the court instead.
5. Indicate your beneficiaries. At this point, establish those to whom you want to bequeath your property and assets, that is, your beneficiaries. For every inheritor, fill out the next details: full name, address, and the way they are related to you. A charitable organization can also be among your beneficiaries.
6. Allocate possessions. You can specify which of your respective inheritors gets this or that piece of property. If you don’t, the estate will be divided evenly amongst the inheritors. Please notice that there are things that can’t be distributed in your will, such as life insurance and joint assets. A will also does not usually cover funeral wishes, so it helps to write those down separately for your family.
7. Ask witnesses to sign the document. State law requires at least two credible witnesses who watch you sign the will, or watch you acknowledge your signature, and then sign it themselves in your presence and in each other’s presence.[1] Only somebody who isn’t your named beneficiary and is of 18 years or older could be picked as a witness.
As a possible added safety measure against situations when your will is contested, it’s wise to name a witness younger than you so they’re likely to still be available when you pass away. After a complete revision of each paragraph in your last will and testament, all signatories, you and your two witnesses, will have to fill out their names and full addresses and sign the will.
If you’d like additional protection, you can make your will self-proved at the same time you sign it, using Kentucky’s statutory self-proving affidavit.[2] A self-proved will can save your witnesses a trip to court during probate.
Here are direct answers to the questions Kentucky readers ask most about Kentucky inheritance laws with a will, covering notarization, testamentary capacity, self-proving affidavits, later changes, and what happens if you try to leave out a spouse.
In Kentucky, a will is valid without having a notary public certify it.
In order to make a legally valid will in KY state, you must be at least 18 years old and have “testamentary capacity,” which implies you must be mentally sound and fully comprehend:
In line with Kentucky law, there’s no need to attach a self-proving affidavit to your last will and testament. However, it will serve you well to include this document. In the course of probate, it can act as a substitute for the witness testimony in court and ease the procedure.
In this state, you can’t disinherit your marriage partner, and even if you try, the law ensures that your spouse gets some share of your estate (KRS Chapter 392). In most jurisdictions, estate and probate rules protect spouses, which applies to Kentucky as well.
Yes, it can be altered. A codicil, which is a small addendum that must be signed the same way as a will to be effective, can be added to a Kentucky last will and testament at any point before the testator’s death. If you want to change many things, it is recommended to write an entirely new will.
Solely per your instruction and with you present is someone allowed to sign your last will and testament. It’s possible to give a certain directive via a number of ways, which include voice communication, a positive response to a question, or a gesture. However, your beneficiaries cannot sign on your behalf nor be your witnesses.
| Related documents | When to make it |
| Codicil | There are several minor modifications you want to make to your will. |
| Self-proving affidavit | You want to save time and legal fees for your will’s witnesses. |
| Living will | You would like to make sure that, if you’re incapacitated, you get treated exactly how you’d want to. |
| Living trust | You want to handle your end-of-life matters without probate. |
This state's last will and testament template will not meet another state's signing or witness rules, since those requirements vary. Use the links below to find the correct last will and testament form for a different state.
This page is general information about last wills in this state, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, talk to a Kentucky attorney.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Ky. Rev. Stat..
