Codicil

A codicil constitutes a form of testamentary disposition that is valid under the Dutch Civil Code without notarial intervention. It must be entirely in the testator’s own hand, dated and signed in order to have legal effect. This mechanism enables the testator to make provision for smaller legacies without incurring the expense or observing the formalities required for a notarial will.

In practice, a codicil is used principally to allocate specific items of personal property—such as jewellery, furniture or clothing—to designated heirs or legatees. It affords the testator flexibility to effect changes expeditiously, yet it possesses limited probative value and is more readily open to challenge than a notarial will.

The codicil continues to serve a useful function by providing a low-threshold means of amending the last will, provided the strict formal requirements are observed.