Home › Arizona Estate Planning › Last Will and Testament
Arizona is flexible about wills in every direction: two witnesses who can sign within a reasonable time, handwritten wills valid with no witnesses and no date, and — since 2019 — fully electronic wills, provided a copy of your government-issued ID is attached. The intestacy rule is where flexibility ends: in a blended family, your children — not your spouse — inherit your half of the community property, including your half of the house. Online services prepare an Arizona-specific will for $199–$299. Every rule below cites the Arizona Revised Statutes.
In a blended Arizona family, dying without a will hands your half of the house to your kids.
A finished will replaces that default with your actual wishes — and for most Arizonans it’s an hour of work. An online service like Trust & Will prepares an Arizona-specific will with the witness pages ready to sign.
Disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through the Trust & Will links here, at no extra cost to you. Complex situations belong with an attorney and we say so below.
Arizona Will Requirements (2026)
A.R.S. § 14-2502 sets the execution rules:
| Requirement | Arizona rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| In writing | A written document — or a compliant electronic will (below) | §§ 14-2502(A)(1), 14-2518 |
| Signed | By you, or in your name by another in your conscious presence and at your direction | § 14-2502(A)(2) |
| Witnessed | Two people who sign within a reasonable time after witnessing your signing or acknowledgment | § 14-2502(A)(3) |
| Notarized | Not required for validity — a notary enters only for the optional self-proving affidavit | § 14-2504 |
Who can make a will: anyone 18 or older, of sound mind (§ 14-2501). Testamentary intent can even be established by extrinsic evidence (§ 14-2502(B)) — Arizona errs on the side of honoring what you meant.
Handwritten (Holographic) Wills Are Valid — No Date Needed
A will is valid with no witnesses if the signature and the material provisions are in your handwriting (§ 14-2503) — and unlike Michigan, Arizona doesn’t require a date — unlike Nevada next door, where the date is a statutory element and an undated handwritten will simply fails. As everywhere, the flexibility invites fights: undated holographic wills breed conflicts over which document controls, and nobody watched you sign. Arizona’s snowbird population adds a wrinkle worth knowing in reverse: a holographic will valid here may be worthless if you later make Florida your domicile — Florida refuses out-of-state holographic wills entirely.
Electronic Wills: Legal in Arizona Since 2019 — With an ID Requirement
Arizona authorizes fully electronic wills (§ 14-2518): an electronic record readable as text, your electronic signature, and two witnesses — physically or electronically present — who e-sign within a reasonable time. Two conditions stand out: electronically present witnesses must be physically located in the United States, and the will must state the signing dates and attach a copy of your current government-issued ID. Most Arizonans still execute on paper — simpler, cheaper, and every probate registrar knows what to do with it — but the electronic route is settled law here, not a pending bill.
Dying Without a Will in Arizona: The Community Property Cliff
Arizona’s intestacy statute (§ 14-2102) is all-or-nothing:
| Your situation | What happens without a will |
|---|---|
| Married — no children, or all children shared with your spouse | Spouse takes the entire estate |
| Married, with a child from a prior relationship | Spouse takes one-half of your separate property and NONE of your half of the community property — your children take your community half and the other half of the separate property |
| Single | Children first, then up the family line (§ 14-2103) |
Read the middle row twice. In a blended Arizona family, the surviving spouse keeps their own community half — and inherits nothing of the deceased’s half. The house becomes a 50/50 co-ownership between the widow or widower and the stepchildren, on day one, by statute. Between Arizona’s retiree migration and second marriages, this single rule may disinherit more surviving spouses than any other sentence in Title 14. A one-page will prevents it.
What a Will Costs in Arizona
| Route | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Handwritten (holographic) | $0 | Valid with no witnesses or date — and the most-contested format in probate |
| Online service | $199 individual / $299 couple | Arizona-specific will with witness pages and self-proving affidavit, done in about an hour |
| Arizona attorney | Flat fees vary — Phoenix and Scottsdale run highest | Custom drafting and counsel |
Online pricing verified against Trust & Will’s published rates (August 2026). Arizona’s bar publishes no fee survey, so we quote no attorney figures we can’t source — collect flat-fee quotes and compare. See how Arizona compares with the rest of the country for national cost ranges and a state-by-state table of will requirements.
What an Arizona Will Does Not Do
1. A will does not avoid probate. It instructs the probate court; it doesn’t bypass it. Arizona softens the blow with informal probate and a beneficiary deed for real estate — but both take planning while you’re alive. For the fuller comparison, see what a living trust costs in Arizona.
2. A will does not cover incapacity. It operates only at death. Pair it with a durable power of attorney and health care directives — see the five documents every family needs.
3. A will does not override beneficiary designations. Life insurance, retirement accounts, and payable-on-death accounts pass to the named beneficiary no matter what the will says — a special hazard for retirees who moved here with decades-old forms.
Will vs. Trust for Arizona Families
Every Arizona adult needs a will — the community-property cliff above makes the case for anyone remarried. Whether to add a living trust turns on circumstances Arizona has in abundance: property in two states (the snowbird pattern makes double probate a real risk), blended families, and privacy. Start with Trust vs. Will: Which Does Your Family Need? and the numbers in our Arizona living trust cost guide.
If the will is what you need today, Trust & Will’s Arizona package includes the witness pages, guardianship nominations, and healthcare documents — build your Arizona will here.
FAQ
Does a will have to be notarized in Arizona?
No. Validity takes your signature and two witnesses signing within a reasonable time (§ 14-2502). The notary appears only in the optional self-proving affidavit.
Are handwritten wills legal in Arizona?
Yes — no witnesses and no date required, as long as the signature and material provisions are in your handwriting (§ 14-2503).
Can I make an electronic will in Arizona?
Yes, since 2019 (§ 14-2518): electronic record, e-signatures, two witnesses physically or electronically present (e-witnesses must be in the US), signing dates stated, and a copy of your current government-issued ID attached.
What happens if I die without a will in Arizona?
If all your children are also your spouse’s — or you have none — your spouse takes everything. If you have a child from a prior relationship, your spouse gets half your separate property and none of your half of the community property; your children take the rest (§ 14-2102).
My spouse and I moved here from another state — is our old will valid?
Generally yes if validly executed where signed. But community property changes how assets are titled and what your will can give away — a move to Arizona is the right moment to review the whole plan.
Does a will avoid probate in Arizona?
No — a will goes through probate. Living trusts, Arizona’s beneficiary deed for real estate, and beneficiary designations are the tools that pass property outside the process.
Arizona Law Cited on This Page
- A.R.S. § 14-2501 — who may make a will
- A.R.S. § 14-2502 — execution
- A.R.S. § 14-2503 — holographic wills
- A.R.S. § 14-2518 — electronic will requirements
- A.R.S. § 14-2102 — intestate share of surviving spouse
Update log — August 2026: page created; all statutory requirements verified against the Arizona Revised Statutes at the Legislature’s official site. Reviewed when Arizona law changes.