How is a will drawn up and can I register it?
Last update: 10/1/2012
Anyone who wishes to draw up a will must comply with specific forms. Irish law has, among others, the following types of wills:
To be valid
- a will shall be in writing and shall be signed at the foot or end of it by the testator, or by a person in his/her presence and by his/her direction.
- Such signature shall be made or acknowledged by the testator in the presence of each of two or more witnesses, present at the same time, and each witness shall attest by his/her signature the signature of the testator in the presence of the testator.
In a cross-border situation, a will is, in principle, valid if it complies with the law of the State where the will was drawn up.
There is no register of wills in Ireland.
Information about how to keep, to register and to search for a will are also available on the website of the European Network of Register of Wills Association (ENRWA) in the section “Information sheet”.
