How is a will drawn up and can I register it?
Last update: 10/3/2012
There are special forms that a person wanting to draw up a will must respect. Portuguese law recognises, among others, the following forms of wills:
- an authentic will executed by a civil law notary (notarial will);
- wills received by a civil law notary (closed wills);
- international wills (Washington Convention);
- privileged wills, drawn up in exceptional circumstances.
In a cross-border situation, a will is valid in principle if it complies with the laws of the State where it has been drawn up.
There is a “Conservatória dos Registos Centrais”, that is to say a central register of wills at the Ministry of Justice (crcentrais@dgrn.mj.pt). Notaries must send an information sheet for each will to the “Conservatória dos Registos cetrais”.
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”.
