Living Will Requirements by State

A living will (also called an advance directive or health care directive) records your wishes about medical treatment if you cannot speak for yourself. States use different names for it and set their own signing rules.

49 states and DC compared. Last checked October 2026.

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The table compares the document's name and whether it needs witnesses, a notary or both.

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50 of 50 shown

	Document name			Sources
ALAlabama	Advance Directive for Health Care	2 witnesses	Optional	Ala. Code 22-8A-4 (statute text mirror)
AKAlaska	Advance Health Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	AS 13.52.010 (FindLaw statute text)
AZArizona	Living Will (Health Care Directive)	1 witness	Instead of witnesses	A.R.S. 36-3261 A.R.S. 36-3221
ARArkansas	Declaration (Living Will)	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Ark. Code 20-17-202 (FindLaw statute text)
CACalifornia	Advance Health Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Cal. Prob. Code 4673
COColorado	Declaration as to Medical or Surgical Treatment (Living Will)	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	C.R.S. 15-18-106 (FindLaw statute text) C.R.S. 15-18-105 (FindLaw statute text)
CTConnecticut	Living Will (Health Care Instructions)	2 witnesses	Optional	Conn. Gen. Stat. ch. 368w (19a-575a, 19a-578)
DEDelaware	Advance Health-Care Directive	1 witness	Optional	16 Del. C. ch. 25 (2507, 2508, 2511, 2529)
DCDistrict of Columbia	Declaration (Natural Death Act Living Will)	2 witnesses	Optional	D.C. Code 7-622
FLFlorida	Living Will	2 witnesses	Optional	Fla. Stat. 765.302
GAGeorgia	Advance Directive for Health Care	2 witnesses	Optional	O.C.G.A. 31-32-5 (FindLaw statute text)
HIHawaii	Advance Health-Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	HRS 327E-3 (FindLaw statute text)
IDIdaho	Advance Care Planning Document (ACPD)	None	Optional	Idaho Code 39-4510 (FindLaw statute text)
ILIllinois	Living Will (Declaration)	2 witnesses	Optional	755 ILCS 35/3 (statute text mirror)
INIndiana	Advance Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Ind. Code 16-36-7-28 (FindLaw statute text) Ind. Code 16-36-4-8 (FindLaw statute text)
IAIowa	Declaration (Living Will)	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Iowa Code 144A.3
KSKansas	Declaration (Living Will)	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	K.S.A. 65-28,103
KYKentucky	Living Will Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	KRS 311.625 Form of living will directive
LALouisiana	Declaration (Living Will)	2 witnesses	Optional	La. R.S. 40:1151.2 Making of declaration; illustrative form; registry La. R.S. 40:1151.1 Definitions
MEMaine	Advance Health Care Directive	2 witnesses	Optional	18-C M.R.S. 5-803 Advance health care directives
MDMaryland	Advance Directive	2 witnesses	Optional	Md. Code, Health-General 5-602
MAMassachusetts	Health Care Proxy	2 witnesses	Optional	M.G.L. c. 201D, sec. 2 (FindLaw statute text)
MIMichigan	Patient Advocate Designation	2 witnesses	Optional	MCL 700.5506 (FindLaw statute text)
MNMinnesota	Health Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Minn. Stat. 145C.03 Requirements Minn. Stat. 145C.16 Suggested form
MSMississippi	Advance Health-Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Miss. Code Ann. 41-41-205 (FindLaw statute text)
MOMissouri	Declaration	2 witnesses	Optional	RSMo 459.015 Declaration
MTMontana	Declaration	2 witnesses	Optional	MCA 50-9-103 Declaration relating to use of life-sustaining treatment
NENebraska	Declaration	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Neb. Rev. Stat. 20-404 (FindLaw statute text)
NVNevada	Declaration	2 witnesses	Optional	NRS 449A.433 (FindLaw statute text)
NJNew Jersey	Advance Directive for Health Care (Instruction Directive)	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	N.J.S.A. 26:2H-56 (FindLaw statute text)
NMNew Mexico	Advance Health-Care Directive	None	Optional	NMSA 1978 24-7A-2 (FindLaw statute text)
NYNew York	Health Care Proxy	2 witnesses	Optional	N.Y. Public Health Law 2981 (FindLaw statute text)
NCNorth Carolina	Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death (Advance Directive for a Natural Death)	2 witnesses	Required, plus witnesses	N.C. Gen. Stat. 90-321 (FindLaw statute text)
NDNorth Dakota	Health Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	N.D. Cent. Code ch. 23-06.5 (23-06.5-05)
OHOhio	Living Will Declaration	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Ohio Rev. Code 2133.02 (FindLaw statute text)
OKOklahoma	Advance Directive for Health Care	2 witnesses	Optional	Oklahoma Statutes Title 63 (Oklahoma Senate compilation), 63 O.S. 3101.4
OROregon	Advance Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	ORS 127.515 (Oregon Revised Statutes text)
PAPennsylvania	Living Will	2 witnesses	Optional	20 Pa.C.S. 5442 (FindLaw statute text)
RIRhode Island	Declaration (Living Will)	2 witnesses	Optional	R.I. Gen. Laws 23-4.11-3 (FindLaw statute text)
SCSouth Carolina	Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death	2 witnesses	Required, plus witnesses	S.C. Code ch. 44-77 (Death With Dignity Act), 44-77-40
SDSouth Dakota	Living Will Declaration	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	SDCL 34-12D-2
TNTennessee	Advance Directive for Health Care	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Tenn. Code 68-11-1803 (FindLaw statute text)
TXTexas	Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Tex. Health & Safety Code 166.032 Tex. Health & Safety Code 166.003
UTUtah	Advance Health Care Directive	1 witness	Optional	Utah Code 75A-3-301 (FindLaw statute text) Utah Code 75A-3-303 optional form (FindLaw statute text)
VTVermont	Advance Directive	2 witnesses	Optional	18 V.S.A. 9703
VAVirginia	Advance Directive	2 witnesses	Optional	Va. Code 54.1-2983 Va. Code 54.1-2982 (definitions)
WAWashington	Health Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	RCW 70.122.030
WVWest Virginia	Living Will	2 witnesses	Required, plus witnesses	W. Va. Code 16-30-4 (FindLaw statute text)
WIWisconsin	Declaration to Health Care Professionals (Living Will)	2 witnesses	Optional	Wisconsin DHS form F-00060, Declaration to Health Care Professionals (Living Will) Wisconsin DHS Advance Directive and Power of Attorney forms
WYWyoming	Advance Health Care Directive	2 witnesses	Instead of witnesses	Wyo. Stat. Title 35 (35-22-403)

New Hampshire is not listed because we could not confirm the current statute text.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.

What this means in practice

Give copies to your doctor, your health care agent and close family, and keep the original where it can be found quickly. A living will that nobody can find cannot help.

Many states have rules about who may serve as a witness, for example excluding relatives or your health care providers. Check the statute before you sign.

Review the document after a major diagnosis, a move to another state or a change in your wishes.

Frequently asked questions

Is a living will called the same thing in every state?

No. We found 23 different official names across 50 jurisdictions, including advance directive, health care directive, declaration and health care proxy.

Does a living will need to be notarized?

Only in a few states: North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia require a notary in addition to witnesses. In 22 jurisdictions a notary can replace the witnesses, and elsewhere notarization is optional.

Do any states not require witnesses for a living will?

Yes: Idaho and New Mexico.

Living Will Requirements by State

Compare living will requirements

What this means in practice

Related documents

Living Will Requirements: state by state

Frequently asked questions

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