Valid if written entirely by hand and signed — a typed then signed will does not count

Updated July 2026

📜 Can I write a valid will myself without a notary?

With conditions

Quick answer

Conditional — you may, but the will is valid only if it meets two strict conditions. Under the Inheritance Act, a holographic will is valid if the testator wrote it in their own hand and signed it personally (Art. 30). Those are the only two requirements — witnesses, certification of the signature, a date or a notary are not needed for validity, although noting the place and date is useful. Here a dangerous and common myth falls: a will typed on a computer or phone and merely signed is NOT a holographic will and is void as such. It may be written by any person older than 16 who is capable of reasoning; the will is void if made before the age of 16 or in a state of incapacity to reason. A limit still applies: by will you cannot bypass the forced share that belongs to the forced heirs.

📋 The rules

Two conditions of validity: a holographic will is valid if the testator wrote it entirely in their own hand and signed it personally (Inheritance Act, Art. 30).
No extra formalities: a holographic will needs no witnesses, no signature certification and no date; noting the place and date is useful but does not condition validity.
Typed does not count: text typed on a computer or phone, even if you sign it by hand, is not a holographic will — that form needs witnesses or a notary.
Age and reasoning: a will may be made by a person older than 16 who is capable of reasoning; otherwise it is void (Art. 26).
The forced share remains: you dispose freely by will, but you cannot exclude the forced share of the forced heirs (children, spouse, as a rule also parents).

🔓 Exceptions

Written will before witnesses: someone who does not write by hand may make the will as a written will before two witnesses with a signature, or have it drawn up by a notary or a court.
Oral will: allowed only exceptionally, in extraordinary circumstances that make a written form impossible, before two witnesses, and it ceases to be valid 30 days after those circumstances end.
Revocation and change: you may revoke or change the will at any time by a new one; the last validly made will applies, so old ones should be removed to avoid a dispute.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There is no „penalty” for a bad will, but the price of the mistake falls on your heirs. A will that fails the form — say typed then signed, or without a signature — is declared void, so the estate passes as if there were none: by the statutory order of succession, often against your wishes. An unclear or contradictory will opens lengthy probate and litigation disputes, lawyer and court costs and strained family relations. If you try by will to bypass the forced share, the forced heirs can claim it in court and your arrangement changes. A hidden trap is a hidden will: if no one finds it, it is as if it does not exist — so it is wise to say where it is or to deposit it with a notary and record it in the Croatian Register of Wills. A neatly written and signed will is the cheapest way to avoid all of this.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Must a holographic will be certified by a notary?

No. A holographic will is valid as soon as you have written it entirely in your own hand and signed it, without witnesses, a date or certification. Notarial certification and deposit are not conditions of validity, but they reduce the risk that the will is lost or challenged.

Is a will I typed and signed valid?

Not as a holographic will, because that must be written entirely by hand. Text typed on a computer or phone, even if you sign it, is valid only if made in another permitted form, for example as a written will before two witnesses or before a notary.

How old must I be to write a will?

A will may validly be made by any person older than 16 who is capable of reasoning. The will is void if made by a person under 16 or by someone who, at that moment, was not able to understand the meaning and consequences of their statement.

Can I leave everything to one person by will?

You may dispose of your property freely, but you cannot bypass the forced share that belongs to forced heirs such as children and the spouse. If you leave them out by will, they can claim the forced share in court, so your arrangement is corrected in that part.

Can I change or revoke the will later?

Yes, you may change or revoke the will at any time by a new one, and the last validly made will applies. That is why it is wise to destroy old wills or clearly state that you revoke them, so they do not surface and cause a dispute among heirs.

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