According to Article 1136 of the Civil Code, a printed will must be witnessed by two or more witnesses. The testator and the witnesses must sign each page of the will and note the year, month, and day.

The requirement for a printed will is “strict in form”, even if someone signs “witness”, if it does not meet every detail of the legal provisions, it may be deemed invalid. This is because a will is a unilateral civil legal act by the deceased to dispose of their personal property after death. After the deceased passes away, their true intention cannot be ascertained. To avoid falling into a situation where there is no evidence to verify, the law defines a will as a formal act and must be strictly formulated in accordance with the statutory form to be deemed valid. Since a printed will is more convenient and quick compared to a handwritten will, the law imposes more stringent requirements on its form.

When drafting a printed will, it is essential to remember the following requirements:

One, there must be two or more witnesses. The witnesses must have full civil capacity and have no interest in the heirs or legatees; two, the witnesses must be present throughout the entire process. The printing of a will actually consists of two steps: first, writing the will on the computer, and second, printing the will on the printer. Therefore, the requirement for the witnesses to be present throughout the entire process is to require them to participate in both of these steps; three, the testator and the witnesses must sign their names on each page and note the year, month, and day. Each page must be signed in person, and private seals, printed names, or fingerprints cannot be used in place of signatures (unless the testator is unable to write due to special circumstances, and the witnessing process is proven with sufficient evidence such as video recordings to demonstrate their true intention, fingerprints may be recognized), and all three elements of year, month, and day on each page cannot be missing; four, the testator must have clear cognitive ability and true intention. When making a will, the testator should be mentally clear and able to express their wishes regarding the disposition of their property. If possible, the entire process can be recorded and filmed as auxiliary evidence, and the will can be notarized under the conditions allowed to avoid disputes over the validity of the will. Simply signing without fingerprinting will not invalidate the will; however, the reverse is true, where simply fingerprinting without signing is usually deemed to not comply with the statutory form, and the will may be deemed invalid.

In judicial practice, the most problematic aspect of a printed will is “witnessing”. Many people choose their children, relatives, or creditors as witnesses, all of whom are considered “interested parties” under the law and cannot act as will witnesses, which would directly invalidate the will. In addition, if the witnesses do not participate in the entire will-making process, sign only on the last page, or do not note the complete date, these are also common reasons for invalidation.

Finally, it is reminded that although a printed will appears simple, it has extremely strict requirements on form. If the property involved is of a large amount or the family relationship is complex, it is recommended to have it drafted under the guidance of a professional to avoid invalidation of the will due to formal defects and ultimately violating the true intention of the testator.