Creation of a voluntary will registry will allow the person making a will to file basic information about the will (the name of the person, the date the will was created, and its location) so that the will can be easily found, or at least its existence will be known. The registration is entirely voluntary and electing not to register with the Secretary of State's office does not have any effect on the validity of the will.

To promote privacy, only "interested persons" as defined in the Probate Code, or their attorneys, may search the Registry.

§ 15-1-201(24) "Interested person" includes heirs, devisees, children, spouses, creditors, beneficiaries and any others having a property right in or claim against a trust estate or the estate of a decedent, ward or protected person which may be affected by the proceeding. It also includes persons having priority for appointment as personal representative, and other fiduciaries representing interested persons. The meaning as it relates to particular persons may vary from time to time and must be determined according to the particular purposes of, and matter involved in, any proceeding.