Handwritten will: model text to copy out by hand (Germany)
Germany · in German
€2.00This document is sold blank, to print and complete by hand.
This document is in German
The PDF you download is in German — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
Made for use in Germany
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In Germany a will made without a notary is valid only if you write it entirely by hand and sign it yourself (§ 2247 of the German Civil Code, BGB) — a printout, a text typed on a computer or a filled-in form is void as a will. So this is not a form but a model text with instructions for copying it out: revoking earlier wills, heirs, a substitute heir, a legacy, an executor, place, date and signature, with the compulsory share (Pflichtteil) and safekeeping at the local court explained. Free explanations are in the Bavarian justice ministry's brochure “Erben und Vererben”; a will made before a notary is the other route. In German.
- Made for use in Germany
- Last updated October 27, 2026
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- You want to write your will by hand in Germany.
- You want to decide who will inherit your home or savings one day.
- You want to replace an old will with a new one and need clear wording.
- You are looking for a handwritten will template you can copy out word for word.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Testator
- Testator's date of birth
- Testator's address
- City
- Date
Common questions
- Why is a printed or filled-in will not valid in Germany?
- Because § 2247 of the German Civil Code (BGB) requires you to write and sign the whole declaration in your own hand. A printout, a text typed on a computer and a pre-printed form with only the names filled in are void as a will — even with your signature underneath. So copy this model text out entirely by hand, with place and date, and sign at the end with your first name and surname. A minor, or someone who cannot read, cannot make a handwritten will (§ 2247(4) BGB); for them there is the will made before a notary.
- Where do I keep my will in Germany, and what does official safekeeping cost?
- You may keep it at home, but there it can be lost or not found after your death. Safer is special official safekeeping, which any local court (Amtsgericht) takes on at your request (§ 2248 BGB): the court fee is €82, and the court reports the will to the Central Register of Wills kept by the Federal Chamber of Notaries, which costs €15.50. That way the probate court learns of the will after your death and opens it. Anyone who finds a will must hand it to the probate court without delay (§ 2259 BGB).
- Handwritten or notarial will — what is the difference in Germany?
- A handwritten will costs nothing itself — only the optional safekeeping has a fee — but it carries risks: unclear wording, mistakes of form, loss. With a notarial will (§ 2232 BGB) the notary advises, checks capacity and places the deed in official safekeeping; the fee depends on the size of the estate. If the estate includes land or a flat, the land registry accepts a notarial will with the record of its opening, whereas with a handwritten will the heir needs a certificate of inheritance (Erbschein) or a European Certificate of Succession there (§ 35(1) GBO).
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
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