How to Write a Will in Arizona: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

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Writing a will in Arizona is more straightforward than most people expect. You do not need a lawyer, and under one route you do not even need witnesses. Arizona law recognizes a fully handwritten will, called a holographic will, as long as it meets a short list of requirements. This guide walks through both legal paths, gives you a numbered set of steps for the handwritten route, and flags the Arizona-specific rules that catch people out, from community property to where you store the finished document.

Whether you live in Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, or Mesa, the same state statutes apply. Here is exactly how to do it correctly.

Two legal ways to make a valid will in Arizona

Arizona gives you two recognized options, and both produce a will that a probate court will accept.

The holographic (handwritten) will

Under A.R.S. Section 14-2503, a will is valid as a holographic will, whether or not it is witnessed, if the signature and the material provisions are in the handwriting of the person making it.1 That is the whole test. No witnesses, no notary. "Material provisions" means the substantive parts that say who gets what: the gifts and the people who receive them must be in your own handwriting.2

The witnessed (typed) will

The alternative is a formal will under A.R.S. Section 14-2502. This one can be typed, but it must be in writing, signed by you, and signed by at least two witnesses, each of whom witnessed either your signing or your acknowledgment of the will.3 It is the traditional route, and it is a good fit if you cannot handwrite the document or want the extra formality. The rest of this guide focuses on the handwritten path because it is the simplest for most people.

The key difference: a typed will in Arizona needs two witnesses to be valid. A fully handwritten will needs none. If you go the handwritten route, do not type any of the material provisions, because typed gifts can undermine the holographic status.

Step-by-step: writing a holographic will in Arizona

  1. Confirm you can make a will. You must be at least 18 and of sound mind. You should understand that you are creating a will, roughly what you own, and who your natural heirs are.
  2. Write the entire document by hand. Use pen on plain paper. Do not print a template and fill in blanks for the gifts. The parts that name your beneficiaries and describe what each receives must be in your own handwriting to satisfy A.R.S. Section 14-2503.1
  3. State that this is your will. Open with a clear line such as "This is the last will and testament of [your full name]," and note that you revoke any earlier wills.
  4. Name a personal representative. This is the person (called an executor in some places) who will carry out your wishes. Name a backup in case your first choice cannot serve.
  5. List your gifts clearly. Identify each beneficiary by full name and describe each gift specifically. Then name who receives everything else (your residuary estate).
  6. Name a guardian if you have minor children. If you have children under 18, state who you want to raise them.
  7. Date and sign it. Write the full date and sign at the end in your own hand. A date is not strictly required for validity, but it is strongly recommended: if you ever leave more than one will, the date is what tells the court which is the most recent and controlling version.
  8. Store it safely and tell someone. A perfect will helps no one if it cannot be found. See the storage section below.

Template: handwritten holographic will

Last Will and Testament of Jane A. Smith

I, Jane A. Smith, a resident of Maricopa County, Arizona, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will and revoke all prior wills.

I appoint my sister, Mary Smith, as my personal representative.

I give my home at 123 Main Street, Mesa, Arizona to my son, David Smith.

I give the rest of my estate to my children in equal shares.

Signed: __________________ Date: __________

Arizona-specific rules you must know

Arizona is a community property state

Arizona is one of the community property states, which means your spouse already owns one half of the property the two of you acquired during the marriage. Your will can only give away your half of the community property plus your own separate property. Keep this in mind when you list gifts, because you cannot give away a share your spouse already legally owns.

There is no spousal elective share here

This is where Arizona differs from many states that follow the Uniform Probate Code. Most of those states let a surviving spouse claim an "elective share" against the will. Arizona does not have an elective share, because the community property system is deemed to protect the spouse instead.4 Your spouse's protection comes from already owning half of the community property, not from a right to override your will after death.

What happens if you have no will

If you die without a valid will, A.R.S. Section 14-2102 controls. If all of your children are also your surviving spouse's children, or you have no children, your spouse inherits everything. But if you have children from another relationship, your spouse takes one half of your separate property and no share of your half of the community property, with the rest passing to your children.5 For blended families especially, writing a will is the only way to make sure your wishes, not this default formula, decide the outcome.

Do not name a witness as a beneficiary in a witnessed will, and do not have anyone else write parts of a handwritten will. Mixing typed and handwritten gifts, or letting another person fill in the substantive terms, is the most common reason a homemade Arizona will runs into trouble in probate.

Where to store your Arizona will

Keep the original in a safe, dry place such as a home safe or a fireproof box, and tell your personal representative exactly where it is. Copies are helpful for reference, but the court wants the signed original. Arizona also lets you deposit your will with the superior court for safekeeping during your lifetime under A.R.S. Section 14-2515, which can be a good option if you are worried the original could be lost or destroyed.6

Quick Arizona will checklist

  • You are 18 or older and of sound mind.
  • The will is entirely in your own handwriting (holographic route), or typed with two witnesses (formal route).
  • Your signature and all the gift provisions are handwritten.
  • You named a personal representative and a backup.
  • Each beneficiary and gift is clearly identified.
  • You named a guardian for any minor children.
  • You signed and dated the document.
  • The original is stored safely and someone you trust knows where to find it.

Once you have these boxes checked, you have a will that meets Arizona law. If you would rather be walked through each part and end up with clean, court-ready wording, our Arizona will builder guides you step by step. You can also see full example wording in our Arizona will template guide, or read more about the handwritten route in our Arizona holographic will guide.

Sources

  1. 1A.R.S. Section 14-2503, Holographic will (Arizona State Legislature) (azleg.gov)
  2. 2How to Write a Holographic Will in Arizona (JacksonWhite Law) (jacksonwhitelaw.com)
  3. 3A.R.S. Section 14-2502, Execution; witnessed wills (Arizona State Legislature) (azleg.gov)
  4. 4Intestate Succession in Arizona (Nolo) (nolo.com)
  5. 5A.R.S. Section 14-2102, Intestate share of surviving spouse (Arizona State Legislature) (azleg.gov)
  6. 6Arizona Last Will and Testament requirements and storage (eForms) (eforms.com)
Max Kuch

About the author

Max Kuch

Max Kuch writes about estate planning, wills and inheritance for Arizona Last Will. He gathers the rules from the Arizona statutes and the leading public data, then explains them in plain, accessible language so anyone can put their wishes in writing.

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Frequently asked questions

The document you generate is a ready-to-use draft, not a will that is already in force. Under A.R.S. Section 14-2503, Arizona recognizes a holographic will as valid when the signature and the material provisions are in your own handwriting. That means you take the draft and copy the substantive parts out by hand, then sign it. Once you have done that, no witnesses and no notary are required for it to be legally effective.

Arizona law treats a handwritten (holographic) will differently from a typed one. A printed document that you simply sign would need witnesses to be valid. A holographic will skips the witness requirement, but only because the key provisions are in your own handwriting, which is what proves the document is genuinely yours. So the handwriting is not busywork: it is the exact thing that makes the will valid without witnesses in Arizona.

Arizona is a community property state, which changes how this works. Your spouse already owns one half of the community property you built during the marriage, and that half is theirs regardless of what your will says. Beyond that, Arizona has no spousal elective share: unlike most states, it does not let a surviving spouse claim a fixed percentage of your estate, because community property is treated as the protection instead. You can generally disinherit an adult child, but to avoid an accidental omission being challenged you should name the child clearly and state your intention. A short, deliberate sentence is far safer than silence.

Keep the signed original somewhere safe and tell the person you named as personal representative where it is, since only the original can be probated. A fireproof box or safe at home works, as does a bank safe deposit box (be aware access can be delayed after death). Arizona also lets you deposit your will with the clerk of the superior court for safekeeping during your lifetime under A.R.S. Section 14-2515. There is no statewide will registry in Arizona, so make sure at least one trusted person knows the location.

We strongly recommend against a single joint document. Each spouse should make a separate will. The clean way to do this is mirror wills: two individual holographic wills with matching terms, for example each leaving everything to the other and then to the children. Because a holographic will must be in the testator's own handwriting, one shared sheet cannot be in both of your handwritings at once. Separate wills also let either of you update your own will later without tangling the other's.

Yes. A will only takes effect at death, so you can revise it any time while you are alive and of sound mind. The simplest and safest route is to handwrite a fresh holographic will that states it revokes all prior wills, then sign and date it. Avoid crossing things out or writing notes in the margins of an existing will, since that invites confusion and disputes. After a major life change such as a marriage, divorce, or a new grandchild, it is worth making a new one.

No, and we do not pretend it does. This service helps you produce a clear, well-structured draft for a straightforward Arizona estate. If your situation is more involved, for example a blended family, a business, property in more than one state, a special needs beneficiary, or a likely dispute among heirs, you should have an Arizona estate planning attorney review your plan. Think of this as a solid starting point, not legal advice.

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