A last will and testament is a sophisticated and sensitive legal document that can take several forms depending on state law. Some wills are legally required to be notarised, some are not and may be invalidated if notarised, while others provide notarization as one of multiple witnessing choices. Typically, the signatures of witnesses to the will are notarised rather than that of the will's maker, also known as the testator.

Notaries must proceed cautiously when asked to notarise a will, as the slightest deviation from rigorous statutory criteria can render the document invalid. A choice should never be notarised if the testator has issues regarding how to continue for the notary. Instead, the testator must adhere to authoritative legal guidelines and give a certificate or certificate for the Notary to complete.