How to find out if someone left a will, power of attorney or prenup

The Judiciary’s Notarial Inspection Office (ODIN) administers several notarial registries and issues certifications on what they contain. The Registry of Wills states whether a person granted a will; it is the registry consulted after a death to learn whether one exists, and the registry itself issues affirmative or negative certifications — meaning it also serves to attest that none is on record. The Registry of Powers attests to the existence of a power of attorney. The Registry of Prenuptial Agreements attests to whether a couple signed one. Certifications issued by ODIN carry a validation code and a QR code allowing their integrity and security to be verified.

The requesting party must be a person with legitimate interest in the certification requested. For the Registry of Wills there is an additional and absolute rule: if the testator has not died, only they can file a certification request, and third parties are not authorized to do so. Once the person has died, the documents to attach depend on your relationship with the deceased. If you act representing a person with legitimate interest, you must meet all of that person’s requirements and additionally attach a document signed by them authorizing you to do the filing. If the submission does not meet everything required — missing documents, missing stamps —, the request will be denied.

• Being a person with legitimate interest in the certification requested.Verified against the official source
• Registry of Wills: if the testator has not died, only they can file the request. Third parties are not authorized.Verified against the official source
• A $5.00 internal revenue stamp under Code 5120, scanned from a physical one or digital, purchased on the Colecturía Digital platform.Verified against the official source
• If filing by email: one certification per email sent, documents in PDF or JPEG in black and white, each 1 MB or less, and a maximum of five documents per request.Verified against the official source
• The email channel is for members of the public. It is not available to lawyers and notaries active in RUA, who request and receive the certification through the SIGNO Notarial tool.Verified against the official source

• The matching form, completed and signed: Request for Affirmative or Negative Will Certification (OAT 1572), Request for Power of Attorney Certification (OAT 1573), or Request for Prenuptial Agreement Certification (OAT 1842).
• A copy of valid identification with signature and photo issued by the competent authorities of Puerto Rico or the United States. If you are not a US national, a copy of the passport issued by the competent authority of your country of origin.
• For the Registry of Wills when the person has died: a copy of the deceased’s Death Certificate.
• Also, depending on your relationship with the deceased: child, a copy of your Birth Certificate; grandchild, your Birth Certificate and the Death Certificate of the parent who was the deceased’s child; widow or widower, a copy of the Marriage Certificate, unless the name appears on the Death Certificate.
• If acting for a person with legitimate interest: all the documents that would apply to them, plus a document signed by that person authorizing you to do the filing.
• If you prefer to receive it by postal mail: a pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelope of adequate size with the corresponding postage.

1. 1

   Step 1: Identify which of the three registries answers you

   Registry of Wills: whether a person granted a will. It issues affirmative or negative certifications, so it also serves to attest none is on record. Registry of Powers: whether a power of attorney exists. Registry of Prenuptial Agreements: whether a couple signed one. Each has its form: OAT 1572, OAT 1573 and OAT 1842 respectively.

2. 2

   Step 2: Check that you can request it

   You must be a person with legitimate interest. And for wills there is an absolute cutoff: if the testator is alive, only they can request the certification; nobody else. If they have died, the documents you attach depend on your relationship, and that list is in this guide’s documents section.

3. 3

   Step 3: Get the $5.00 stamp under Code 5120

   It applies to all three registries. It can be a scanned physical stamp or a digital one purchased on the Colecturía Digital platform. It is per certification: if you request two, that is two stamps.

4. 4

   Step 4: Choose how to file it

   On paper, at ODIN’s offices — 3rd floor of the San Juan Judicial Center — or at the Notarial Archive of the Ponce Notarial District, in Las Américas Commercial Park. By postal mail to PO Box 190860, San Juan, PR 00919-0860. Or by email; for wills, to certificacionestestamentos@poderjudicial.pr.

5. 5

   Step 5: If going by email, respect the format

   One request per email sent: if you send an email with two or more requests, it is not processed. All documents in PDF or JPEG, black and white. Each document 1 MB (1,000 KB) or less. Maximum five documents per request. And this channel is for members of the public: lawyers and notaries active in RUA use SIGNO Notarial.

6. 6

   Step 6: Receive it and validate it

   You can pick it up in person, receive it by postal mail — for which you must supply the pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelope — or receive it at the email address you sent the request from. The certification carries a validation code and a QR code: verify it with a QR reader or by entering the code on the Judiciary’s certification validation platform.

At ODIN, 3rd floor of the San Juan Judicial Center, or at the Notarial Archive of the Ponce Notarial District. By postal mail to PO Box 190860, San Juan, PR 00919-0860. By email, depending on the registry. For more information, ODIN answers at (787) 763-8816, extensions 5360 or 5369, and at OficinaDirectorODIN@poderjudicial.pr.

• Requesting a will certification for a living person: only they can request it.
• Sending two or more requests in one email: none is processed.
• Sending documents in colour, another format, or over 1 MB through the email channel.
• Forgetting the $5.00 stamp under Code 5120, the typical cause of denial.
• Asking to receive it by postal mail without supplying the pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelope.
• Being a lawyer or notary active in RUA and using email instead of SIGNO Notarial.

These are the government pages this guide is based on.

• Poder Judicial de Puerto Rico

  Poder Judicial

  poderjudicial.pr

• Registry of Powers certifications

  Poder Judicial

  poderjudicial.pr

• Registry of Prenuptial Agreements certifications

  Poder Judicial

  poderjudicial.pr

• Judiciary certification validation

  Poder Judicial

  poderjudicial.pr