§ 64.2-435 Requirements
A. The will shall be made in writing. It need not be written by the testator himself. It may be written in any language, by hand or by any other means.
B. The testator shall declare in the presence of two witnesses and of a person authorized to act in connection with international wills that the document is his will and that he knows the contents thereof. The testator need not inform the witnesses, or the authorized person, of the contents of the will.
C. In the presence of the witnesses, and of the authorized person, the testator shall sign the will or, if he has previously signed it, shall acknowledge his signature.
D. When the testator is unable to sign, the absence of his signature does not affect the validity of the international will if the testator indicates the reason for his inability to sign and the authorized person makes note thereof on the will. In these cases, it is permissible for any other person present, including the authorized person or one of the witnesses, at the direction of the testator to sign the testator’s name for him, if the authorized person makes note of this also on the will, but it is not required that any person sign the testator’s name for him.
E. The witnesses and the authorized person shall there and then attest the will by signing in the presence of the testator.
History
This law was first created in 1995. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 443 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2012, chapter 614.
1995, c. 443, § 64.1-96.4; 2012, c. 614.