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Electronic wills in Missouri are now legally recognized when they are prepared and signed according to the state’s requirements.
As an example, consider Marjorie, a Kansas City-area resident who travels frequently for work. Her will is finished, but she cannot find a practical time to meet in person with her attorney and two witnesses. She wonders whether she can sign it electronically while temporarily outside Missouri.
As of August 28, 2025, Missouri law provides a framework for electronic wills. This may help people who travel, have mobility concerns, or struggle to coordinate an in-person signing.
Electronic does not mean informal. A will must still be properly signed, witnessed, preserved, and—when appropriate—made self-proving.
This guide explains what Kansas City and Independence families should understand before using electronic signing for a Missouri will.
Yes. Missouri law recognizes an electronic will as a valid will when the applicable requirements are satisfied.
The Missouri Electronic Wills and Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act allows a will to exist as an electronic record rather than only as a paper document. It does not, however, make every document labeled an “online will” enforceable.
For families considering a will, the first question is still what the document needs to accomplish. A properly prepared will can identify beneficiaries, nominate a personal representative, name a guardian for minor children, and provide instructions for property that passes through probate.
An electronic will must be readable as text when signed and remain accessible for later reference.
A temporary link, incomplete file, or inaccessible document can create serious problems. The final signed version should be clearly identifiable and securely preserved. Missouri also provides a procedure for creating a certified paper copy.
The “testator” is the person making the will. The testator must sign the electronic will, or another person may sign in the testator’s name under the limited circumstances allowed by Missouri law.
The signature must reflect an intent to adopt the document as a will. Typing a name into a draft or adding a signature image to an unfinished file does not necessarily establish that intent.
Missouri electronic wills still require at least two witnesses. They must observe the signing or the testator’s acknowledgment and then sign in the testator’s physical or electronic presence.
Electronic presence can make the process more practical when participants are in different locations. It does not remove the need to carefully coordinate the signing.
Not necessarily.
“Online will” can describe a document created through a website, downloaded as a template, or prepared on a computer. It might later be printed and signed conventionally. It might also be signed electronically without satisfying Missouri law.
An electronic will is an electronic record executed in compliance with the applicable requirements.
Creating a will online does not make it valid. Proper execution is what makes it legally effective.
Online tools may not identify issues involving blended families, minor children, beneficiaries with disabilities, business ownership, or real estate.
Parents should understand how a will connects with planning for children and vulnerable loved ones. Cook Ellis’s guide to guardianships and conservatorships in Kansas City explains how those arrangements may fit into a broader estate plan.
Yes, if the desire is to make the will self-proving.
Missouri law allows an electronic will to be made “self-proved.” A self-proving affidavit provides evidence that the will was properly executed and may reduce the need for witnesses to provide additional proof during probate.
When fewer than two witnesses are physically in the same location as the testator during the acknowledgments, Missouri law provides a process involving remote online notarization.
The important distinction is:
A notary does not replace the two required witnesses and adding an electronic notary seal does not correct an improperly witnessed will.
Remote online notarization, often called RON, allows a qualified notary and signer to appear through live audio-video technology.
Missouri requires the notary to verify identity through recognized procedures, use appropriate technology, maintain an electronic journal, and create an audio-video recording of the notarial act.
One important number from Missouri law is 10 years: the recording of a remote online notarial act must be retained for at least ten years. This creates a record of who participated and what occurred.
The Missouri Secretary of State also maintains information for electronic notaries and a list of approved software providers. A standard Zoom, FaceTime, or Teams call should not automatically be treated as a compliant RON session.
Now return to Marjorie, the frequent traveler.
After working with her attorney, she confirms that the final will reflects her wishes. Because she is temporarily outside Missouri, her attorney determines whether electronic signing is appropriate and coordinates the process.
Before the appointment, the participants complete any required identity checks. Marjorie, two witnesses, and the remote online notary then join through the appropriate platform.
Marjorie confirms that the document is her will and signs electronically. The witnesses observe the signing or acknowledgment and add their signatures. The notary then completes the self-proving process using the required electronic certificate and records.
The final document remains readable and accessible, and Marjorie receives instructions about its storage and any certified copy.
This hypothetical does not mean every out-of-state signing will work the same way. The participants’ locations, the notary’s authority, the platform, and the timing of each step may affect the process.
Electronic signing may help Missouri residents who travel frequently, have mobility limitations, live far from their witnesses, or need to update a plan while temporarily away.
Convenience should not be the only consideration. An in-person signing may still be preferable when capacity, undue influence, identity, or family conflict could later be questioned.
A form may not address Missouri law, the family’s circumstances, or the required signing process.
A basic electronic-signature tool is not necessarily a remote online notarization platform. The technology must support the legal process.
Two witnesses are still required. Their participation and signatures should be planned before the signing begins.
Several conflicting files in different email accounts can create confusion. The signed version must be preserved and clearly identifiable.
A will may be only one part of a complete plan. A trust may help manage property, plan for incapacity, provide continuing instructions, or transfer certain assets outside probate.
Real estate also requires special attention. Families and investors can review the differences between placing real estate in an LLC or a trust.
Possibly. The locations of the testator, witnesses, and notary may affect the procedure. An attorney should review the planned signing before it occurs.
Missouri law permits electronic presence when the statutory requirements are met. The process must be coordinated so everyone observes and signs appropriately.
Not necessarily. A signature platform may apply signatures, but the will must still meet Missouri’s execution, witness, preservation, and any applicable notarization requirements.
No. Electronic execution changes the form and signing process; it does not automatically change which assets pass through probate.
Missouri’s electronic-will law gives families another way to complete estate planning. It may reduce travel and scheduling barriers, but it does not make wills casual or automatic.
Before signing electronically:
For help preparing or updating a Missouri will, contact Cook Ellis LLC for personalized guidance for your Kansas City or Independence-area family.
This article is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Electronic-will requirements may depend on the facts, participants, locations, documents, and technology involved. Consult a qualified Missouri attorney regarding your specific circumstances before preparing, signing, changing, or relying on an electronic will.
