General information only — not legal advice. This guide describes common options for storing a will in general terms. The right choice depends on your circumstances, and specific storage services may have their own terms and conditions. If you are unsure, ask the professional who helped with your will.
The short answer
The best place to store your will is somewhere that is safe, secure, and — above all — known to the person who will need it. Your executor needs the signed original to apply for probate, so a perfectly safe hiding place that no one knows about is not actually a good one. The ideal is a secure location your executor can find or access when the time comes.
The main options
Each common option has strengths and weaknesses:
- at home — in a fire-resistant safe or lockable container. You control it and it is easy to find, but it can be lost, damaged or missed;
- with your lawyer — held securely in their strongroom. It is protected and discoverable, and many people choose this. Tell the lawyer, and keep their contact details current;
- in a bank safe deposit box — very secure, but your executor may need a grant or other authority before the box can be opened, which can delay things;
- with a trusted family member or friend — accessible and simple, but only if you are certain the person is reliable and will respect your wishes; or
- with a professional storage service — such as a wills or trust company that offers document custody. Check the terms, the fees and how your executor gains access.
What matters most
The single most important thing is that your executor knows where the original will is. Without the original, applying for probate is harder — copies can sometimes be used, but only with extra evidence and delay. A will that cannot be found may be presumed revoked, which would leave your estate to be distributed under the intestacy rules instead of according to your wishes.
Copies and digital versions
It is sensible to keep a copy — a photocopy, a scan or a PDF — somewhere separate, so there is a record of what the will says. But a copy is not the will. Do not rely on a digital file as the original, and remember that in New Zealand the safest approach is a printed document signed by hand and witnessed correctly, with that original stored safely.
What to avoid
- storing the will where no one would think to look;
- keeping its location a complete secret;
- writing on the will or attaching notes to it;
- storing it somewhere it could be destroyed with household papers;
- leaving it with someone who might interfere with it; or
- forgetting to update the location when you move or change lawyers.
Practical tips
- tell your executor exactly where the original is kept;
- tell at least one other trusted person as a backup;
- keep a copy in a separate place, such as a different address or a digital note;
- keep a simple document-location note listing your will, and update it when things change;
- review the storage arrangement when you move house, change banks or change lawyers; and
- if you use a safe deposit box or storage service, check what your executor needs to access it.
The bottom line
There is no single best place — only the right place for your situation. The essentials are that the signed original is protected from loss, damage and interference, and that your executor knows exactly where it is. Our guide on what a will is and guide on revoking a will cover the surrounding rules.