Updated September 7, 2026. Quick answer: In District of Columbia, you have 6 months to contest a will that has already been admitted to probate, running from notice by publication of the appointment of the personal representative.
How long do you have to contest a will in District of Columbia?
| Deadline to contest an admitted will | 6 months |
| What starts the clock | notice by publication of the appointment of the personal representative |
| Dedicated will-contest statute? | Yes |
“any person may file a verified complaint to contest the validity of a will within 6 months following notice by publication of the appointment or reappointment of a personal representative under section 20-704.”
Source: D.C. Code § 20-305
What makes District of Columbia different
D.C.’s clock is tied to publication of the personal representative’s appointment rather than to the will’s admission to probate itself, and a separate 30-day objection window applies when the court specifically directs notice in certain proceedings. The controlling authority is D.C. Code § 20-305, and the window runs from notice by publication of the appointment of the personal representative.
What happens once this deadline passes?
Once the window above closes, District of Columbia’s probate of the will generally becomes final and binding on everyone who had the chance to object, subject only to the tolling or discovery exceptions described above; a separate objection District of Columbia allowed at the original probate hearing does not reopen or extend it.
Sources
| Statute / rule | D.C. Code § 20-305 |
| District of Columbia courts (general reference) | District of Columbia judicial branch |
| District of Columbia (additional reference) | District of Columbia.gov |
| Confidence | High |
Every statute or rule quoted on this District of Columbia page was read directly from the state’s own legislature/court/code site this session, or, where that site blocked automated access, from a reputable legal-citation mirror quoting the same official text with its official citation (disclosed below). General information, not legal advice; whether a specific contest is still timely can turn on facts (exactly when notice was given, how the will was probated, whether a disability applies) that only your own District of Columbia probate court file can confirm.