What to Do When Someone Dies in Maricopa County, Arizona

How probate works in Maricopa County: the Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.

What probate costsHow to fileDeath certificatesTransferring propertyLocal attorneys

Probate Court Record

Maricopa County Superior Court

Maricopa County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Office

201 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003

E-filing

Optional

Filing in person

Walk-ins accepted

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

Court forms packet

Open in Google Maps

E-filing

OptionalSince July 31, 2025, later filings in an open probate case may be e-filed through eFileAZ, and e-filing is optional for self-represented litigants. Wills and informal probate resubmissions may not be e-filed, and under ACJA § 1-901 neither may a document that initiates a probate case or letters in a probate case. On paper: Wills; Documents that initiate a probate case; Informal probate resubmissions; Letters in probate cases.

Filing in person

Walk-ins acceptedThe Probate Filing Counter is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 201 W. Jefferson Street in Phoenix, 222 E. Javelina in Mesa, 14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane in Surprise, and 18380 N. 40th Street, Suite 120, in northeast Phoenix. An appointment to file can be booked online at any of the four counters, and appointments are served ahead of walk-in customers. Documents can also be left in one of the Clerk's four external filing depository boxes, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Self-represented filing

AllowedThe Law Library Resource Center publishes probate form packets, including the small estate affidavit and informal probate of a decedent's estate, along with guardianship, conservatorship and adult adoption packets. ezCourtForms prepares court documents through a guided interview. Clerks cannot give legal advice.

Accepted payment

  • At the counterCheck, Money order, Credit card.Probate filings take a money order with signature and address, or a business check, made payable to "Clerk of the Court", and Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Personal checks are not accepted. A business check is accepted only if it matches the business name of a party in the case or comes from a law firm, process server or runner service, or certified document preparer.

Self-help center

  • Law Library Resource Center (LLRC), East Court Building, 101 W. Jefferson St., 1st Floor, Phoenix; also at 222 E. Javelina Ave., Mesa, 18380 N. 40th St., Phoenix, and 14264 W. Tierra Buena Ln., Surprise1-602-506-7353 · services@jbazmc.maricopa.gov · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PMThe Law Library Resource Center provides probate forms, webinars, workshops, explainer videos and self-help tools, and its staff give legal research guidance without legal advice. The Probate Lawyers Assistance Program offers a self-represented probate litigant up to a 30-minute phone consultation with a volunteer attorney, free for eligible low-income persons and $40.00 in cash otherwise, on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon by appointment at 602-732-2834. An intake form is completed and signed before the consultation.

Verified October 15, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Maricopa County

Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Maricopa County, probate runs through the Superior Court at 201 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix.

The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Arizona intestacy law when there is no will.

Most Arizona estates take 6 months to 9 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsA.R.S. §§ 14-3801, 14-3803, 14-3804, 14-3805, 14-3806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.

What Probate Costs in Maricopa County

What probate costs in Maricopa County, Arizona comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Superior Court at 201 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix.

The Superior Court charges $306A.R.S. § 12-284(A) (class C); A.R.S. § 12-284.01 (document storage fund); A.R.S. § 11-251.08 (county fees); Ariz. Sup. Ct. Admin. Order 2024-210 (eff. Dec. 28, 2024)Verified Oct 17, 2026 to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.

Estimate the costs for this estate:

Attorney fees in Arizona are negotiated, typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.

Arizona allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payA.R.S. § 14-3719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.

Arizona requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.

A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under A.R.S. § 14-3603Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.

Probate in Arizona typically runs 6 months to 9 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.

How to File Probate at the Superior Court

Probate documents in Maricopa County can be filed in person at the Superior Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.

Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Probate and Mental Health Department, Clerk of the Superior Court, Clerk of the Superior Court eFile Support, and AOC eFiling Support Services.

The Law Library Resource Center provides probate forms, webinars, workshops, explainer videos and self-help tools, and its staff give legal research guidance without legal advice. The Probate Lawyers Assistance Program offers a self-represented probate litigant up to a 30-minute phone consultation with a volunteer attorney, free for eligible low-income persons and $40.00 in cash otherwise, on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon by appointment at 602-732-2834. An intake form is completed and signed before the consultation.

Can You File Without an Attorney?

In Arizona, informal probate is availableA.R.S. § 14-3301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.

For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Maricopa County Self-Filing Assessment.

Maricopa County Filing Requirements

These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.

Before You File

Wills and case-initiating probate documents are filed on paper

Case-initiating documents and later filings in a probate case may be filed in person, by mail, or in a filing depository box. Since July 31, 2025, later probate filings may also be e-filed through eFileAZ; under ACJA § 1-901 case-initiating documents and wills in a probate case may not be e-filed, and the Clerk also excludes informal probate resubmissions from e-filing.

Source

Mailed probate filings go to the Probate File Counter

Mail probate documents to the Clerk of the Superior Court's Office, Probate File Counter, 201 W. Jefferson, Phoenix, AZ 85003, with the originals, copies, the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The Clerk conforms up to five copies of a new case filing and up to three copies of a later filing. The filing party's name, address and phone number go in the upper left corner of every document, and the filing date is the date the Clerk's Office receives the documents.

Source

Records Access

A demand for notice can be filed before a probate case exists

A demand for notice does not need an existing probate case number. The Probate Registrar checks every new informal probate against the demand list; once an estate is opened, the demand is filed into it, and a demand with no case opened within 2 years of submission is destroyed.

Source

What to Bring

Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court: Original will and any codicils, if testate (lodged/deposited with the court) (A.R.S. § 14-2516); Application for Informal Appointment with required § 14-3301 contents (heirs/devisees, domicile, priority)A.R.S. §§ 14-3103 (necessity of letters), 14-3301 to 14-3311 (informal appointment), 14-3401 to 14-3414 (formal appointment)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.

Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Maricopa County

In Arizona a death is registered locally, and in Maricopa County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Office of Vital Registration, Maricopa County as well as by Arizona Department of Health Services - Bureau of Vital Records.

Vital Records Office Record

Local Health Department

Maricopa County · Office of Vital Registration

Hours

Monday-Tuesday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM; Wednesday 9:00 AM-4:30 PM; Thursday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM

Office

1645 East Roosevelt Street, Phoenix, AZ 85006

Certified copies

At the counter, issued while you wait

Order online

VitalChek

Open in Google Maps

Mail

Office of Vital Registration P.O. Box 2111 Phoenix, AZ 85001

Verified November 1, 2026 · Source

Coroner or Medical Examiner Record

Medical Examiner

Maricopa County · Office of the Medical Examiner

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Office

701 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007

Open in Google Maps

Mail and offices

Fax

1-602-506-1546

Verified November 1, 2026 · Source

Transferring Property in Maricopa County

Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Recorder.

Deeds and other real property documents for Maricopa County are recorded with the County Recorder at 301 West Jefferson Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Phone: 1-602-506-3535. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.

The County Recorder charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.

Maricopa County accepts electronic recording through Maricopa County Digital Recording Program (Simplifile, CSC and ePN).

Recording Office Record

County Recorder

Maricopa County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Office

301 West Jefferson Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Phoenix, AZ 85003

Open in Google Maps

Fees

Recording fees

Flat fee (any length)$30
Transfer tax on a TOD deedNo transfer tax applies to TOD deeds

A.R.S. § 11-475(A)(1)

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

Forms that put a death on the title

Probate Attorneys Serving Maricopa County

Arizona allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Maricopa County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.

Probate attorney fees in Arizona are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Maricopa County firm to quote a structure up front.

A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.

FirmPhoenix, AZ

Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A.

Since 1970 · Serves 1 county

Phoenix firm handling Maricopa County estate and probate matters from its North Central Avenue offices. The trusts-and-estates group administers revocable and irrevocable trusts, takes personal representatives and heirs through formal and informal probate, and litigates will contests and other testamentary disputes. Dedicated tax attorneys handle estate and gift tax planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTax Planning

Office
1850 N Central Ave, Suite 1700Phoenix, AZ 85004

FirmMesa, AZ

Cardis Law Group, PLLC

Serves 4 counties

Mesa firm handling probate across Maricopa and Pinal Counties (Casa Grande, San Tan Valley, Florence, Apache Junction), plus Cochise and La Paz. Led by Philip G. Cardis, it guides personal representatives through formal and informal proceedings — appointments, estate inventories, creditor claims, small estate affidavits, final accounting — and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateAsset ProtectionBusiness LawReal Estate

Office
2929 N Power Rd, Suite 101Mesa, AZ 85215
Free consultation

FirmMesa, AZ

Copper Canyon Law, LLC

Serves 1 county

East Valley firm on West Main Street in Mesa, with offices in Peoria and Scottsdale, serving the greater Phoenix area. Handles informal probate, trust administration for successor trustees under the Arizona Trust Code, guardianships and conservatorships, and trust and estate litigation alongside estate planning. Free initial consultation with an attorney.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more

Office
1 W Main StMesa, AZ 85201
Free consultation

Solo PracticeGlendale, AZ

Desert Valley Law, PLLC

Serves 1 county

Glendale firm on West Bell Road serving West Valley and Maricopa County clients. Prepares wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, and pairs estate planning with business formation, succession, and transaction work. Patrick J. Monahan was admitted to the Arizona bar in 2007.

PracticesEstate PlanningBusiness Law

Office
7025 W Bell Rd, Suite 8Glendale, AZ 85308

FirmGoodyear, AZ

Faith Law, PLC

Since 1979 · Serves 1 county

Goodyear firm founded in 1979 by Paul J. Faith, serving West Valley and Maricopa County families from offices in Goodyear and Surprise. Estate work covers wills, powers of attorney, and trusts with estate tax strategies, plus probate and estate administration and guardianship and conservatorship proceedings. Also handles real estate, business law, and bankruptcy.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipand 2 more

Office
1360 N Bullard Ave, Ste 201Goodyear, AZ 85395
Free consultation

FirmScottsdale, AZ

Galbut Beabeau, P.C.

Serves 1 county

Scottsdale business firm on North Scottsdale Road whose estate practice serves Maricopa County clients. Estate planning covers contingent trusts for children, administration of vacation property, gifting strategies, and general asset protection, coordinated with the firm's business, tax, and real estate attorneys.

PracticesEstate PlanningAsset ProtectionBusiness LawReal Estate

Office
6720 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 305Scottsdale, AZ 85253
See all 41 firms serving Maricopa County →

Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.

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Legal Sources

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Data sourced from Arizona statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.

Tools for Settling an Estate in Arizona

Free tools for settling an estate in Arizona: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Arizona.

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Arizona: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysA.R.S. §§ 14-3706, 14-3707, 14-3708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsA.R.S. §§ 14-3801, 14-3803, 14-3804, 14-3805, 14-3806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.

See the Steps

How Do I Settle a Trust?

Settling a trust in Arizona happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeA.R.S. § 14-10101 et seq. (Title 14, Chapter 11)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysA.R.S. §§ 14-10813, 14-10109, 14-11005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.

See the Steps

Can I Self-File Probate?

In Arizona, informal probate is availableA.R.S. § 14-3301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.

Get the Answer

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Bank serving the Southwest, Midwest, and more

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