A Utah last will and testament is a written legal document in which a testator states how their property should be distributed after death and who should serve as executor. The Utah Code sets specific rules for who can make a will and how it must be signed and witnessed.
Here, it’s possible to download a free Utah last will form available in PDF and Word (DOCX) formats. Moreover, down the page, you will find lots of tips in relation to the last will creation process and common questions.
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Utah’s will requirements come from the state’s Uniform Probate Code. A valid will must be in writing and signed by the testator, or by someone else in the testator’s conscious presence and at the testator’s direction[2.2]. It must be signed by at least two witnesses within a reasonable time after they watch the signing or the testator acknowledges it to them[2.2]. The testator must be 18 or older and have testamentary capacity when the will is executed[2.1].
Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Utah law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
| Requirements | State laws | |
| Statutes | Title 75 – Utah Uniform Probate Code; Chapter 2 – Intestate Succession and Wills | |
| Signing requirement | Two witnesses | 75-2-502. Execution — Witnessed wills — Holographic wills |
| Age of testator | 18 or older | 75-2-501. Who may make will |
| Age of witnesses | 18 or older | 75-2-505. Who may witness |
| Self-proving wills | Allowed | 75-2-504. Self-proved will |
| Handwritten wills | Recognized if meeting certain conditions | 75-2-502. Execution — Witnessed wills — Holographic wills |
| Oral wills | Not recognized | |
| Holographic wills | Recognized if meeting certain conditions | |
Before you start writing your Utah last will, gather a few details so the process goes faster. You will need your own full legal name and address, your executor’s information, your beneficiaries’ names and their relationship to you, a list of the property you plan to distribute, and the names of at least two qualifying witnesses.
1. Think about your possibilities. Before getting started, you might want to determine if you want to use the help of a legal professional or do the entire document on your own. In case you would like to create the will yourself, pick the type you’ll use: a handwritten will or a free last will and testament form.
2. Specify your information. Step one is establishing the testator by filling out their full name, as well as the residential information (city, county, and state). Review the information you entered as well as the rest of the section, which includes “Expenses and Taxes.”
3. Choose the executor. Decide who will serve as executor, the person responsible for carrying out the will. Enter the executor’s full legal name and residence details, including city, county, and state. Choose someone who lives in the same state when possible, since an out-of-state executor can add paperwork.
If your first choice cannot serve due to illness, death, or unwillingness, name an alternate executor with the same information.
4. Determine the guardian (optional). It’s possible to choose a trusted person as a guardian in case you have underage or dependent children that need to be taken care of. In case there are no instructions pertaining to who exactly should take care of your children, the guardian will be appointed by the court.
5. Indicate your beneficiaries. Now specify people to whom you’d like to hand your assets on, that is, your beneficiaries. For every beneficiary, indicate these particulars: full legal name, address, and the way they are related to you.
6. Assign property. List your property and describe how you want it divided among your beneficiaries if you do not want an equal split. Property can include cash, real estate, shares, business interests, and other items of financial value, with or without a mortgage or other debt attached. Jointly owned property and life insurance proceeds generally pass outside the will and should not be listed in it.
7. Sign with your witnesses. Utah law requires at least two witnesses who sign within a reasonable time after they watch you sign the will or you acknowledge your signature to them[2.2]. Witnesses must generally be competent, and Utah law does not disqualify a witness simply because they are also a beneficiary[2.4]. Choosing witnesses who are not beneficiaries can still help avoid disputes later.
Think about choosing witnesses younger than you, since they are more likely to be available if the will is ever contested in court.
Sign the will together with your witnesses and fill in your full legal names and addresses. Review every sentence carefully before finalizing the document.
Utah recognizes a holographic will, a will that is valid without witnesses if the signature and the material portions of the document are in the testator’s own handwriting[2.2]. Utah also recognizes an electronic will as a will for all purposes of state law[1]. Both forms still have to meet the state’s signing and capacity rules to be valid for distributing your property.
A holographic will can be harder to prove in probate court than a witnessed or self-proving will. Adding a self-proving affidavit can make the process smoother even for a handwritten will[2.3].
You can revoke a Utah will and change how your estate is distributed in two ways. You can execute a later will that revokes the earlier one, either expressly or by making inconsistent provisions. You can also perform a revocatory act, such as burning, tearing, or canceling the will, if you intend to revoke it, or if someone else does the act in your conscious presence and at your direction[2.6].
Being named as a witness or a beneficiary does not by itself invalidate your will under Utah law, so you do not need to re-sign a will just because a witness later inherits under it[2.4].
Utah recognizes a will made in another state or country if it was validly executed there. A written will that distributes your property is valid in Utah if it complies with Utah’s own signing rules[2.5]. It is also valid if it complies with the law of the place it was signed, or the law of the place where the testator lived, had an abode, or was a national[2.5]. This can apply either at the time of signing or at the time of death.
You can make your Utah will self-proving by attaching an affidavit signed by you and your witnesses in front of an officer authorized to administer oaths, such as a notary[2.3]. A self-proving affidavit lets your witnesses skip testifying in court later, which can speed up probate.
Testamentary capacity is a term used to describe the testator’s legal and mental capability to write and change their last will. To write a will in Utah, you must be of sound mind and at least 18 years old[2.1]. This means you do not have a mental condition, such as dementia or severe cognitive impairment, that prevents you from understanding the effect of what you are doing.
In Utah, there is no community or marital property. Assets acquired during the marriage do not have to be split evenly between spouses. Utah law allows a surviving spouse an elective share of the decedent’s estate, which makes disinheriting a spouse without their consent difficult.
Apart from your spouse, Utah law permits you to disinherit other family members, including adult children and other relatives. Add disinheritance language to the will to do so.
No, only you can amend your will. There is just one situation when a third party can get involved. When you’re physically incapable of signing your will, another person can do it instead of you yet only in your presence.
Utah law permits some other individual to sign your will solely per your directive and in your conscious presence[2.2]. You can give this instruction in several ways, even without speaking:
Someone else, not necessarily a notary, can sign your name in your conscious presence and at your direction. Utah law does not disqualify a witness who also has an interest in the will, so a beneficiary can still serve as a witness[2.4].
| Related documents | Instances when you might need to make one |
| Codicil | There are several minor adjustments you wish to make to your last will. |
| Self-proving affidavit | You would like to save time and legal fees for your witnesses. |
| Living will | You want to establish what health care you expect if you’re unable to communicate that yourself. |
| Living trust | You would like to deal with your end-of-life affairs without probate. |
This page is general information about Utah last wills, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, talk to a Utah attorney.
