Connecticut Self-Proving Will: How the Affidavit Works and Why It Matters

A self-proving affidavit is one of those documents that costs nothing to add and saves enormous trouble later. Without it, your executor must track down your witnesses — sometimes years after you signed your will — and have them testify before the probate court that they actually watched you sign. With it, the court accepts the will without any witness testimony.

What a Self-Proving Affidavit Does

Under Connecticut law, a will must be signed by the testator (you) in the presence of at least two adult witnesses. The witnesses must also sign the will. When the will is later presented to probate court, those witnesses normally need to confirm their signatures — either in person or through a deposition.

A self-proving affidavit, executed using Form PC-210, is a separate sworn statement signed by you and your witnesses before a notary public at the same time you sign the will. It creates a legal presumption that the will was properly executed. The probate court can admit the will without requiring the witnesses to appear.

Why This Matters Practically

Consider the timeline. You sign your will at age 45. You die at age 78. Your executor now needs to find two witnesses from 33 years ago and get them to confirm their signatures. One may have moved out of state. One may be deceased. One may not remember signing anything.

If neither witness can be located or is able to testify, the court must determine the will's validity through other evidence — handwriting analysis, testimony from people who knew you, or other circumstantial proof. This delays probate, increases costs, and creates openings for will contests.

A self-proving affidavit eliminates all of this.

How to Execute It in Connecticut

The affidavit must be executed at the same ceremony as the will signing. You cannot go back and add a self-proving affidavit after the fact.

Here is the process:

1. Prepare your will with all provisions finalized
2. Arrange for two adult witnesses — neither can be a beneficiary under the will
3. Arrange for a notary public to be present at the signing
4. Sign your will in the presence of both witnesses
5. Both witnesses sign the will in your presence and in each other's presence
6. All three of you (testator and both witnesses) then sign the self-proving affidavit (Form PC-210) before the notary
7. The notary acknowledges all signatures and applies their seal

The notary is there specifically for the affidavit, not for the will itself. Connecticut does not require wills to be notarized — only witnessed. The notarization applies to the affidavit, which is a separate document attached to the will.

Common Mistakes

Adding the affidavit later. If you already signed your will without a self-proving affidavit, you cannot simply go back to a notary and add one. The affidavit must be part of the original execution ceremony. To add one, you need to re-execute the entire will with a new signing ceremony, new witness signatures, and the affidavit.

Using a beneficiary as a witness. Connecticut law requires that witnesses not be beneficiaries. If a witness is also a beneficiary, the will itself is not necessarily invalid, but the witness-beneficiary's share may be reduced to what they would have received under intestacy — which could be nothing.

Confusing the POA notary rule with the will rule. Connecticut requires a durable financial power of attorney to be signed before two witnesses AND a notary. A will requires two witnesses but the notary is only needed if you want the self-proving affidavit. These are different requirements, and mixing them up leads to improperly executed documents.

Is It Required?

No. A self-proving affidavit is optional in Connecticut. Your will is legally valid with just two witness signatures and no notarization. But adding the affidavit takes five extra minutes during the signing ceremony and prevents potential weeks of delay during probate.

There is no reason not to include one.

Where to Get Form PC-210

Form PC-210 is available from the Connecticut Probate Court website at ctprobate.gov. Your estate planning documents should include the form pre-filled with the correct language so it is ready to sign alongside your will.

The Connecticut Basic Estate Planning Kit includes the self-proving affidavit with execution instructions, witness selection guidance, and a signing ceremony checklist that walks you through the correct order of signatures.

See more Connecticut guides →