Make a legal will in Nova Scotia
A Nova Scotia will under the Wills Act — drafted online in about 20 minutes, with a step-by-step signing guide so it's witnessed correctly.
What makes a will valid in Nova Scotia.
Grounded in the Wills Act (Nova Scotia) (Wills Act). The wizard surfaces these rules in plain language as you go — no need to memorise them up front.
- Who can make a will
- Anyone 19 or older who is of sound mind (limited exceptions for married minors, members of the forces, and mariners).
- Wills Act, s. 4
- Witnesses required
- Two. Both must be present together when you sign, and both must sign the will in your presence.
- Wills Act, s. 6
- Who should witness
- Use two disinterested adults. A gift to a witness, or their spouse, is void as it concerns that person.
- Wills Act, s. 12
- Notarization
- Not required for validity — your signature plus two qualifying witnesses is the standard.
- Wills Act, s. 6
- Handwritten (holograph) wills
- Nova Scotia does not recognize unwitnessed handwritten wills as a separate valid form. A non-compliant document can only be validated at a court's discretion — so a properly witnessed will is the reliable path.
- Wills Act, s. 8A (court validation)
- Family maintenance
- A dependant who was not adequately provided for may apply for relief from your estate.
- Testators' Family Maintenance Act
From Halifax to Sydney to the Annapolis Valley, every Nova Scotia will follows the same Wills Act framework, and the wizard handles it end to end.
How to make your Nova Scotia will online.
- 1Answer plain questions
About 20 minutes of plain-language questions. Your answers save as you go, so you can pause and resume anytime.
- 2Review your documents
Preview your Nova Scotia will and the rest of your estate plan in full before you pay anything.
- 3Pay only when ready
From $79 to download — one time, no subscription, with lifetime free updates and a 30-day refund.
- 4Print and sign
Print your will and sign it with two witnesses, following the included Wills Act signing guide.
Your NS will-readiness checklist.
Tick what's true. If most of these fit, you can finish your Nova Scotia will in one sitting — and you can save and come back anytime if not.
0 of 5 ready — you don't need every box ticked to begin. The wizard walks you through the rest.
Start my will — freeQuick answers for Nova Scotia.
Do I need a lawyer to make a will in Nova Scotia?
Not for most household estates. The Wills Act lets any adult of sound mind make their own will, signed in front of two witnesses present at the same time. Legalify produces a Nova Scotia-specific will plus a step-by-step signing guide. Complex estates — blended families, dependants needing support, business or foreign assets — still deserve a lawyer's review, and we'll point you there when they come up.
Do Nova Scotia wills need to be notarized?
No. Nova Scotia wills do not require notarization. You sign in front of two qualifying witnesses, and both witnesses sign in your presence (Wills Act s. 6).
Are handwritten (holograph) wills legal in Nova Scotia?
Nova Scotia does not recognize unwitnessed handwritten wills as a separate valid form. A court may validate a non-compliant document under its discretionary power (Wills Act s. 8A), but that happens only after death and isn't guaranteed. A typed, properly witnessed will avoids that risk.
Who can witness my will in Nova Scotia?
Two adults present together when you sign, who then sign in your presence. Don't use a beneficiary or their spouse: under s. 12, a gift to a witness is void. The wizard includes a witnessing guide.
Honest, one-time pricing.
Free to draft your Nova Scotia will. Pay only when you're ready to download — from $79, with no subscription, lifetime free updates, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Built on the Wills Act (Nova Scotia) (Wills Act) and official forms
- A complete plan: will, both Powers of Attorney, asset lists, and an executor's guide
- Your answers encrypted in transit and at rest — never sold
- Lifetime free updates, so your will keeps up with life changes
Please note
Legalify provides self-help document software, not legal advice, and is not a law firm or a substitute for a lawyer or notary. The information on this page is general and factual — it is not advice about your situation. For complex estates — blended families, dependants who need support, business interests, trusts, or assets outside Canada — we recommend advice from a licensed lawyer or notary in Nova Scotia. The wizard will also flag, mid-flow, when professional advice is the right call.
Making a will elsewhere in Canada?
Start your NS will today.
Free to draft. Lifetime free updates. Pay only when you're ready to download — and only if it's right for you. 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.