Will templates in New Zealand: the free options, and when a template is not enough
A DIY will template can be legally valid in New Zealand if it is signed and witnessed correctly under the Wills Act 2007, but Public Trust's own senior solicitor warns an unclear DIY will can end up "like not having a will at all" (Public Trust, retrieved 9 September 2026). Templates cost roughly $30 to $80; QuoteHub's free will service is a no-cost alternative.
Is it possible to create a free will in New Zealand?
Yes, in more than one way. A printed or downloaded template can be filled in for around $30 to $80, QuoteHub's own free will service costs nothing, and Public Trust's cheapest online will starts at $69, which is not free but is close to it and comes with professional legal wording behind the questions you answer (Public Trust, Will pricing, retrieved 9 September 2026). Whichever option you use, the Wills Act 2007's signing and witnessing rules still apply, since none of these routes exempt you from the legal requirements.
Is it possible to create a free Will in New Zealand?
Yes. QuoteHub's own free will service is a genuinely no-cost option, and a printed or downloaded DIY template costs only around $30 to $80 if you would prefer a paid template instead (Public Trust, DIY will kits, retrieved 9 September 2026). Neither option removes the need to sign and witness the document correctly under the Wills Act 2007.
Can you provide a template for a will?
QuoteHub does not publish a downloadable blank template on this page, because a template's wording has to match your specific situation to be safe, which is exactly the risk Public Trust's own solicitor flags with generic kits. Instead, try our free will service, which builds the document from your answers rather than leaving you to fill in generic legal wording yourself.
How do I write my own will in New Zealand?
Start by identifying your assets and debts, choosing an executor, deciding who inherits what, and appointing a guardian for any children under 18, then have the document typed or clearly handwritten, signed by you, and witnessed by 2 people together with you at the time of signing (Wills Act 2007, s11, retrieved 9 September 2026). A template or an online service such as free will structures these decisions for you; writing entirely from scratch is legally possible but riskier for anything beyond a very simple estate.
What is the best way to write my own will?
Use a structured tool rather than a blank page, since Public Trust's own solicitor notes that DIY kits are adequate for basic estates but the risk is in the clarity of content the will-owner writes themselves (Public Trust, DIY will kits, retrieved 9 September 2026). If you have property, a large family, a trust, or assets in more than one country, that structure alone is not enough, and professional advice becomes worth the cost; see making a will in NZ for what a lawyer or Public Trust charges at each level of complexity.
How much does it cost to write a will in NZ?
A template costs roughly $30 to $80, an online service such as Public Trust's Basic tier is $69, and a simple lawyer-drafted will typically runs $300 to $750 (Public Trust and PK Law pricing, retrieved 9 September 2026). QuoteHub's own free will service costs nothing. See making a will in NZ for the full price comparison, including complex-estate pricing.
Is a handwritten will valid in NZ?
A will simply has to be "in writing" under the Wills Act 2007, which does not specify typed versus handwritten, so a clearly handwritten will can be valid provided it is signed by you and witnessed correctly by 2 people present together (Wills Act 2007, s11, retrieved 9 September 2026). The bigger risk with a handwritten will is the same clarity problem that affects DIY kits generally: unclear or ambiguous wording, not the handwriting itself.
What happens if my will isn't witnessed correctly?
A will that is not signed and witnessed exactly as the Wills Act 2007 requires risks being treated as invalid, which can leave your estate to be distributed as if you had no will at all, under the intestacy rules (Wills Act 2007, s11, retrieved 9 September 2026; see our dying without a will in NZ guide). Both witnesses must be present together with you when you sign or acknowledge your signature, and each must then sign the document themselves in your presence too; a witness signing later, alone, does not meet the requirement.
Can I change my will after I sign it?
Yes. The Wills Act 2007 specifically allows a person 18 or over to change, revoke or revive a will at any time, and any change has to meet the same signing and witnessing requirements as making a new will in the first place (Wills Act 2007, s9 and s11, retrieved 9 September 2026). A separate document (a codicil) or a completely new will are both valid ways to make a change; a template service or Public Trust's free annual update are both practical routes for a straightforward change.
When a template genuinely works, and when it does not
A template or simple online will is generally fine for a single person with a straightforward estate and no unusual family circumstances. It stops being enough once your situation adds complexity that a generic form cannot safely capture.
| Situation | Template or basic online will generally fine | Professional drafting strongly recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Single person, one home, straightforward beneficiaries | Yes | – |
| Blended family, children from more than one relationship | – | Yes |
| Business ownership or shares in an active company | – | Yes |
| Assets held in more than one country | – | Yes |
| Wanting to exclude someone who would otherwise be entitled | – | Yes |
| Wanting a testamentary trust for young or vulnerable beneficiaries | – | Yes |
Source: Public Trust, DIY will kits and Comprehensive Will tier notes, retrieved 9 September 2026. See our guide to testamentary trusts in NZ if that last row applies to you.
What is the biggest risk with a DIY will kit?
Ambiguity, not illegality. Public Trust's own solicitor explains that if a will is unclear, it can be more easily contested, administration becomes slower and more expensive, and in the worst case an unclear or legally incorrect will can be treated as if there was no will at all, meaning the estate is distributed under the intestacy rules instead of the person's actual wishes (Public Trust, DIY will kits, retrieved 9 September 2026). See our guide to dying without a will in NZ for exactly what that fallback looks like.
What do DIY will kits often miss?
A statement of wishes, which is a separate section explaining the reasoning behind your decisions to the people affected, is often missing from basic DIY kits even though Public Trust's own solicitor considers it a meaningful addition for loved ones (Public Trust, DIY will kits, retrieved 9 September 2026). Kits also tend to lack guidance for correctly listing and describing assets, which is easy to get wrong and important to get right.
Do I need a lawyer to write a will in NZ?
No, a lawyer is not legally required; a will you write yourself, using a template or free service such as our own free will tool, can be valid provided it meets the Wills Act 2007's signing and witnessing requirements (Wills Act 2007, s11, retrieved 9 September 2026). A lawyer becomes genuinely worth the added cost once your estate involves a business, a trust, a blended family, or assets in more than one country, per the table above.
Can a will kit bought overseas be used in NZ?
Not safely. Overseas kits are usually written to a different country's formalities and inheritance laws, and while New Zealand's own core requirements (writing, signature, 2 witnesses) are not unusual internationally, an overseas kit may miss New Zealand-specific issues such as the Property (Relationships) Act's effect on what you can leave; see our Property (Relationships) Act in NZ guide. Use a New Zealand-specific template, our own free will service, or a New Zealand lawyer instead.
Signing your will correctly
Whichever template, service or lawyer you use, the same legal formalities apply, and getting them wrong is the single most common way a DIY will fails.
| Requirement | What the law says |
|---|---|
| In writing | The will must be a written document |
| Signed by you | You sign it yourself, or direct someone else to sign in your presence |
| Witnessed | At least 2 witnesses, present together, watching you sign or acknowledge your signature |
| Witnesses then sign | Each witness signs the document themselves, in your presence |
| Witness wording | No specific wording is legally required, though a standard attestation clause is usual |
Source: New Zealand Legislation, Wills Act 2007, s11, retrieved 9 September 2026.
These are the free or low-cost ways to make a will in New Zealand, and what each one actually gives you:
| Option | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| QuoteHub's free will service | $0 | A structured, guided will built from your answers |
| Printed or downloaded DIY template | Roughly $30 to $80 | Generic legal wording you fill in yourself |
| Public Trust Basic Online Will | $69 | A guided online tool with a free annual update |
| Public Trust In-Centre Will | $750 (individual) | A trustee expert drafts it with you, in person |
Source: Public Trust, Will pricing and DIY will kits, retrieved 9 September 2026.
Where a template fits in your wider estate plan
QuoteHub's read is that a free or templated will beats no will at all every time, and the real decision is not "template or lawyer" but "how complex is my actual situation", since a simple estate is genuinely well served by a good template or our own free service, while a blended family, a business, or a trust needs a professional. Start with the free option, and upgrade to paid advice only if your situation calls for it.
This page is part of our estate planning cluster. See making a will in NZ for the full cost comparison across Public Trust and law firms, dying without a will in NZ for what happens if you never finish one, testamentary trusts in NZ if your situation needs one, the Property (Relationships) Act in NZ for how a relationship affects what you can leave, and who gets your life insurance payout in NZ since a policy often sits outside your will entirely. For what happens once someone has died, see our when someone dies cluster, including probate in NZ, how long probate takes and the executor of a will in NZ. Our enduring power of attorney and insurance guide and our estate planning and insurance guide cover the rest of a wider plan, and our life insurance beneficiaries guide, our life insurance and inheritance guide and life insurance product hub cover cover options. See our life insurance payout after death guide for what happens once a claim is made, and our how to claim life insurance in NZ guide for the claims process itself. Try our own free will service, and see how it works and our methodology for how QuoteHub builds its guides.
Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.
Adviser's view
People assume the risk with a DIY will is that it will not be legally valid, when Public Trust's own solicitor points to a different problem: an unclear will, not an illegal one, that ends up contested, slower to administer, and in the worst case treated as though no will existed at all. QuoteHub's comparison of template, free and lawyer-drafted options treats clarity, not signing formality, as the real test of whether a template is enough.
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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Will Template NZ: Free Options and When a Template Fails. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/estate/will-template-nz. Updated 2026-09-09.
References
- New Zealand Legislation: Wills Act 2007
- Public Trust: DIY will kits, avoiding the traps and trip-ups
- Public Trust: Will pricing
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