Lituania

What are the forms of will in Lithuania?

* the authentic will, drawn up by a civil law notary or by a consular officer.

* the “personal” will, drawn up by the testator himself. It can be inserted in an envelope and filed with a civil law notary.

Does a register of wills exist in Lithuania?

Yes, there is a register which is administered by the State Enterprise Center of Registers. The registration and search of wills is performed electronically in this register.

Why register a will?

Not all wills are registered in the register (for example, a “personal” will can be kept at home).

The recording of the will in the register is compulsory for authentic wills and for “personal” wills kept by the civil law notary. In this way, the testator can be sure that his last wishes will be found and therefore respected following his death.

Who can carry out the registration?

The registration of wills is carried out by the civil law notary or consular officer. In effect, although it is possible to draw up a will oneself, the assistance of a civil law notary is particularly valuable since he is a specialist in the matter. His advice shall thus enable to draw up a will which respects the law and which therefore does not run the risk of being declared null and void.

It is not the content of the will which is registered in the register but the information which enables the will to be found.

Who keeps the will?

The civil law notary is in charge of keeping the authentic and “personal” wills confided to him by the testator.

Can the testator’s family members consult the register while he is still alive?

No, the existence of a will and its content shall remain a secret during the entire life of the testator.

How much does it cost to register a will?

Registration of a will costs €2.62.

Who may query the register of wills?

Upon the death of the testator, notary, court, persons with legitimate interest may consult the register. The notary who is in charge of the inheritance case always searches the data of the Register of Wills.

Is it necessary to provide a death certificate?

No. Death certificate must be provided only in cases, where there is no data about the death of the testator in the Register of Population.

How much does a search cost?

A search in the register costs 2 €.

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