Free Will Template for Arizona: Example to Copy by Hand (2026)

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In Arizona you can create a valid will without a lawyer, without a notary, and without any witnesses in the room. The state recognizes the handwritten will (the legal term is holographic will), and the rule is refreshingly simple: if the signature and the material provisions are in your own handwriting, the document is valid.1

This page gives you a free Arizona will template to copy out by hand. Read the short rules first, then copy one of the two sample texts below (single person, or married with children) in your own handwriting, changing the names, city, and gifts to match your situation.

Do not print this and sign it. A typed or printed will is not a valid holographic will in Arizona. The whole point is that the key content is in your handwriting. If you type it, you would then need two witnesses to make it a formal will. To use the free template below, you must write it out by hand.

Why a handwritten will is valid in Arizona

Arizona is a Uniform Probate Code state, and A.R.S. 14-2503 sets out the holographic will rule. A will that does not meet the formal witnessed requirements is still valid, whether or not it is witnessed, as long as the signature and the material provisions are in the testator's own handwriting.1 That means no witnesses and no notary are required for this type of will.

The phrase "material provisions" refers to the parts of the will that actually do the work: who you name as beneficiaries and what each of them receives. Those clauses must be in your handwriting for the will to stand. Courts can compare the document to other samples of your handwriting to confirm it is genuine.2 For a deeper walkthrough of the statute, see our guide to the Arizona holographic will.

How to copy the template correctly

Follow these steps so your document qualifies under Arizona law:

  1. Write the entire will by hand on plain paper, using pen. Do not type, print, or fill in a form.
  2. Keep the gifts and beneficiary names in your own handwriting. These are the material provisions.
  3. State clearly that the document is your will and that you intend it to dispose of your property.
  4. Date it and sign it yourself at the end.

If you want a fuller explanation of each clause, our step by step article on how to write a will in Arizona covers naming an executor, guardians for minor children, and common mistakes.

Sample will template: single person

Copy the following in your own handwriting. Replace the names, the Arizona city, and the gifts with your own details.

Template: single person, gifts to family

Last Will and Testament of Robert James Carter

I, Robert James Carter, a resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will and testament. I revoke all prior wills and codicils.

1. I give my home and its contents at 000 Example Street, Scottsdale, Arizona, to my sister, Susan Marie Carter.

2. I give my savings and all remaining property, of every kind, to my nephew, Daniel Robert Carter.

3. I appoint my sister, Susan Marie Carter, as the personal representative (executor) of my estate, to serve without bond.

Signed this 3rd day of July, 2026, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

_______________________________

Robert James Carter

Sample will template: married with children

This version leaves everything to a spouse, with the children as backup beneficiaries. Again, copy it by hand and change the details to fit your family.

Template: married with children

Last Will and Testament of Margaret Ann Wilson

I, Margaret Ann Wilson, a resident of Tucson, Arizona, being of sound mind, declare this to be my last will and testament. I revoke all prior wills and codicils.

1. I give all of my property, of every kind and wherever located, to my husband, Thomas Edward Wilson, if he survives me.

2. If my husband does not survive me, I give all of my property in equal shares to my children, Emily Rose Wilson and James Thomas Wilson.

3. I appoint my husband, Thomas Edward Wilson, as personal representative (executor) of my estate. If he is unable to serve, I appoint my daughter, Emily Rose Wilson, to serve without bond.

Signed this 3rd day of July, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona.

_______________________________

Margaret Ann Wilson

The signature rule

Sign the will yourself, in your own hand, at the end of the document. Under A.R.S. 14-2503, the signature is one of the two elements that must be in your handwriting, so an initial, a typed name, or a stamp will not do.1 Adding the date and the city where you sign (Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Mesa, or wherever you are) is good practice: it fixes the will in time, which matters if you ever write a newer one that should override the old.

What Arizona community property means for your spouse

Arizona is a community property state. In general, property that you and your spouse acquire during the marriage is community property, and your spouse already owns one half of it. Your will only controls your own half of the community property, plus your separate property.3

Here is a distinctive Arizona point worth knowing. Unlike many states, Arizona has no spousal elective share. In most non community property states a surviving spouse can claim a fixed percentage of the estate even if the will leaves them out. Arizona does not offer that election, because the community property system is treated as already protecting the spouse through their automatic one half ownership.4

If you die without any valid will, Arizona's intestacy statute takes over. Under A.R.S. 14-2102, if all of your children are also your surviving spouse's children, the spouse inherits everything. If you have children from another relationship, the spouse keeps their half of the community property but takes only one half of your separate property, and the children share the rest.5 Those default rules often surprise blended families, which is exactly why a will is worth writing.6

Storing your finished will

Once your handwritten will is signed and dated, keep the original somewhere safe and make sure the person you named as personal representative knows where to find it. A fireproof box at home, a trusted family member, or a safe deposit box are all common choices. Tell at least one person you trust; a will that no one can locate does no good. Arizona courts probate the original document, so protect it from loss and damage.

Ready to write yours

You now have everything you need to create a valid Arizona will: copy one of the templates above in your own handwriting, adjust the names and gifts, add the date and city, and sign it. If you would rather answer a few plain questions and get a clean, Arizona ready draft to copy out, you can start with our guided will builder and have your text organized in minutes.

Sources

  1. 1A.R.S. 14-2503, Holographic will (Arizona State Legislature) (azleg.gov)
  2. 2How to Write a Holographic Will in Arizona (JacksonWhite Law) (jacksonwhitelaw.com)
  3. 3Arizona Inheritance Laws: What You Should Know (SmartAsset) (smartasset.com)
  4. 4Understanding Community Property and Estate Planning in Arizona (KEYTLaw) (keytlaw.com)
  5. 5A.R.S. 14-2102, Intestate share of surviving spouse (Arizona State Legislature) (azleg.gov)
  6. 6Intestate Succession in Arizona (Nolo) (nolo.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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