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Illinois Compiled Statutes

755 ILCS 5/4-3 (2026)

Signing and attestation

✓ current as of May 2026
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(755 ILCS 5/4-3) (from Ch. 110 1/2, par. 4-3)
    Sec. 4-3. Signing and attestation.
    (a) Every will shall be in writing, signed by the testator or by some person in his presence and by his direction and attested in the presence of the testator by 2 or more credible witnesses.
    (b) A will that qualifies as an international will under the Uniform International Wills Act is considered to meet all the requirements of subsection (a).
(Source: P.A. 86-1291.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1998–2024 · leading case: Campbell v. Campbell, 2017 IL App (3d) 160619 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017).
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Campbell v. Campbell, 2017 IL App (3d) 160619 (Ill. App. Ct. 2017). · cites it 2× “e properly delivered *850 gifts, those gifts were void (at least as to the farm trust interest) because the transfer did not comply with the requirements contained in the farm trust certificate (the right of first refusal); (3) the assignments were also invalid as testamentary…”
Campbell v. Campbell, 2017 IL App (3d) 160619 (Ill. App. Ct. 2018). · cites it 2× “s were properly delivered gifts, those gifts were void (at least as to the farm trust interest) because the transfer did not comply with the requirements contained in the farm trust certificate (the right of first refusal); (3) the assignments were also invalid as testamentary…”
Konfrst v. Steklik, 2014 IL App (1st) 132113 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “See 755 ILCS 5/4-3 (West 2010) (“Every will shall be in writing, signed by the testator or by some person in his presence and by his direction and attested in the presence of the testator by 2 or more credible witnesses.”
Konfrst v. Steklik, 2014 IL App (1st) 132113 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “See 755 ILCS 5/4-3 (West 2010) (“Every will shall be in writing, signed by the testator or by some person in his presence and by his direction and attested in the presence of the testator by 2 or more credible witnesses.”
In re Est. of Brewer, 2015 IL App (2d) 140706 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “) 755 ILCS 5/4-3(a) (West 2012). An unsigned will is not a “will.”
In re Est. of Lum (Ill. App. Ct. 1998). · cites it 5× “The will was never signed by any witnesses, although decedent had the will notarized by Wol Ju Mendoza the next day.”
In Re Est. of Phelan (Ill. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 2× “1-06-0820 [against reformation of a will] does not apply completely to will substitutes, as there is no statutory requirement that they be written, witnessed, and attested as wills must be (see 755 ILCS 5/4-3(a) (West 2002)). However, the effect of allowing the reformation of a…”
In re Est. of Sykes, 2024 IL App (5th) 230694-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). “” 755 ILCS 5/4-3(a) (West 2022)). Then, the judge opined that “any attorney” would have been able to “address” that issue “in a very short period of time.”
Konfrst v. Steklik, 2014 IL App (1st) 132113 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “See 755 ILCS 5/4-3 (West 2010) (“Every will shall be in writing, signed by the testator or by some person in his presence and by his direction and attested in the presence of the testator by 2 or more credible witnesses.”
— 755 ILCS 5/4-3(a) — 3 cases
In re Est. of Brewer, 2015 IL App (2d) 140706 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “) 755 ILCS 5/4-3(a) (West 2012). An unsigned will is not a “will.”
In Re Est. of Phelan (Ill. App. Ct. 2007). “1-06-0820 [against reformation of a will] does not apply completely to will substitutes, as there is no statutory requirement that they be written, witnessed, and attested as wills must be (see 755 ILCS 5/4-3(a) (West 2002)). However, the effect of allowing the reformation of a…”
In re Est. of Sykes, 2024 IL App (5th) 230694-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). “” 755 ILCS 5/4-3(a) (West 2022)). Then, the judge opined that “any attorney” would have been able to “address” that issue “in a very short period of time.”
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