Can an Interested Witness Sign a Florida Will?

Witnesses help prove that the will was signed with the required formalities. Florida allows any competent person to serve as a witness. The statute then states that a will or codicil, or any part of either, is not invalid because an interested witness signed it.

That rule rejects older approaches that treated an interested witness as a reason to strike the will or a gift. Under current Florida law, interest alone does not destroy the instrument. The will still must meet the other execution requirements, including the testator's signature at the end and the signatures of at least two attesting witnesses in the presence of the testator and of each other.

Using disinterested witnesses remains common practice for later proof, but the statute does not require it for validity. Basic validity rules are summarized in what Florida law requires for a valid will. Broader will mechanics are covered in how wills work in Florida.