Estate plan
District of Columbia
Everything to plan your estate in District of Columbia: execution requirements, the documents we generate, statutory citations, and the exact wording our generators insert.
Will
2W
Trust
—
POA
N
HC Directive
2W
E-will
Adopted
Since 2023
RON
Since 2022
Remote online notarization
ROW
Not allowed
Remote online witnessing
Community property
No
Minimum age
18
Will
D.C. Code §18-101 et seq.
Witnesses: 2 required
Two credible witnesses must attest and subscribe in the presence of the testator. Same-time presence of both witnesses is not statutorily required.
Notarization: Recommended
Not legally required, but recommended for self-proving affidavit
Holographic will: Not valid
District of Columbia does not recognize handwritten wills without witnesses
Self-proving affidavit: Not available
Witnesses may need to testify during probate
Living Trust
Witnesses: None required
No formal execution requirements beyond settlor signature; notarization strongly recommended when funding real property
Notarization: Recommended
Not legally required for the trust document, but needed to transfer real property
Durable Power of Attorney
D.C. Code §21-2601.01 et seq. (Uniform Power of Attorney Act of 2022, D.C. Law 24-236, effective February 23, 2023)
Witnesses: None required
No witnesses required for power of attorney
Notarization: Required
Notarization is required for a valid durable power of attorney
State-specific notes
ViewStatutory warning notice
Health Care Directive
D.C. Code §21-2201 et seq.
Witnesses: 2 required
District of Columbia requires 2 witnesses
Notarization: Not required
Notarization is not required but may be accepted
State-specific notes
6 more documents with Will.com Plus
$29/year unlocks the documents below alongside the four free ones above. Your answers and documents are saved privately to your account, encrypted in your browser, so you can revise them any time life changes.
Disposition of Remains Authorization
Names the agent who controls funeral, burial, or cremation decisions, with optional preferences.
HIPAA Authorization
Stand-alone PHI release that survives death for the period you specify, separate from the in-life authorization in your healthcare directive.
Nomination of Conservator
Pre-nominates the person you want a court to appoint if a conservator (or guardian of the estate) is ever needed.
Business Succession Declaration
Identifies your interests in any closely-held businesses and how they should be transferred or wound down.
Real-Estate Retitling Checklist
Step-by-step instructions for transferring real-property deeds into your trust so the trust actually controls those assets.
Letter of Instruction
Non-binding personal note to your executor and family: where to find documents, account access, funeral wishes, and other practical guidance.
Free vs. Plus
Electronic will status
District of Columbia has adopted electronic will legislation (2023). You may be able to create, sign, and witness a will electronically using approved methods.
Digital assets access
District of Columbia has adopted RUFADAA (2021). This is the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which lets your executor, trustee, or agent access your email, social media, cryptocurrency wallets, cloud storage, and other digital accounts after death or incapacity.
To take advantage of RUFADAA, your will, trust, or power of attorney must explicitly grant authority to access digital assets. Without explicit authorization, service providers can deny access even to a court-appointed executor.
Remote online notarization (RON)
District of Columbia authorized RON in 2022.
Will
Allowed
Trust
Allowed
POA
Allowed
Remote online witnessing (ROW)
District of Columbia does not allow remote online witnessing for estate planning documents. Witnesses must be physically present when you sign.
Will
Not allowed
Trust
Not allowed
POA
Not allowed
HC Directive
Not allowed
This information is general in nature and not legal advice. Laws change. Consult a licensed estate planning attorney in District of Columbia for guidance specific to your situation.
Also for District of Columbia
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District of Columbia healthcare directive
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District of Columbia power of attorney
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District of Columbia living trust
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