Holographic will: model to copy out by hand (Spain)
€1.38This document is sold blank, to print and complete by hand.
This document is in Spanish
The PDF you download is in Spanish — 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.
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This document is sold blank, to print and complete by hand.
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The usual way to make a will in Spain is the open will before a notary. For those who prefer to write it in their own hand, this is a model to copy: a printed or typed copy is not a will. A holographic will must be written entirely by hand, signed and dated with year, month and day by an adult (article 688 of the Spanish Civil Code). It includes instructions and a model text. In the communities with their own regional civil law, their rules apply according to civil residence (vecindad civil), and Catalonia has its own model. In Spanish.
- Made for use in Spain
- Last updated October 20, 2026
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- You want to write your own will by hand in Spain and are looking for a model to copy.
- You have not been to a notary yet but want to leave in writing who gets your things.
- You want to name an heir and an executor in your own handwriting.
- You are looking for an example of a handwritten will under Spanish law so you know what to write.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Testator
- Testator's DNI or NIE (Spanish identity number)
- City
- Date
Common questions
- Is a printed or computer-written holographic will valid in Spain?
- No. A holographic will is valid only if written entirely and signed by the testator in their own hand, with year, month and day (article 688 of the Spanish Civil Code). A printed or typed copy of this model, or one signed on a screen, is not a will. Copy it out in full by hand on paper, sign it and keep it somewhere safe.
- Why is a will made before a notary the usual route in Spain?
- Because the notary records your wishes, checks your identity and capacity, drafts the will in line with the law and keeps the original, so no verification is needed after the death. A holographic will, by contrast, may be lost or challenged, and must be presented to a notary within five years of the death so that its authenticity is checked (article 689 of the Spanish Civil Code).
- What happens if a Spanish holographic will ignores the reserved shares?
- The law reserves part of the estate to forced heirs: children and descendants, failing them parents and ascendants, and the widowed spouse in their share (articles 806 onwards of the Spanish Civil Code). If the will cuts into it, those heirs can claim it. In the communities with their own regional civil law the reserved shares differ, according to the testator’s civil residence (vecindad civil); if in doubt, ask a professional.
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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