Build Your Free Will Online
Answer a few guided questions and we'll put together a properly structured South African Last Will and Testament. Takes about fifteen minutes — you can print it, save it, or email it to yourself at the end.
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What is a will, and why bother having one?
A Last Will and Testament is simply a written document that says who should get your belongings, savings and property after you die, and who should be responsible for carrying out those wishes. It’s one of the few documents that speaks for you when you no longer can — which is exactly why every adult, whatever the size of their estate, should have one.
Without a valid will, South African law decides who inherits from you, in a fixed order that may not match what you’d have chosen yourself. That’s the gap this free online Will Template is built to close. It walks you through each section in plain English, at your own pace, so the process feels manageable rather than overwhelming.
Once you’re happy with your answers, you can print your will, save it as a PDF, or email a copy to yourself to finish later. Most people complete the whole thing in 10 to 15 minutes. For simple, single estates, that may be all you need. If your affairs are more complex — a business, a trust, property overseas, or a blended family — we’d always recommend having an admitted South African attorney review the final document before you sign it.
⚖ Important legal notice
This tool is a guide to help you draft a will, it is not legal advice, and it does not replace the judgement of a qualified attorney. For your will to be legally valid in South Africa, it must be:
- In writing (typed or handwritten) and signed by you at the end of the document
- Signed in the presence of two competent witnesses, both 14 years or older, who are present at the same time
- Signed by both witnesses in your presence, and in the presence of each other
- Initialled by you and both witnesses on every other page
A beneficiary named in your will, or their spouse, may not act as a witness, doing so can void their inheritance. This template does not automatically detect every complication in your personal or financial circumstances. Please have the completed document checked by an admitted attorney before you sign, particularly if you have a business, trust, foreign assets, dependants with special needs, or a blended family.
FAQ’s
A will, also known as a last will and testament, is a legal document in which a person records how they want their estate to be dealt with after their death.
A will may be used to:
- identify the people or organisations that should inherit from the estate;
- state which assets or portions of the estate each beneficiary should receive;
- nominate an executor to administer the estate;
- nominate guardians for minor children; and
- create instructions for the establishment of a testamentary trust where appropriate.
The person who makes the will is called the testator. A person nominated as executor in the will may only act once formally appointed by the Master of the High Court.
For a will to be valid in South Africa, it must comply with the legal requirements prescribed by the Wills Act 7 of 1953. Because incorrectly prepared or signed wills may be disputed or declared invalid, it is advisable to have a will prepared or reviewed by a suitably qualified professional.
Source and further information: South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development – Wills
Not until it’s printed and properly signed in front of two witnesses as required by law. Treat the generated document as your draft, the signing is what makes it valid.
Learn more about will drafting services, estate planning and view our will template.
Generally, yes, South African law gives you considerable freedom to decide who inherits. There are some protections for dependants, so it’s worth getting advice if you’re planning to exclude a spouse or child.
Somewhere safe and known to your executor, for example with your attorney, in a bank safety deposit box, or a fireproof safe at home. Avoid keeping the only copy somewhere no one else knows about.
There’s no official central register in South Africa. What matters is that your original signed will can be found after your death, usually by your executor or a trusted family member.
Yes, provided it still meets the signing and witnessing requirements. A will doesn’t need to be typed, but typed documents are easier to read and less likely to be disputed.
It covers the essentials for most straightforward estates. If you have a business, a trust, assets outside South Africa, or a blended family, please have an attorney review or draft your will instead.
Yes, and you should, particularly after marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or a significant change in your assets. You can revoke an old will and sign a new one, which is generally simpler than adding amendments.
Sign at the end of the document in the presence of two witnesses, who then sign in your presence and each other’s. You and both witnesses should also initial every other page.
Yes. If you have children under 18, you can nominate a guardian to care for them. It’s worth naming an alternate too, in case your first choice is unable to act.
Someone organised, trustworthy, and willing to take on the administrative work of winding up your estate. This can be a family member, friend, or a professional such as an attorney or trust company.
Your estate is distributed according to the Intestate Succession Act, in a fixed order of relatives. This may not reflect your actual wishes, and can take longer and cost more to finalise.
It’s best avoided. A beneficiary (or their spouse) who signs as a witness may be disqualified from inheriting under the will, even though the will itself remains valid.
You need two witnesses, both 14 or older, who are competent to give evidence in court. They must both be present when you sign, and must sign in your presence and each other’s.
No, a will is valid as long as it meets the legal requirements around writing, signing and witnessing. That said, having an attorney check the final draft is a sensible safeguard, especially for anything beyond a simple estate.
It’s a signed, written document that sets out who should inherit your assets, who should manage your estate, and who should care for your minor children after you die. Without one, the law decides for you.
If you die without a valid will in South Africa, your estate isn’t distributed according to your personal wishes – it’s settled under the Intestate Succession Act, following a fixed legal formula.
A court-appointed executor administers the process, which often takes longer and can lead to unintended beneficiaries. Browse more answers in our Estate Planning FAQs, or speak to an estate planning attorney to draft a valid will before this becomes your family’s reality.
Ensure you have your will in place to leave behind to your nominated beneficiaries. Learn more about the importance of will writing and find out the costs and how to draft your own will with the use of our will template. Learn how to plan for the need of handling the legal matters around a deceased estate.
Understanding who is who in a will and setting up estate planning made easy.
Ever read a will and had no idea who’s who? 🤔 Here are the key names you’ll come across in South African wills and estate planning:
📌 Testator – the person making the will
📌 Beneficiary – anyone named to inherit something
📌 Heir – who inherits by law if there’s no will
📌 Executor – the person who winds up the estate
📌 Master of the High Court – the government office overseeing it all
A plain-English guide to the people involved in South African wills and estate planning – testator, beneficiary, heir, executor and the Master of the High Court.
Our guide explains what each role actually does, how executor and beneficiary can overlap, the difference between will drafting and full estate planning, and what happens (and who inherits) if someone dies without a valid will. Find out more in this post here.
Costs vary depending on complexity, but as a general guide, a basic will typically costs somewhere between R1,500 and R5,000 when drafted by a legal professional, while more complex estate plans involving trusts can run to R10,000 or more.
Every legal advisor charges differently subject to the requirement, their expertise, how many hours worth of work you require them to do, so it’s worth getting a written quote upfront.
View information about our will writing / drafting of wills, how one can write up your own will with a will template. See more answers in our Estate Planning FAQs, or request a free, no-obligation quote from an estate planning attorney through our contact form below.
