Utah has further advanced its leadership in digital estate planning with the enactment of House Bill 181, the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act (the “Act”). Signed into law by Governor Spencer Cox, the Act authorizes the electronic execution and notarization of non-testamentary estate planning documents, building on Utah’s prior adoption of the Uniform Electronic Wills Act in 2020.
Effective May 6, 2026, the Act fills a key gap in existing law by enabling the valid electronic execution of essential estate planning instruments that were not previously covered under the electronic wills statute, including trusts, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives.
With its passage, Utah becomes the seventh state—alongside Illinois, Colorado, and Oklahoma—to permit fully digital estate planning, reinforcing a broader national trend toward modernizing legal services. The legislation was supported by the Uniform Law Commission and the Legacy, Innovation & Virtual Estate Planning (LIVE) Coalition, reflecting efforts to promote uniformity and accessibility across jurisdictions.
By allowing secure digital execution and notarization, the Act is expected to reduce administrative burdens, lower costs, and streamline estate planning for individuals and families. The law also has the potential to expand access to estate planning documents, particularly for individuals who may face barriers to traditional in-person services, including those living in rural areas and underserved communities.
In addition to consumer benefits, the legislation provides legal professionals, financial advisors, and institutions with modernized tools to facilitate more efficient client service. By minimizing procedural friction, the Act enables practitioners to focus more on substantive legal guidance rather than administrative processes.
Utah’s adoption of the Act positions the state at the forefront of technology-enabled estate planning policy and may serve as a model for other jurisdictions, including Pennsylvania and Minnesota, to consider similar reforms.
