Health care directive witness rules by state
Who has to watch you sign a health care directive, and whether a notary can replace the witnesses.
From each state's law. The state page says who cannot witness and has the exact rule and the law.
| State | Notary | Witnesses | Living will | If you have no directive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 1 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Arkansas Not covered yet: LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | None required | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Connecticut Not covered yet: LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
Not required | 1 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | None required | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 1 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | See the state page | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Louisiana Not covered yet: LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Separate document | No default list in the data | |
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | No default list in the data | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | See the state page | |
Mississippi Not covered yet: LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
Required | None required | Separate document | No default list in the data | |
Montana Not covered yet: LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | See the state page | |
Nevada Not covered yet: LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
New Hampshire Not covered yet: court self-help · LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | No default list in the data | |
New Mexico Not covered yet: court self-help · LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
Not required | 2 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Required | 2 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | See the state page | |
Not required | 2 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Tennessee Not covered yet: court self-help · LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 1 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | See the state page | |
Not required | 2 | Part of the directive | State law names who decides | |
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Required | 2 | Separate document | State law names who decides | |
Wisconsin Not covered yet: LawHelp.org | Not covered yet | |||
A notary or witnesses (your choice) | 2 (instead of a notary) | Part of the directive | State law names who decides |
Start with your own state's rules.
Pick your state