Estate planning › Last will & testament
California wills need two qualifying witnesses; the attached self-proving affidavit needs a notary. We coordinate both — at your home, attorney's office, hospital bedside, hospice, or skilled nursing facility. Same-day and after-hours appointments across LA, Orange, and Ventura Counties.
Estate planning attorneys & families: text us the signer's name, location, and whether you need us to bring two disinterested witnesses or whether witnesses will be available on-site. We confirm receipt and schedule directly.
What we notarize and witness
The will itself takes two qualifying witnesses; the attached self-proving affidavit takes a notary. We coordinate both so the will is properly executed the first time.
Your attorney or self-help service may include other supporting documents (asset inventory, letter of instruction, beneficiary designations). We adapt to whatever the package contains.
Will signing types
Most will signings fall into one of three patterns. Here's what each requires, how long it takes, and what we bring.
You have a typed will from an attorney or online service. The testator signs in front of two qualifying witnesses; then everyone signs the self-proving affidavit in front of the notary.
Your will was already signed and witnessed, but the self-proving affidavit wasn't notarized at the time. We notarize the affidavit so the will can be admitted to probate without the witnesses being called to court.
You don't have two disinterested adult witnesses available — common for solo signers or signers in care facilities. We arrange two qualifying witnesses to meet us at your location.
Will signing FAQ
The will itself does not require notarization in California — it requires two qualifying witnesses. However, the attached self-proving affidavit (which streamlines probate by letting the will be admitted without calling witnesses to court) does require notarization. Most modern wills include a self-proving affidavit, which is why a notary is part of almost every will signing.
A self-proving affidavit is a separate page (or section) attached to the will where the testator and witnesses swear under oath, in front of a notary, that the will was properly executed. With this affidavit, the will can be admitted to probate without the court needing to track down and depose the original witnesses — a significant time and cost savings for your family.
Under California Probate Code §6112, a witness must be an adult (18+), of sound mind, and present at the same time as the testator and the other witness. Anyone who would inherit under the will (a beneficiary) should NOT serve as a witness — their gift can be reduced or voided. The notary cannot be a witness either.
Yes. For an additional fee we can coordinate two disinterested adult witnesses to meet us at your signing location — your home, attorney's office, hospital, hospice, or skilled nursing facility. Let us know when you schedule whether you need us to bring witnesses or whether you'll have neighbors, friends, or facility staff available.
Yes — this is one of our most frequent requests. We routinely sign wills bedside at hospitals, hospices, and skilled nursing facilities across Los Angeles. The testator must be alert, aware of what they are signing, and able to communicate willingness. We screen for capacity on arrival and document the signing carefully.
For the notarized self-proving affidavit, California law requires a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID — driver license, state ID, U.S. passport, or foreign passport. For bedside signings where the signer has no ID, two credible witnesses (with their own valid IDs, who personally know the signer) can be used. The two witnesses to the will itself do not need to present ID to us, but they should be ready to identify themselves.
No — we are notaries and signing-services agents, not attorneys. We cannot draft your will, choose your executor, decide who inherits what, or explain legal effect. We notarize the self-proving affidavit and arrange/witness the signing of a will that you, your attorney, or an online service has already prepared.
Schedule a signing
Text us the signer's name, location, document type, and whether you need us to bring witnesses — we confirm same-day in most cases.