How to Make a Will in Arizona

If you're a resident of Arizona and thinking about making a will, you should understand what a will is and how to create one. A will, also called a "last will and testament," can help you protect your family and your property.

You can use a will to:

• leave your property to people or organizations
• name a personal guardian to care for your minor children
• name a trusted person to manage property you leave to minor children, and
• name a personal representative, the person who makes sure that the terms of your will are carried out.

Below you'll find an overview of what a will can do for you, what Arizona laws require for making a valid will, and what the process looks like.

Steps to Create a Will in Arizona

Here's a quick checklist for making a will in Arizona:

1. Decide what property to include in your will.
2. Decide who will inherit your property.
3. Choose a personal representative to handle your estate.
4. Choose a guardian for your children.
5. Choose someone to manage children's property.
6. Make your will.
7. Sign your will in front of witnesses.
8. Store your will safely.

What Happens If I Die Without a Will?

In Arizona, if you die without a will, your property will be distributed according to state "intestacy" laws. Arizona's intestacy law gives your property to your closest relatives, beginning with your spouse and children. If you have neither a spouse nor children, your grandchildren or your parents will get your property. This list continues with increasingly distant relatives, including siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. If the court exhausts this list to find that you have no living relatives by blood or marriage, the state will take your property.

Can I Make My Own Will in Arizona?

Yes. As long as you follow the legal requirements for making a will in Arizona (see below), you can make your own will. Arizona's statutes don't include an Arizona will form—called a "statutory will" in other states—for people to use. But you can make your own will in Arizona, using Nolo's Quicken WillMaker & Trust.

You might want to consult a lawyer in some situations. For example, if you think that your will might be contested or you have especially complicated goals, you should talk with an attorney. See Do I Need an Attorney to Make My Estate Plan?

Legal Requirements for Making a Valid Will in Arizona

To make a will in Arizona, you must be:

• 18 years of age or older, and
• of sound mind.

(Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2501 (2025).)

Your will must be in writing, but it can either be on hard copy or a digital file that has been electronically signed. (See "Can I Make a Digital or Electronic Will?" below.) (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 14-2502, 14-2518 (2025).)

Arizona also permits handwritten (holographic) wills, but the signature and material provisions must be in your handwriting. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2503 (2025).)

How to Sign and Execute My Arizona Will

To finalize your will in Arizona:

1. you must sign your will in front of two witnesses, and
2. your witnesses must sign your will within a reasonable time after you signed or acknowledged your will to them.

(Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2502 (2025).)

Neither witness can be related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption, or be a beneficiary of the will unless the will is self-proved. For more on self-proved wills, see "Do I Need to Have My Will Notarized?" below. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2505 (2025).)

Even if you have your will self-proved, it's best to avoid using an "interested" witness because doing so could call into question the validity of your will.

Holographic (handwritten) wills don't require witnesses.

Do I Need to Have My Will Notarized?

No, in Arizona, you don't need to notarize your will to make it legal.

However, Arizona allows you to make your will "self-proving," and you'll need to go to a notary if you want to do that. A self-proving will speeds up probate because the court can accept the will without contacting the witnesses who signed it.

To make your will self-proving, you and your witnesses will go to the notary and sign an affidavit that proves who you are and that each of you knew you were signing the will. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2504 (2025).)

Can I Make a Digital or Electronic Will?

Arizona is one of a handful of states that technically allows electronic wills (e-wills). But the rules for making an e-will are complicated.

An e-will must be created and maintained in an electronic format that's readable as text. The will maker must electronically sign the e-will, or a person may electronically sign the e-will for the will maker while in the will maker's conscious presence. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2518 (2025).)

Arizona requires two witnesses to be present and electronically sign the e-will when the will maker signs or acknowledges it. "Present" can mean being physically present in the same location as the will maker or "electronically present"—meaning the witnesses are in different physical locations but able to see and hear the will maker on live video. The e-will also must include a copy of the will maker's government-issued ID. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2518 (2025).)

The e-will can be made self-proving by using a notary public. However, a self-proving e-will must be stored with a qualified custodian to be a valid self-proving e-will. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 14-2519, 14-2520, 14-2521 (2025).)

Should I Choose and Appoint a Personal Representative in My Will?

Yes. In Arizona, you can use your will to name a personal representative who will ensure that the provisions in your will are carried out after your death. Nolo's Quicken WillMaker & Trust software produces a letter to your personal representative that generally explains what the job requires. If you don't name a personal representative, the probate court will appoint someone to take on the job of winding up your estate. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-3203 (2025).)

Can I Revoke or Change My Will in Arizona?

In Arizona, you may revoke or change your will at any time. You can revoke your will by:

• performing a "revocatory act" with the purpose of revoking all or part of your will. Revocatory acts include burning, tearing, canceling, obliterating, or destroying the will or making it unreadable, or
• creating a new will that expressly states it is revoking the old will or contradicts the old will.

(Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2507 (2025).)

If you get divorced or your marriage is annulled, any gift to your spouse or appointment of your spouse or one of their relatives as a personal representative or trustee is automatically revoked unless your will expressly states otherwise. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 14-2804 (2025).)

If you need to make changes to your will, it's best to revoke it and make a new one. However, if you have only very simple changes to make, you could add an amendment to your existing will – this is called a codicil. In either case, you'll need to finalize your changes with the same formalities you used to make your original will (see above).

Next Steps

You can find Arizona's laws about making wills here: Arizona Revised Statutes Title 14 – Trusts, Estates and Protective Proceedings Chapter 2 – Intestate Succession and Wills.

To make your own will—as well as other estate planning documents, such as powers of attorney, advance health care directives, and transfer-on-death deeds—try Nolo's Quicken WillMaker & Trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're still looking for information, check out these answers to frequently asked questions on Arizona wills.

Can a will help me avoid probate?

No. A will doesn't avoid probate. Instead, it acts as instructions to the probate court. If you want to avoid probate in Arizona, consider other estate planning strategies like a living trust or joint tenancy.

What's the cost of making a will in Arizona?

The cost for a lawyer to make a will depends on several factors, including the complexity of your finances, where you live in Arizona, and whether you want an entire estate plan with multiple documents. A simple will without other estate planning documents likely will cost at least a few hundred dollars—and potentially more than $1,000. DIY resources, like Nolo's Quicken WillMaker & Trust, will cost significantly less than hiring an attorney.

Where should I store my will after it's signed?

There are several options for places to store your will, and each has pros and cons. Some options are your home, your lawyer's office, or a safe deposit box (but ensure the bank will let your executor or other trusted people access it after your death). Wherever you store it, make sure the right people know where it is, so the probate process can start as soon as possible without confusion or delay. For more information, read How to Safely Store Your Will.

Do I need to file my will with the court or government after making it?

No. Your will doesn't need to be filed with the court or government until after your death.

Can a will help me avoid estate taxes?

No. A will won't help you avoid estate taxes. The good news is that Arizona doesn't have an estate tax, and very few people need to worry about federal estate taxes. Only people with estates worth several million dollars need to think about federal estate taxes, but a will won't help them avoid taxes. For more information on estate taxes, read Estate Tax: Will Your Estate Have to Pay?

Can someone challenge my will?

Yes, it's theoretically possible that someone could challenge your will. But very few wills are challenged in court because it's difficult to challenge a will.