Estate planning and probate practice anchored in Show Low's White Mountains, serving Navajo and Apache County families, with seven other offices across the Phoenix metro, Tucson, and Payson. Attorneys draft wills and trusts, guide personal representatives through probate, and handle estate tax matters. Founding partners are Shad M. Brown and Scott T. Jensen.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Navajo County, Arizona
How probate works in Navajo County: the Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Navajo County Superior Court
Navajo County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
100 East Code Talkers Drive, Holbrook, AZ 86025
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Navajo 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 Navajo County, probate runs through the Superior Court at 100 East Code Talkers Drive, Holbrook.
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 Navajo County
What probate costs in Navajo 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 100 East Code Talkers Drive, Holbrook.
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 Navajo 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 Records Department, Superior Court (Show Low), and County Switchboard.
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 Navajo County Self-Filing Assessment.
Navajo 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
Under Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901, Attachment A, § III(F), wills and any document used to initiate a probate case may not be e-filed, so the application or petition and the original will are filed in person or by mail. Later documents in an open probate case may be e-filed through eFileAZ; a self-represented filer e-files under a registered eFileAZ login.
SourceThe Probate Registrar reviews informal applications within three business days
The Clerk accepts the original application papers for review by the Probate Registrar or Deputy Registrar within three business days and date-stamps extra copies as proof of filing. The filer is contacted when the documents are ready, picks them up within one business day of the notice, and resubmits any deficient papers once corrected.
SourceRecords Access
Court records requested on the Clerk's Records Request Form
The Clerk of Superior Court Records Request Form is emailed to navajorecords@courts.az.gov, mailed to the Clerk, or faxed to the Records Department at 928-524-4261. Copies are $0.50 per page printed or emailed; a paper certification is $35.00 per document plus copies; a case file emailed as a link is $35.00. Payment is by money order mailed to the Clerk, by phone at 877-717-4655, or online, with a 2.39% convenience fee on card payments.
SourceWhat 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 Navajo County
In Arizona a death is registered locally, and in Navajo County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Public Health Services District, Office of Vital Records, Navajo County as well as by Arizona Department of Health Services - Bureau of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Navajo County · Public Health Services District, Office of Vital Records
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
117 East Buffalo Street, Holbrook, AZ 86025
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
Fax
1-928-524-4754
Local rule
- The office issues certified copies for Arizona deaths from February 1, 2008 on, and earlier deaths go to the state Bureau of Vital Records. A death in the last 30 to 90 days may not yet be in the database.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $20 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Navajo County · Office of the Medical Examiner
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
600 North 9th Street, Show Low, AZ 85901
Website
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Navajo 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 Navajo County are recorded with the County Recorder at 100 East Code Talkers Drive, Holbrook, AZ 86025. Phone: 1-928-524-4194. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 668, Holbrook, AZ 86025.
The County Recorder charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
Navajo County accepts electronic recording through CSC, Data Services, ePN, Indecomm and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Navajo County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
100 East Code Talkers Drive, Holbrook, AZ 86025
Website
P.O. Box 668
Holbrook, AZ 86025
Fax
1-928-524-4308
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $30 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No 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
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Navajo County
Arizona allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Navajo 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 Navajo 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.
Pinetop-Lakeside firm on West White Mountain Boulevard serving Navajo County families, with a second office in Tucson. Its wills, trusts, and estates practice prepares wills and trusts built to avoid probate, plan for illness or incapacity, protect beneficiaries, and pay for medical and long-term care, alongside family law and civil litigation.
General-practice northern Arizona firm in downtown Flagstaff, serving Flagstaff, Sedona, Williams, and surrounding communities. Its estates and trusts practice handles estate planning, trust creation, and disputing or defending wills alongside the firm's litigation work.
Snowflake solo practice serving Navajo and Apache county families through the White Mountain Region's probate courts. Handles probate, small estate affidavits, guardianships and conservatorships, and estate litigation alongside wills and trusts. Free consultations, and always free for probate questions.
One of Flagstaff's oldest law firms, serving Coconino County and Northern Arizona from its North Elden Street office since 1955. Its probate practice handles document preparation and filing, creditor notification, tax issues, and distribution of property, and represents clients in contested probate matters, alongside real estate and business work.
Show Low solo practice on South White Mountain Road serving the White Mountains communities of Navajo and Apache Counties. Probate work runs from the application for appointment of a personal representative through inventory, distribution, and closing of the estate, and trust administration covers publication, notice to creditors, inventory, distribution, and termination of the trust.
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.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- A.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)
- A.R.S. § 14-3301
- A.R.S. § 14-3719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- A.R.S. §§ 14-3103 (necessity of letters), 14-3301 to 14-3311 (informal appointment), 14-3401 to 14-3414 (formal appointment)
- A.R.S. §§ 14-3801, 14-3803, 14-3804, 14-3805, 14-3806
- A.R.S. § 11-475(A)(1)
- Navajo County Superior Court, official page
- Navajo County Recorder, official page
- Navajo County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
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.
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