A codicil is a formal amendment to an existing will: it changes, adds, or revokes specific provisions while leaving the rest of the will intact. It is the traditional tool for small updates, such as replacing an executor or adjusting one gift, without redoing the entire document.
This template identifies your original will by date, numbers the codicil, states your changes, and republishes the rest of the will unchanged. Download it in Word and PDF, then sign it with the same formalities as a will: two witnesses.
Codicil or new will: choosing the right tool
A codicil suits one or two clean, self-contained changes: a new executor, an updated address, a single added or revoked gift. A new will is the better tool when the changes touch beneficiaries' shares, when you have already signed one codicil, or after major life events such as marriage, divorce, or a new child. Stacked amendments force the probate court, and your family, to read multiple documents against each other, and inconsistencies between them are a classic source of will contests.
- Good codicil changes: replacing an executor or guardian, updating a beneficiary's name, adding or revoking one specific gift.
- Write a new will instead: changing residuary shares, disinheriting someone, blended family restructuring, or a third layer of amendments.
A codicil needs full will formalities
The most common codicil mistake is treating it casually. Handwritten notes in the margin of a will, or a typed amendment signed without witnesses, are void in nearly every state and can even jeopardize the underlying will if pages are altered. A codicil must be executed exactly like a will: signed by you in the presence of two adult witnesses who also sign, with the witnesses ideally disinterested. Where your state allows, attach a self-proving affidavit before a notary so the witnesses never need to be found.
Never mark the original will
Do not cross out, write on, or staple and unstaple the original will. Physical alterations can be read as partial revocation or tampering. Make every change through a properly executed codicil or a new will.
Storing and referencing your codicil
A codicil is worthless if the probate court never sees it. Keep the signed codicil physically with the original will, in the same envelope or fireproof box, and tell your executor that both documents exist. If your will is deposited with a court or attorney, deposit the codicil in the same place. When you eventually write a new will, state in it that you revoke all prior wills and codicils, and destroy the superseded documents to prevent confusion.
Frequently asked questions
Does a codicil need to be witnessed like a will?
Yes. Every state requires a codicil to be executed with the same formalities as a will, which normally means your signature plus two adult witnesses who sign in your presence. Witnesses should not be beneficiaries under the will or the codicil.
Can a codicil change my executor?
Yes, that is one of the most common uses. The codicil revokes the prior appointment, names the new executor, and confirms the rest of the will unchanged.
How many codicils can a will have?
There is no legal limit, but practice argues for one at most. By a second significant change, a fresh will is cleaner, cheaper to probate, and far less likely to create conflicting instructions.
Can I just handwrite the change on my will?
No. Markings on an executed will are ineffective in most states and can be treated as attempted revocation or tampering. Make the change through a witnessed codicil or a new will.
Does a codicil revoke my original will?
No. A codicil amends only the provisions it names and expressly confirms everything else. The will and codicil are read together at probate as one instrument.