Are Online & Electronic Wills Legal in Manitoba?
Last updated 2026-06 · Manitoba
These two terms get blurred, but in Manitoba they lead to different outcomes. An "online will" is fine; a fully "electronic will" is not.
Three labels
- Online will — built on a website, then printed and signed on paper. Valid in Manitoba.
- Electronic will — e-signed and stored digitally, never printed. Not valid in Manitoba.
- Digital will — a catch-all for the above.
Online wills: yes, on paper
Using an online service to draft your Manitoba will is completely fine. The platform asks about your circumstances and produces a compliant document. To make it legal you must print it and sign before two witnesses who aren't beneficiaries. The convenience is the drafting; execution stays on paper.
Electronic wills: not in Manitoba
Unlike British Columbia, Manitoba does not recognize fully electronic wills. An e-signed, never-printed document doesn't meet The Wills Act's formalities. Manitoba courts do have a substantial-compliance power to rescue some non-compliant documents, but that requires a court application and is no substitute for signing on paper. Treat a valid Manitoba will as paper, wet ink, two witnesses.
Storage
Keep the signed original where your executor can find it — a home safe, a deposit box, or your lawyer's office. Probate generally requires the original. Tell your executor where it is.
Practical takeaway
Draft online for convenience, then print, sign with two witnesses, and store the original. Don't rely on an e-signature in Manitoba.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign my will electronically in Manitoba? No — Manitoba doesn't recognize fully electronic wills. Print and sign on paper. Is an online will legal in Manitoba? Yes, once printed and signed with two witnesses. Where should I store my will in Manitoba? Somewhere secure and accessible to your executor; probate needs the original. Is a will made on a website valid in Manitoba? Yes — after it's printed and properly signed and witnessed.
Not legal advice. General information about Manitoba law as of 2026. Confirm specifics with a Manitoba estate lawyer.
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