How to Make a Will in Arizona

Yes, you can write your own will in Arizona without a lawyer. Arizona law does not require attorney involvement — just strict compliance with the signing rules under A.R.S. § 14-2502. Get those wrong and your will is invalid, which means your estate passes under intestacy rules instead of your wishes.

Here are the exact requirements.

Arizona Will Requirements (A.R.S. § 14-2502)

A valid Arizona will must meet all four conditions:

1. Written — typed or printed (or handwritten — see holographic wills below)
2. Signed by the testator — or by another person in the testator's conscious presence and at their direction
3. Testator is 18+ and of sound mind
4. Witnessed by at least two people — who watch the testator sign (or acknowledge the signature) and then sign the document themselves within a reasonable time

That's it. No notary is required for the will itself to be valid. But you'll want one anyway — for the self-proving affidavit.

Who Can Witness a Will in Arizona?

Since October 1, 2019 (A.R.S. § 14-2505), witnesses must be disinterested — meaning they cannot be:

• Named as a beneficiary in the will
• Related to a beneficiary by blood, marriage, or adoption

Your neighbor, coworker, or friend qualifies. Your adult child who inherits under the will does not.

Both witnesses must be present when the testator signs (or acknowledges their signature). They don't need to read the will or know its contents — they're witnessing the signature, not approving the estate plan.

The Self-Proving Affidavit

Under A.R.S. § 14-2504, you can make your will "self-proving" by attaching a sworn affidavit signed by you and both witnesses before a notary public. This affidavit tells the probate court that the will was properly executed — eliminating the need to track down your witnesses after your death to testify.

Without a self-proving affidavit, the court must locate at least one witness to confirm the will's authenticity. If both witnesses have moved, died, or can't be found, the probate process becomes significantly more complicated.

Bottom line: Always get the self-proving affidavit notarized at the same time you sign the will.

Holographic Wills (Handwritten)

Arizona recognizes holographic wills under A.R.S. § 14-2503. A holographic will is valid if:

• The signature is in the testator's handwriting
• All material provisions (who gets what) are in the testator's handwriting

No witnesses required. No notary required.

The catch: holographic wills are far more likely to be contested. Handwriting can be disputed, unclear provisions lead to litigation, and there's no self-proving affidavit to smooth probate. Courts routinely see holographic will challenges from disinherited family members claiming the handwriting isn't authentic or the testator wasn't competent.

A holographic will is better than no will at all. A properly witnessed and self-proved typed will is better than a holographic one.

What Your Will Should Include

At minimum, an Arizona will should address:

• Personal representative (executor) — the person who manages your estate through probate
• Beneficiaries — who receives your assets and in what shares
• Guardian for minor children — if both parents die, who raises your kids
• Specific bequests — particular items to particular people (jewelry, vehicles, etc.)
• Residuary clause — catches everything you didn't specifically name

What a Will Cannot Do in Arizona

A will does not avoid probate. Every will must be filed with the court and validated before assets transfer. If probate avoidance is your goal, you need non-probate tools: beneficiary deeds for real estate, payable-on-death designations on bank accounts, and community property with right of survivorship (CPWROS) on jointly owned assets.

A will also cannot override beneficiary designations. If your will says "everything to my daughter" but your life insurance names your ex-spouse, the ex-spouse gets the insurance proceeds.

Can You Use a Free Template?

Free templates exist, but Arizona has specific requirements that generic forms often miss — particularly the disinterested witness rule (post-2019), the self-proving affidavit format, and community property considerations that common-law-state templates don't address.

The Arizona Basic Estate Planning Kit includes will drafting instructions tailored to Arizona's exact signing formalities, a pre-formatted self-proving affidavit, and a witness qualification checklist.

See more Arizona guides →