Bueler Camp Verde Funeral Home is on West Arnold Street in Camp Verde. It states it offers burial and cremation, with a crematory on site that it owns and operates. The site calls Bueler the Verde Valley's only family owned and operated funeral home; the family bought the Hepler Funeral Home here in 2005.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Yavapai County, Arizona
How probate works in Yavapai County: the Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Yavapai County Superior Court
Yavapai County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
120 South Cortez Street, Room 207, Prescott, AZ 86303
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
OptionalACJA § 1-901, Attachment A (version effective June 1, 2026): e-filing through eFileAZ is authorized for probate post-initiation documents in every county other than Pima, and is not mandatory in probate cases. Wills, any document used to initiate a probate case, and letters in probate cases may not be e-filed. On paper: Wills; Documents that initiate a probate case; Letters in probate cases.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedIn-person filing Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00 at the Clerk of the Superior Court, 120 S. Cortez Street, Room 207, Prescott, or 2840 N. Commonwealth Drive, Camp Verde, with the original and two copies to be conformed. Self-service depository boxes at the Prescott courthouse, the Camp Verde courthouse and the Yavapai County Justice Center take filings 24 hours a day. By mail, send the originals, copies and a self-addressed stamped envelope; the Clerk conforms two copies and mails them back.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Self-Service Center (Law Library) publishes Yavapai County probate packets: Appointment of a Personal Representative (Packet 94a), Distribution of Assets and Closing the Estate (94b), accountings (95), small-estate affidavits for personal property (92) and real property (93), and more. Printed forms are sold at the Law Library and the Camp Verde Clerk counter.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Credit card, Debit card.The Superior Court payment policy accepts cash, cashier's checks, money orders and debit or credit cards, and checks with proper identification for obligations other than criminal ones. Mailed and depository-box filing fees are paid by personal check, cashier's check, business check or money order payable to "Clerk of Superior Court", with a copy of a government-issued photo ID; no cash in the depository boxes. Filing fees can also be paid online. No loose or rolled coin over $1.00; a returned check carries a $25.00 charge.
Self-help center
- Law Library, Yavapai County Courthouse, 120 S. Cortez Street, Room 112, Prescott1-928-771-3309 · yavlawlib@courts.az.gov · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PMThe staffed Law Library and Self-Service Center provides court forms, public computers with Westlaw and a terminal to view Yavapai County Superior Court case documents. Camp Verde has an unstaffed law library area at 2840 N. Commonwealth Drive, Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00, with a direct phone line to the Prescott library.
County forms
- Probate Cover SheetYavapai County cover sheet filed with a new probate case, recording the decedent's domicile (Prescott or Verde Valley area), the petitioner and the personal representative.
- Probate Information Form for Decedent's EstateFiled with the application or petition in a decedent's estate, and updated when the information changes.
- Information: Application for Appointment (Informal Appointment)Self-Service Center instructions for Packet 94a: what to file with the Probate Registrar, where, and what happens after filing.
- Sample Format and Document RequirementsYavapai County caption sample and paper, margin and page-numbering rules for documents a self-represented party prepares.
Fax
1-928-771-3111
Departments
- Court Administration1-928-771-3483 · Room 410 · yavapaicourtadmin@courts.az.gov
- Probate1-928-777-7949 · yavapaiprobatespecialist@courts.az.govProbate Specialist, Prescott
- Probate (Camp Verde)1-928-554-8536 · 2840 North Commonwealth Drive, Camp Verde, AZ 86322 · yavapaiprobatespecialist@courts.az.gov
- Records1-928-777-7934 · yavapairecordsmanagement@courts.az.gov
About the court
- Additional Clerk filing locations: Camp Verde Superior Court, 2840 N. Commonwealth Drive, Camp Verde, AZ 86322 (928-567-7741, fax 928-567-7720); Yavapai County Justice Center, 1200 Prescott Lakes Parkway, Bldg A, Prescott; Juvenile Justice Center, 1100 Prescott Lakes Parkway, Room 3-100, Prescott (928-771-3103).
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Yavapai 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 Yavapai County, probate runs through the Superior Court at 120 South Cortez Street, Room 207, Prescott.
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 Yavapai County
What probate costs in Yavapai 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 120 South Cortez Street, Room 207, Prescott.
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 Yavapai 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 Court Administration, Probate, Probate (Camp Verde), and Records.
The staffed Law Library and Self-Service Center provides court forms, public computers with Westlaw and a terminal to view Yavapai County Superior Court case documents. Camp Verde has an unstaffed law library area at 2840 N. Commonwealth Drive, Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00, with a direct phone line to the Prescott library.
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 Yavapai County Self-Filing Assessment.
Yavapai 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, by mail, or via filing depository. 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 decedent's residence sets the court location within the county
The Self-Service Center instructions state that the court location for an informal appointment application is determined by the decedent's residence at death: the Yavapai County Courthouse, 120 S. Cortez Street, Prescott (928-771-3312 ext. 4322), or the Superior Court at 2840 N. Commonwealth Drive, Camp Verde (928-567-7741). The Probate Cover Sheet records whether the decedent was domiciled in the Prescott or Verde Valley area.
SourceSelf-service depository boxes take filings around the clock
Depository boxes at the Yavapai County Courthouse, the Camp Verde courthouse and the Yavapai County Justice Center are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The filer time-stamps the first page of the original and copies in the upper right corner; an illegible or missing stamp is replaced by the time staff process the document. Filing fees are attached by check or money order payable to "Clerk of Superior Court"; no cash. Documents over one inch thick are split into labeled sections.
SourceDocument Requirements
Informal appointment filing set and Registrar review
The filer brings or mails the original and a copy of the Probate Cover Sheet, Probate Information Form, Application for Appointment, original will if any, the fiduciary training certificates for a non-licensed fiduciary, any signed waivers of appointment and bond, the Statement of Informal Appointment, the proposed Order to Personal Representative, and the Letters with a signed, notarized Acceptance. The Probate Registrar reviews the papers after filing, not at the counter; the Probate Department (928-777-7949) gives the current processing time, and signed papers are mailed back when a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided.
SourceDocument format for self-prepared filings
The Clerk's sample format calls for white, unlined 8 1/2" x 11" paper printed on one side, margins of 2" at the top of the first page (1 1/2" on later pages), 1" left, 1/2" right and 1/2" bottom, a page number at the bottom of every page after the first, and a blank upper right corner.
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 Yavapai County
In Arizona a death is registered locally, and in Yavapai County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Community Health Services Vital Records, Yavapai County as well as by Arizona Department of Health Services - Bureau of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Yavapai County · Community Health Services Vital Records
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1090 Commerce Drive, Prescott, AZ 86305
Website
Certified copies
Not issued at a public counter
Fax
1-928-771-3129
Local rule
- The office is a mail-order facility and processes applications within 7 to 10 business days. Applications may also go in the lock boxes at the county offices in Cottonwood and Prescott Valley.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $20 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Yavapai County · Medical Examiner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
7100 B North County Fair Trail, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Website
Mail and offices
Yavapai County Medical Examiner's Office
918 Prosser Street
Prescott, AZ 86301
Fax
1-928-771-3504
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Yavapai County
4 funeral homes and crematories in Yavapai County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Verde Valley Crematory is the crematory at 143 West Arnold Street in Camp Verde, the address of Bueler Camp Verde Funeral Home. The funeral home's site states it added an on-site crematory to its Camp Verde office in March 2007 and owns and operates it, so the person in its care stays with the home.
Bueler Cottonwood Funeral Home is on South 6th Street in Cottonwood, opened by the Bueler family in 2009 as a second home beside its Camp Verde one. It states it offers burial and cremation, with cremation in the operator's own crematory at the Camp Verde office. The site calls Bueler the Verde Valley's only family owned and operated funeral home.
Advanced Cremation Care is on North Arizona Avenue in Prescott, in Yavapai County. Its site states it is available 24/7, 365 days per year, and offers an online pre-arrangements form and downloadable forms, including a cremation authorization and the Arizona death registration worksheet.
Funeral homes by city: Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Prescott
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Yavapai 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 Yavapai County are recorded with the County Recorder at 1015 Fair Street, 2nd Floor, Prescott, AZ 86305. Phone: 1-928-771-3244. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-11:00 AM and noon-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
Yavapai County accepts electronic recording through Tyler Portico.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Yavapai County
Phone
1-928-771-3244 (option 6)
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-11:00 AM and noon-5:00 PM
Office
1015 Fair Street, 2nd Floor, Prescott, AZ 86305
Website
E-recording
Fees
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 Yavapai County
Arizona allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Yavapai 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 Yavapai 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.
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.
Prescott firm on Dollar Mark Way serving Yavapai and Coconino County families, with a separate Flagstaff phone line. Its estate practice covers trust, will and ancillary document preparation plus trust administration and probate, alongside business planning. Free initial consultations.
Downtown Prescott firm in the historic Oliver Building serving Yavapai County clients. The estate team prepares living trusts, wills, spendthrift trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary deeds, and handles probate and guardianship and conservatorship matters, alongside the firm's personal injury, family law, and criminal defense work.
Four-office Arizona firm whose Prescott Valley location serves Yavapai County families in Prescott, Cottonwood, Camp Verde, and the Verde Valley. The practice centers on probate administration, trust administration, and small estate administration, representing personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries asserting their rights. Complimentary consultations.
Estate practice in Prescott serving Yavapai County communities including Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey, and Paulden. Drafts wills and revocable trusts, guides successor trustees through trust and estate administration, and handles uncontested probate and conservatorship matters. Free consultations and flat-fee pricing.
Payson office on the Beeline Highway serving Gila County and the wider Rim Country, part of a statewide Arizona estate-planning firm with ten additional offices across the Phoenix valley, Tucson, Prescott, and Sun City. Handles wills, living trusts, formal and informal probate, and trust administration. Offers free initial consultations.
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)
- Yavapai County Superior Court, official page
- Yavapai County Recorder, official page
- Yavapai 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.
Get the Answer
Hire an Arizona Probate Attorney
Browse vetted Arizona attorneys handling probate matters.
Browse firms
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
