Are Online & Electronic Wills Legal in Alberta?

The terms get muddled, and in Alberta the distinction is decisive. An "online will" and an "electronic will" are not the same thing, and only one of them is valid here.

Three labels, plain meanings

• Online will — prepared on a website, then printed and signed on paper. Valid in Alberta.
• Electronic will — signed electronically and stored digitally, never printed. Not valid in Alberta.
• Digital will — a vague umbrella covering electronic signing and storage.

Online wills: yes, on paper

Building your will through an online platform is entirely legitimate in Alberta. The service interviews you and generates an Alberta-compliant document. The catch is the final step: you must print it and sign it before two witnesses who aren't beneficiaries. The software saves you drafting time; the law still wants ink and witnesses.

Electronic wills: not in Alberta

This is where Alberta differs from British Columbia. B.C. allows fully electronic wills with e-signatures and video witnessing; Alberta does not. An electronically signed, never-printed will doesn't meet the Wills and Succession Act's formal requirements. Alberta courts do have a curative power to recognize non-compliant documents in some cases, but that requires a court application and is no substitute for signing properly. For now, treat a valid Alberta will as paper, wet ink, two witnesses.

Storage

Keep the signed original where your personal representative can find it — a fireproof box, a safety deposit box, or with your lawyer. Alberta probate generally needs the original document, and a copy can complicate things. Tell someone where it is.

Practical takeaway

Use online tools for the convenience, but don't stop at the screen. Print, sign with two witnesses, and store the original safely.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sign my will electronically in Alberta? No — Alberta does not recognize fully electronic wills. Print and sign on paper. Is an online will legal in Alberta? Yes, once printed and signed with two witnesses. Where should I store my will in Alberta? Keep the signed original somewhere secure and accessible to your personal representative; probate needs the original. Is a will made on a website valid in Alberta? Yes — after it's printed and properly signed and witnessed.

Not legal advice. General information about Alberta law as of 2026. Confirm specifics with an Alberta estate lawyer.