The short answer
Yes. You can make your own will in Ireland. There is no general rule requiring a solicitor to draft it. What matters is that the will is appropriate for your circumstances and is properly signed and witnessed under Irish law.
For a person with a straightforward family situation and straightforward assets, a well-structured DIY will can be a practical option. But “DIY” should not mean guessing at legal wording or using a template that does not match your family.
This guide helps you decide whether making your own will is sensible for you, what the legal formalities actually require and when individual legal advice is the better option.
Is a DIY will suitable for you?
A DIY will is most appropriate when your wishes and circumstances are easy to understand and describe.
- your family situation is straightforward
- your assets are mainly ordinary savings, investments and Irish property
- you know clearly who you want to benefit
- there is no expected family dispute
- you do not need bespoke tax or trust planning
- you own a farm or business
- you own assets overseas
- you have a blended or unusually complex family
- you want to exclude someone who may have legal rights or expect a dispute
- you need a special trust or provision for a vulnerable dependant
- there are concerns about mental capacity or undue influence
- inheritance tax planning is important
The aim is not to make every estate fit a template. It is to use a template where the situation genuinely is simple enough for one.
What makes a will valid in Ireland?
The key formalities are set out in the Succession Act 1965. In practical terms:
- The will must be in writing.
- The person making the will must have legal capacity. The Act generally requires the person to be at least 18, subject to statutory exceptions, and to be of sound disposing mind.
- The will must be signed by the person making it, or by another person in their presence and at their direction.
- Two or more witnesses must be present at the same time when the person making the will signs or acknowledges their signature.
- Each witness must then sign in the presence of the person making the will. Irish law does not require the witnesses to sign in each other's presence.
Those signing rules are not a formality to treat casually. A perfectly sensible set of wishes can fail if the document is not properly executed.
Who should witness your will?
Use two independent witnesses who are not receiving anything under the will and whose spouses are not receiving anything under it. That is the cleanest and safest approach.
Under section 82 of the Succession Act 1965, if an attesting witness, or that witness's spouse, is given a gift under the will, that gift is generally void as far as that witness or spouse is concerned. Importantly, this does not necessarily invalidate the whole will.
So the practical rule is simple: choose two independent people with no benefit under the will.
A straightforward way to make your own will
This is the person who will deal with your estate after your death. Choose someone you trust and who is likely to be capable of handling the role.
Think about specific gifts, if any, and who should receive everything left after debts, expenses and specific gifts have been dealt with.
An eligible parent or guardian can use a will to appoint a testamentary guardian. A surviving guardian may continue to have legal rights, so guardianship should not be described as simply “the person in my will automatically gets the children”.
A single person with no children needs different clauses from parents of young children or a married couple with adult children.
Check names, relationships, executor details, gifts and the residue of the estate. Do not leave unanswered questions or contradictory instructions.
Follow the signing procedure exactly. Do not pre-sign it alone and later ask two people to add their signatures.
Your executor should know that the will exists and where the signed original can be found. A missing original can create significant probate complications.
Do you need special legal language?
A will needs to communicate legally effective instructions, but that does not mean it should be full of archaic language. The difficulty is not sounding legal. It is making sure important matters have actually been dealt with.
For example, a complete straightforward will normally needs to address matters such as:
- who your executor is
- who receives any specific gifts
- who receives the remainder, or residue, of the estate
- what happens if a beneficiary dies before you
- appropriate provisions for children where relevant
- the signing and witnessing formalities
This is the main advantage of using a properly structured template rather than starting with a blank page.
Can a handwritten will be valid?
A will can be handwritten or typed. Irish law requires the will to be in writing and properly executed; it does not create a general shortcut that makes an unwitnessed handwritten will automatically valid.
So handwriting the document does not remove the need to comply with the signing and witnessing rules.
What about funeral wishes?
You can record funeral wishes, but there is a practical problem with relying on the will alone: funeral arrangements may need to be made before the will is located and read.
If you have strong wishes about burial, cremation or your funeral, tell the relevant family member or executor separately as well.
Where should you keep the original will?
Keep the signed original somewhere secure, dry and accessible after your death. The important point is not simply where you store it, but that your executor or a trusted person knows where the original is.
A photocopy or scan is useful for your own records, but do not treat it as a substitute for looking after the signed original. Where an original will is lost, proving a copy can require a court application and additional evidence.
When should you review or replace your will?
A will is not something you should make once and then forget regardless of what happens in your life. Review it after major changes such as:
- marriage
- the birth or adoption of a child
- separation or divorce
- the death of an executor or beneficiary
- buying or selling significant property
- a major change in wealth
- starting or selling a business
- a substantial change in family relationships
Marriage deserves particular attention. Under section 85 of the Succession Act 1965, a later marriage generally revokes an existing will unless the will was made in contemplation of that marriage, subject to statutory exceptions.
What are the most common DIY will mistakes?
The biggest risks are often ordinary rather than exotic:
- using a document designed for the wrong family situation
- signing without both witnesses present at the required time
- using a beneficiary, or a beneficiary's spouse, as a witness
- forgetting to deal with the residue of the estate
- using vague descriptions of beneficiaries or gifts
- making handwritten alterations after signing
- failing to review the will after marriage or another major life change
- losing the signed original
A template reduces some drafting risk, but it cannot compensate for choosing the wrong template or signing it incorrectly.
DIY will or solicitor: which should you choose?
| DIY template may be appropriate | Individual legal advice is safer |
|---|---|
| Clear, conventional family wishes | Blended or disputed family circumstances |
| Ordinary Irish assets | Farm, business or overseas assets |
| No material tax-planning requirement | Significant CAT or other tax planning |
| No capacity or undue-influence concern | Capacity, vulnerability or likely challenge |
There is no prize for doing a complicated estate yourself. Equally, a straightforward person should not assume that the law requires them to pay a solicitor simply to have a valid will drafted.
Choose the will that matches your situation
If your circumstances are straightforward, start with the family situation that actually describes you:
Standard Single Will - View current price Single parent with children under 18
Single Parent Will - View current price Married or civil partners, no children
Married Couple Will - No Children - View current price Parent with children under 18
Irish Will for Parents with Minor Children - View current price Married couple with adult children
Married Couple Will - Adult Children - View current price
If none of these accurately describes your circumstances, do not squeeze your family into the nearest template. That is a good signal to get individual legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DIY will legal in Ireland?
Yes. Irish law does not generally require a solicitor to draft a will. The will still needs to satisfy the legal requirements and be suitable for the person's circumstances.
How many witnesses does an Irish will need?
The person making the will must sign or acknowledge their signature in the presence of at least two witnesses who are present at the same time, and each witness must then attest the signature in the presence of the person making the will.
Can a beneficiary witness my will?
Do not use a beneficiary or a beneficiary's spouse as a witness. Under the Succession Act 1965, a gift to an attesting witness or that witness's spouse is generally void as far as that person is concerned, although this does not automatically invalidate the entire will.
Can I type my own will?
Yes. A will can be typed. What matters is that it is in writing, contains legally effective instructions and is properly signed and witnessed.
When should I use a solicitor instead?
Individual legal advice is particularly sensible for complex families, farms or businesses, overseas assets, substantial tax planning, special trusts, capacity concerns or a likely dispute.
Official legal references
- Succession Act 1965, section 77: capacity to make a will
- Succession Act 1965, section 78: signing and witnessing a will
- Succession Act 1965, section 82: gifts to attesting witnesses
- Succession Act 1965, section 85: revocation of a will
- Courts Service: Guardianship
Related guides
Important: This guide provides general information about making a will in Ireland and is not individual legal advice. A template is designed for straightforward circumstances. If your family, assets or wishes are complex, obtain professional advice.
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