PKWA Law Offers Secure Digital Will Deposit with SAL Wills Registry
PKWA Law is pleased to announce that we are a participating law firm in the Singapore Academy of Law’s (SAL) newly launched Wills Repository Service.
Clients who have their Wills prepared by PKWA Law can now arrange through us for a digital copy of their Will to be securely deposited with SAL. The service provides an additional way for nominated authorised persons to locate and access a copy of the Will when it is needed.
Importantly, the digital copy does not replace the original signed Will, which should continue to be kept safely by the testator.
What is the SAL Wills Repository Service?
SAL launched the Wills Repository Service on 9 September 2026 at TechLaw.Fest. It builds on the existing SAL Wills Registry, which SAL has administered since 2020. The existing Wills Registry records whether a Will exists, who prepared it and where the original signed Will is kept. It does not store the Will itself.
The new Wills Repository Service goes a step further.
Through a participating law firm such as PKWA Law, an individual can arrange for a digital copy of his or her Will to be securely deposited with SAL. The individual can also nominate authorised persons who may access the digital copy after his or her death.
Digital copies deposited with SAL are protected by encryption and strict access controls and may only be accessed by persons nominated and authorised by the testator.
Why Can This Be Useful?
Making a Will is only one part of proper estate planning. It is also important that the Will can be located when it is eventually needed.
Justice Aidan Xu, speaking at the launch of the new service, explained that the Wills Repository provides an additional point of reference where the original paper Will cannot be found, helping to reduce the time, uncertainty and stress involved in locating a Will.
The Repository therefore provides an additional safeguard. If there is difficulty locating the original Will, nominated authorised persons can obtain access to the digital copy deposited with SAL.
However, clients should understand the limits of the service. A digital copy deposited with SAL does not replace the original signed Will and does not determine whether the Will is legally valid. The original signed Will should therefore continue to be kept safely.
How PKWA Law Can Assist
Clients who wish to use the service must engage a participating law firm such as PKWA Law to prepare their Will. The client nominates the persons who will be authorised to access the digital copy after death, and PKWA Law then deposits the digital copy with SAL on the client’s behalf.
For eligible clients, PKWA Law can:
- Prepare your Will;
- Assist you with the nomination of persons authorised to access the digital copy;
- Arrange for the executed digital copy of your Will to be deposited with SAL; and
- Advise you on the importance of keeping your original signed Will safely and ensuring that your estate planning arrangements remain up to date.
If you already have a Will, this may also be a useful opportunity to review whether it continues to reflect your current wishes and circumstances before a digital copy is deposited.
Fees
SAL is currently offering complimentary deposits under the Wills Repository Service until 31 March 2027. After 31 March 2027, SAL will charge a fee of $110.
PKWA Law charges a $100 service fee for arranging the digital deposit for clients whose Wills are prepared by us. Any applicable SAL fee is separate from PKWA Law’s service fee.
After 31 March 2027, SAL’s prevailing fee will apply in addition to PKWA Law’s service fee.
An Additional Safeguard for Your Will
The SAL Wills Repository Service is a useful addition to estate planning, but it does not change the importance of having a properly prepared Will and keeping the original signed document safely.
The Wills Registry helps record the existence and location of the original Will. The new Wills Repository Service adds another layer by allowing an authorised person to access a securely stored digital copy when needed.
PKWA Law can now assist clients to prepare their Will and arrange for a digital copy to be deposited with SAL.
For more information about making a Will or using the SAL Wills Repository Service, please contact PKWA Law at 6854 5336.
