The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Arizona with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
This page is built to print. Use your browser's Print command and choose "Save as PDF" for a one-page Arizona reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Arizona probate pages.
Arizona probate fees
| Item | Arizona |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee | Roughly $300 to open an informal probate in the Superior Court (about $306 in Maricopa County); amounts vary slightly by county. Add publication of notice to creditors and certified copies. |
| Attorney fees | Not statutory. Arizona is a Uniform Probate Code state, so there is no fixed percentage. Attorneys charge an hourly rate or a flat fee for routine work, and the fee must be 'reasonable.' A.R.S. §14-3721 lets any interested person ask the court to review the reasonableness of the personal representative's or attorney's compensation, and A.R.S. §14-3720 allows reasonable attorney fees and expenses for a representative who prosecutes or defends a proceeding in good faith. |
| Executor / personal representative fees | Not statutory. Under A.R.S. §14-3719, the personal representative is entitled to 'reasonable compensation' for services — Arizona has no California-style percentage schedule. Reasonableness is judged on the size and complexity of the estate and the time and skill involved; family representatives often waive the fee. |
| Fee basis | reasonable |
Worked example
On a $400,000 Arizona estate, a reasonable executor fee is typically a few thousand dollars up to the low five figures, depending on hours worked and complexity; a professional fiduciary bills its hourly rate. Arizona courts do not apply a fixed percentage of the estate.
Arizona thresholds and deadlines
| Item | Arizona |
|---|---|
| Small-estate threshold | Effective September 26, 2025 (HB 2116), the small-estate affidavit limits under A.R.S. §14-3971 are $200,000 for personal property (collectible by affidavit 30 days after death) and $300,000 of equity in real property (by affidavit of succession 6 months after death). The prior limits were $75,000 and $100,000. |
| Creditor claim period | Four months after the first publication of notice to creditors (or 60 days after mailed notice to a known creditor, whichever is later), under A.R.S. §14-3801 and §14-3803. |
| Typical duration | About 5 to 12 months for a routine informal probate. The four-month creditor-claim window sets the practical floor; the estate must stay open at least five months before it can close. |
| Simplified real-property transfer | Real property with equity up to $300,000 can transfer outside formal probate using an affidavit of succession to real property under A.R.S. §14-3971, filed at least six months after death. |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Arizona allows a beneficiary deed (its form of transfer-on-death deed) for real estate under A.R.S. §33-405. The owner records a deed naming a grantee beneficiary before death; the owner keeps full control and can revoke it any time, and the property passes to the beneficiary at death outside probate. |
What passes outside Arizona probate
These transfers are not part of the estate the fees above are calculated on:
- Beneficiary designations — retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death accounts.
- Joint ownership with right of survivorship.
- Transfer-on-death deed — Arizona allows a beneficiary deed (its form of transfer-on-death deed) for real estate under A.R.S. §33-405. The owner records a deed naming a grantee beneficiary before death; the owner keeps full control and can revoke it any time, and the property passes to the beneficiary at death outside probate.
- Assets titled into a funded living trust.
Sources for this sheet
- Statutes: A.R.S. §14-3719; A.R.S. §14-3720; A.R.S. §14-3721; A.R.S. §14-3971; A.R.S. §14-3801; A.R.S. §14-3803; A.R.S. §33-405
- State authority: Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 14 (Arizona State Legislature)
- Executor fees: https://www.azleg.gov/ars/14/03719.htm
- Small-estate procedure: https://www.azleg.gov/ars/14/03971.htm
- Creditor claim period: https://www.azleg.gov/ars/14/03801.htm
- Transfer-on-death deed: https://www.azleg.gov/ars/33/00405.htm
Compiled August 15, 2026 from the sources listed above. Fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs are amended by legislatures and courts — confirm each figure against the cited statute or the Arizona court before relying on it.
The full Arizona guides
- How Much Does Probate Cost in Arizona? — the full cost breakdown.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Arizona? — the fee rule in detail.
- How Long Does Probate Take in Arizona? — the timeline and its statutory floor.
- Executor Deadlines in Arizona — inventory deadline, creditor-claim period and outer bar, each quoted from the statute.
- How to Avoid Probate in Arizona — the transfers that pass outside it.
- How Much Does a Will Cost in Arizona? — execution requirements and pricing.
Fee sheets for other states
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This sheet sets out Arizona probate figures as published at the time of compilation. It is not legal advice. Figures and statutes change and their application depends on the specific estate. Confirm current figures with the Arizona courts or a licensed Arizona attorney.