OR · Will guide
Oregon will requirements (two witnesses; clear-and-convincing rescue is not the product path)
You're going to die. Oregon already has a backup plan for your stuff, and it is not your unfinished hiking packing list. ORS 112.235 wants a written will, your signature (or acknowledgment or directed signing) in the presence of each of at least two witnesses, and those witnesses seeing or hearing that act and attesting by signing within a reasonable time before your death.
Oregon has no classic holographic shortcut. Failed formalities may still reach a court under ORS 112.238 if clear and convincing evidence shows you intended the writing as a will. That is a petition path, not a DIY product feature. Do not sell "just write it by hand and hope" as Oregon estate planning.
The short version
How to sign a will in Oregon
Under ORS 112.235 (formal will; product path):
- Will in writing. For 112.235 / 112.238 definitions, writing excludes an electronic record. Do not assume a PDF alone satisfies the formal writing rule. Cite the statute text (including 2025 updates).
- You sign it, acknowledge your signature, or direct another person to sign, in the presence of each of at least two witnesses.
- Those witnesses see or hear that act and attest by signing within a reasonable time before your death.
Presence of each witness with you is the ceremony. Attestation after death fails the statute. Get the pens while you are still around to host the room. Electronic and remote wills: out of scope / VERIFY. Not marketed here.
Oregon will witnesses
Oregon wants at least two witnesses under ORS 112.235 who see or hear the signing/acknowledgment/direction and attest before the testator's death.
An interested witness does not invalidate the will (ORS 112.245). Soft statute, not a dare. Prefer disinterested pens for contest optics.
Do not paste North Carolina gift-voiding or Arizona devisee bans onto Oregon.
Do you need a notary for an Oregon will
For validity under ORS 112.235: no.
Contemporaneous witness affidavits may count toward attestation in some proof scenarios under 112.235(2). VERIFY that wording carefully before Builder ships a "self-proving" label. Do not invent a full UPC self-prove kit or Texas-style form culture without a form cite.
Frame any affidavit help as a proof aid that rides on real attestation, not as "skip witnesses with a stamp."
Oregon will mistakes that hurt later
- Treating ORS 112.238 as a DIY holographic product feature. Clear-and-convincing intent is a court petition path. Not "just write it by hand."
- Witnesses signing after the testator's death. 112.235 wants attestation within a reasonable time before death.
- Assuming electronic PDFs satisfy 112.235 "writing." Statute text excludes electronic record for those definitions. Cite it.
- Assuming an interested witness voids the will. 112.245 says it does not. Still prefer disinterested pens.
Are holographic wills valid in Oregon
Oregon has no classic holographic will. There is no "wholly in your handwriting, no witnesses needed" product path under ORS 112.235.
If formalities fail, ORS 112.238 lets a court treat a writing as a will when clear and convincing evidence shows intent. That is litigation and petition territory. Educational FAQ only. Killswitch signing instructions target the formal 112.235 witnessed path. Do not sell 112.238 as a feature on the signup button.
How Killswitch helps with an Oregon will
Killswitch drafts your Oregon will and prints signing instructions for the two-witness formal path under ORS 112.235, without confusing that path with the 112.238 clear-and-convincing court rescue.
Free to write and read. Pay once for the finished copy. You still gather the witnesses and run the ceremony before anyone needs a petition. We do not notarize. We are not your lawyer.
Free to write and read. Pay once for the finished copy. Signing instructions for your state print on the document.
Check signing requirements by state · Full Oregon estate planning hub
Frequently asked questions
How many witnesses for an Oregon will
At least two witnesses under ORS 112.235. The testator signs, acknowledges, or directs in the presence of each witness, and the witnesses attest by signing within a reasonable time before the testator's death.
Do I need a notary for an Oregon will
No. A notary is not required for formal validity under ORS 112.235. Witness affidavits may aid proof in some scenarios (VERIFY 112.235(2) wording). They do not replace witnesses.
Are holographic wills valid in Oregon
Oregon has no classic holographic path. Failed formalities may still be rescued in court under ORS 112.238 clear-and-convincing intent. That is a petition path, not DIY holographic. This page focuses on formal wills under 112.235.
Can an interested witness sign an Oregon will
Yes. An interested witness does not invalidate the will under ORS 112.245. Prefer disinterested witnesses for contest optics.
What is Oregon's clear-and-convincing will statute
ORS 112.238 lets a court treat a writing as a will when clear and convincing evidence shows the decedent intended it as a will, even if 112.235 formalities failed. Educational / petition path only. Not the Killswitch product path.
Can witnesses sign an Oregon will after the testator dies
No. ORS 112.235 requires attestation within a reasonable time before the testator's death.
Sources
OR will
Start your Oregon will in plain English.
Free to write and read. Pay once for the finished copy. Signing instructions for your state print on the document.
Killswitch is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. This page is educational information about Oregon statutes, not advice about your situation. Laws change. Read the cited sources and talk to a licensed attorney if your estate is complicated (business, trust, fight already in progress, or anything that already has lawyers in it). We put signing instructions on your document in plain English. You still have to follow your state's rules when you sign.
