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How to sign your will in Scotland

Scotland has its own distinct legal requirements for signing a will. The rules here are different from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland — make sure you follow the Scottish guidance.

Scottish law · Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995

Key rules

One independent witness required — present when you sign
Witness must be aged 16 or over and have mental capacity
Sign every page of your will — not just the final page

Your witness should also sign every page alongside you

Choose an independent witness — someone with no connection to your estate

Scottish rules — different from the rest of the UK

Scotland has its own legal system, and the rules for signing a will here are distinct from those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you must follow the Scottish guidance — not the guidance for other parts of the UK

The most important difference is that in Scotland, one witness is required as best practice — not two as in England and Wales. However, you must sign every page of your will, and your witness should sign every page alongside you.

We provide signing instructions tailored specifically to Scotland with every will we produce for Scottish customers. Please follow these carefully — they reflect Scottish law and best practice.

Who can witness your will in Scotland

Your witness in Scotland must be:



Aged 16 or over — Scottish law sets a lower minimum age than England and Wales



Of sound mind — able to understand what they are doing



Independent — not a beneficiary of your will and not connected to your estate



Present with you when you sign each page

We strongly recommend choosing someone who has no connection to your estate — a neighbour, friend, or colleague who is not named in your will. This avoids any potential for disputes or challenges to the validity of your will.

Choose someone independent. Even though Scottish law has fewer restrictions on who can witness a will than England and Wales, best practice — and the approach we always recommend — is to choose a witness with no connection to your estate or its beneficiaries.

Step-by-step signing guide for Scotland

Follow these steps carefully. The requirement to sign every page is specific to Scotland and is important.

1

Choose one independent witness

Your witness should be 16 or over, of sound mind, and have no connection to your estate or its beneficiaries. Let them know in advance what is involved.

2

Arrange to meet in person

You and your witness must be in the same place at the same time. Your witness must physically see you sign each page.

3

Read through your will before signing

Check that your will correctly records your wishes. If anything needs changing, do it before you begin the signing process.

4

Sign every page of your will

Sign at the bottom of every page — not just the final page. This is an important requirement in Scotland and helps prevent any suggestion that pages have been added or removed.

5

Your witness signs every page alongside you

Your witness should also sign each page alongside you, in your presence. On the final page, they should add their full name and address.

6

Record your witness’s full name and address

Make sure your witness records their full name and address clearly on the final page. This is important if the will is ever called into question.

Common mistakes to avoid

Only signing the last page— in Scotland you must sign every page. This is one of the most important differences from England and Wales

Witness not being present— your witness must be physically with you when you sign each page

Choosing a witness with a connection to your estate— always choose an independent witness to avoid any risk of challenge

Making changes after signing— do not alter a signed will. Make a new one or use a formal codicil

After signing — storing your will safely

Once correctly signed and witnessed, your will is legally valid. Store it somewhere safe where your executor can find it when it is needed. A will that cannot be located cannot be acted upon.

Your options for storage include:

Store it with The Will Place— if you have added our storage and amendments package, we will have sent you separate instructions on how to return your signed will to us. If you haven’t yet added this, you can do so from within your account.

A fireproof safe or lockbox at home

With your solicitor for safekeeping

Registered with the Scottish Will Register

Whatever you choose, make sure your executor knows where the original is. The original signed document is what matters — a photocopy is not sufficient.

The Will Place — Storage & Amendments

Store your will with us and make unlimited changes — £19.99 per year.

If you haven’t already added our storage and amendments package, you can do so from within your account. For £19.99 per year we will store your signed will securely and allow you to make unlimited amendments to it whenever your circumstances change.

If you have already purchased the package, we will have sent you separate instructions on how to return your signed will to us for safekeeping.

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Updating your will

If you need to make changes after signing, do not write on or alter the original will. You have two options:

Return to your account and make changes— if you have our storage and amendments package (£19.99 per year), you can make unlimited amendments through your account at any time. We will produce an updated will for you to sign and return.

Make a completely new will— this automatically revokes the previous one and is usually the right approach for significant changes if you do not have the amendments package.

Do not write on or cross out sections of your signed will — this does not create a valid change and may cast doubt on the validity of the whole document.

Frequently asked questions

Why are the Scottish rules different?

Scotland has its own legal system, separate from England and Wales, with its own legislation governing wills. The Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995 sets out the rules for Scottish wills. These rules are distinct from the Wills Act 1837 which governs England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

I have property in England as well as Scotland — which rules apply?

The rules that apply to your will depend on where you are domiciled — broadly, where you live and consider home. If you are domiciled in Scotland, Scottish rules apply. If you have property or assets in multiple jurisdictions, we recommend speaking to our team about your specific situation.

Does my Scottish will cover assets in England?

A Scottish will can cover assets anywhere in the world, subject to the laws of the country where those assets are located. For significant assets in England and Wales, it is worth taking specialist advice. Please contact us and we will help you understand your options.

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