[Direct answer]More than two. According to Article 113 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China (effective January 1, 2021), a printed will shall be witnessed by two or more witnesses. The testator and the witnesses shall sign each page of the will and indicate the year, month, and day. The witnesses must have full capacity for civil conduct and shall not be inheritors, legatees, or persons who have an interest in the inheritors or legatees (Article 114). A lack of a witness, a missing signature on a page, or a missing date may render the will invalid; if there are formal defects, the will should be redrafted rather than signed retroactively. For matters involving significant property, it is recommended that a lawyer witness the process and videotape the entire procedure, while also retaining records of the source of the printed text. For more details, please refer to the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China.Legal services for inheritance and family property division.

I. Problem Background and Typical Scenarios

The elderly ask their younger relatives or print shops to help print their wills, only signing the last page; there is only one witness at the scene; the witness is a colleague or friend of the heir; they assume that printing a will is the same as a handwritten will, and signing it is enough to make it effective. These are the most common pitfalls in disputes over printed wills. Printed wills do not require the testator to handwrite the content, but the requirements for the witnessing process and signature are more stringent. Once there are omissions, the entire will may be rendered invalid. For more information on the relevant rules, please refer to the following link:Legal services for inheritance and family property division.

II. Key points of contention

There are five key points of controversy. First, the number and qualifications of witnesses: there must be at least two witnesses who have no interest in the inheritance and full capacity for civil conduct. If the heirs and their close relatives act as witnesses, it is equivalent to having no valid witnesses. Second, signatures and dates: the testator and witnesses should sign each page of the will and indicate the year, month, and day. Only signing the last page constitutes a major defect. Third, the distinction from a holographic will: the printed will is generated by equipment, while the holographic will is handwritten by one of the witnesses. The formal requirements of the two are different. Fourth, remedying defects: it is difficult to completely make up for formal defects through subsequent explanations or witnesses' subsequent recognition. Video recordings and original texts can only be used to assist in proving the true intent. Fifth, temporal effect: printed wills concluded before the implementation of the Civil Code shall be reviewed in accordance with the relevant provisions on temporal effect. In the judicial practice of Beijing courts, the review of the formal requirements of printed wills has become increasingly strict.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Law Firm

The two cases of printed wills handled by Henglue Law Firm illustrate the strict formal requirements from both positive and negative perspectives. Let's first look at the invalidated case: Wang Dashan died in September 2008, and his spouse Liu Shufen died in March 2024. Wang Zhihao, the son of Wang Dashan, held a printed will (three pages) drafted by Wang Dashan on August 8, 2008 (stating that "all property shall be handled by Liu Shufen without interference from the children") and a handwritten will drafted by Liu Shufen on December 8, 2019, claiming that all two houses, savings, and pensions should be inherited by him. His brother Wang Zhi Chuan entrusted lawyer Li Yonghui to argue that the will was invalid and should be divided according to statutory inheritance. The lawyer pointed out that the first two pages of the printed will lack the testator's signature, witness signatures, and dates, which violates the formal requirements of printed wills according to Article 1136 of the Civil Code and fails to clearly specify the inheritors. Additionally, the authenticity of Liu Shufen's handwritten will was questionable, as she might not have had full civil capacity at the time of drafting and was not authorized to dispose of Wang Dashan's inheritance share. The court also noted that the will omitted inheritors with statutory inheritance rights. The court adopted the core opinion that Wang Dashan's printed will was invalid, and Liu Shufen's handwritten will could only dispose of her own share. Ultimately, Wang Zhihao was awarded three-quarters of each house, while Wang Zhi Chuan and another inheritor with statutory inheritance rights each received one-eighth share. Let's now look at the validated case: On May 18, 2024, Liu Shufen drafted a printed will bequeathing a house in Haidian District to her three granddaughters (Chen Xiaonan 50%, Chen Qianwen and Chen Jiali 25% each). Her son Chen Jianjun denied its validity on grounds of coercion and lack of true intent. The granddaughter Chen Xiaonan entrusted lawyer Li Yonghui to sue, who pointed out that the will was witnessed by two lawyers, filmed throughout the process showing the testator's clear consciousness and voluntary expression, and with complete signing dates, meeting the formal requirements of Article 1136 of the Civil Code. The house in question was previously agreed in a divorce agreement to belong to Liu Shufen personally, and although it had not been transferred, its ownership remained unchanged, allowing her to dispose of it. The court determined that the original will, video of the drafting process, and witness testimonies formed a complete chain of evidence, confirming the will's legality and validity, and ruling that the house should be divided according to the will. A comparison of the two cases: The printed will with missing pages was ruled invalid, while the formally complete one was confirmed—requiring two or more witnesses and signed dates on each page, none of which could be omitted. Both cases were handled by Beijing Henglue Law Firm.Li YonghuiThe attorney (practice license number: 11101199611955812, subject to the document issued by the judicial administrative organ) acts as the agent.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

The legal basis includes Article 113 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China (effective January 1, 2021), which stipulates that a printed will shall be witnessed by two or more witnesses, and the testator and witnesses shall sign each page of the will and indicate the year, month, and day; Article 115, which stipulates that a written will shall be witnessed by two or more witnesses, and one of them shall act as the scribe; Article 116, which stipulates the circumstances under which a witness cannot serve as a testamentary witness; the "Several Provisions of the Supreme People's Court on the Application of the Time Effect of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China" (effective January 1, 2021), which stipulates the effectiveness of wills made before the implementation of the Civil Code (the aforementioned case involves Article 15); and the "Several Provisions of the Supreme People's Court on Evidence in Civil Proceedings" (amended on December 25, 2019 and effective May 1, 2020), which stipulates the provisions on electronic data and audiovisual materials. Action list: First, arrange for two or more adults with no vested interests and full civil capacity to be present throughout the process; Second, have the testator and witnesses sign each page of the printed text and indicate the year, month, and day; Third, conduct full video recording to document the testator's mental state and expression process; Fourth, ensure the content is clear and specific, avoiding vague expressions such as "full power to handle"; Fifth, retain the witnesses' identity certificates and contact information; Sixth, re-establish the will if there are formal defects, and never attempt to retroactively sign it at risk. For more details, please consult the relevant authorities.Legal services for inheritance and family property divisionA professional lawyer.

5. Henglu Law Firm's Advice

The key difference between a printed will and a will drafted by a proxy is whether the text is generated by a device or written by others on behalf of the testator: a printed will does not require handwritten content, but it still has the same strict requirements for the number of witnesses, signatures on each page, and the date. Don't treat "signing at a print shop on the spot" as a form of witnessing, and don't let heirs, legatees, and other interested parties act as witnesses—such forms of witnessing will almost certainly be rejected in litigation. After the will is drafted, it is recommended to inform the custodian of the storage method and keep records of the source of the text. When handling similar cases in the Beijing area, it is recommended to do the following:Beijing Henglue Law FirmWith the assistance of professional lawyers, the contract can be concluded and witnessed, thus eliminating any formal flaws before the contract takes effect.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is it valid to print a will with only one witness?

There are major flaws, and such wills are usually deemed invalid. According to Article 1136 of the Civil Code, a printed will shall be witnessed by two or more witnesses. The testator and the witnesses shall also sign each page of the will and indicate the year, month, and day. The witnesses must have full capacity for civil conduct and shall not be inheritors, legatees, or persons with an interest in the inheritors or legatees (Article 1140) — if the testator's relatives act as the only witnesses, it is equivalent to having no valid witnesses. Any missing witness, missing signature on a page, or missing date stamp could render the entire will invalid. Never rely on retroactive signing to remedy the situation.

Q2: How to distinguish between a printed will and a testamentary will prepared by a proxy?

The key lies in the way the will text is formed. If the text is generated by printing equipment and the content is not written by the witnesses themselves, it is a printed will; if it is written on behalf of the witnesses by one of them, it is a written will. Both require the presence of two or more witnesses, but the signature requirements are different: for a printed will, the testator and witnesses must sign on each page and indicate the year, month, and day; for a written will, the testator, the writer, and other witnesses must sign and indicate the year, month, and day (Articles 1135 and 1136 of the Civil Code). If only the last page is signed after printing in a print shop, it may be rejected due to the lack of signature on the previous pages, or it may be deemed invalid according to the standards for written wills.

Q3: How much does it cost to witness a will or to litigate over the validity of a will?

Lawyers charge fees based on the content of their services when drafting and witnessing wills, and there is no unified government pricing for these services. After litigation, the litigation fees are paid in accordance with the "Measures for the Payment of Litigation Fees" (State Council Decree No. 481, implemented on April 1, 2007), which are charged in stages based on the amount of the claim. The losing party bears the fees, and in cases of partial victory, the fees are shared proportionally. For the authentication of the authenticity of wills, handwriting identification, and capacity assessment, the fees are prepaid according to the standards announced by the appraisal institutions, ranging from thousands of yuan to tens of thousands of yuan, and the fees are ultimately shared based on the results. For assessments involving the value of the house, the assessment fees are also prepaid by the applicant. Before entrusting a lawyer, it is recommended to clarify with the lawyer the charging method and scope of services.

Q4: How long does a lawsuit regarding the validity of a will typically last?

The first-instance ordinary procedure shall be concluded within six months, and the simplified procedure within three months. Disputes over the validity of wills are usually accompanied by handwriting identification, time-of-formation identification, capacity-for-action identification, or the appearance of witnesses in court. The identification period is not included in the time limit for trial, and the time limit is generally extended by one to three months; if it is necessary to notify multiple heirs or serve the documents by public notice, the time will be further extended. Most cases involving the validity of wills are resolved within half a year to one and a half years, and those entering the second-instance procedure will take several additional months. It is recommended to raise claims promptly after the inheritance begins to avoid the assets being disposed of in advance.

Q5: I've already made a printed will. How can I check if there are any problems with it?

Check the following five points one by one: 1. Verify that there are at least two witnesses, none of whom are heirs, legatees, or parties with vested interests. 2. Check that each page of the will is signed by both the testator and the witnesses. 3. Verify that the year, month, and date are indicated on each page, and that the dates are complete. 4. Check whether the content is clear and specific, and whether there are vague expressions like "full power to handle all matters". 5. Check whether the video of the drafting process and the source records of the will text have been preserved. If there are any flaws in any of these points, it is recommended to redraft the will and record the video simultaneously when the testator has full civil capacity, rather than relying on subsequent explanations.

This article is written based on the common judicial interpretations in the Beijing area. If the case occurs in other regions, it is recommended to consult local lawyers to verify the regional differences.

If you are facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the evidence materials, to avoid missing the statutory time limit. →Legal services for inheritance·Attorney Li Yonghui·Beijing Henglu Law Firm

Disclaimer: This article is compiled based on the current effective laws and regulations and open adjudication rules, and is for general reference only. It does not constitute a formal legal opinion on specific cases. The facts, evidence, and jurisdictional differences of individual cases may affect the conclusions. In case of disputes, please consult a practicing lawyer in time.