State guide
Arizona
Arizona’s probate code expressly requires both publication and direct written notice to known creditors. Arizona also has a comparatively generous affidavit procedure for small estates, with different dollar limits for personal and real property.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Publishing the notice
- At appointment, the personal representative must publish notice once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and the statute separately requires mailed or delivered notice to known creditors.
- Creditor claim deadline
- 4 months after first publication; known creditors get the later of 4 months after published notice or 60 days after mailing/delivery
- Outside deadline
- 2 years after death plus any time remaining in a section 14-3801 notice period
- Law
- A.R.S. §§ 14-3801, 14-3803, 14-3971
- Small-estate limit
- $200,000 personal property by affidavit after 30 days; $300,000 Arizona real property by affidavit after 6 months
Official resources in Arizona
Official statewide self-help portal with probate information, forms, and instructions.
Official probate forms page for self-represented users and fiduciaries.
Official statute page for notice to creditors in Arizona probate estates.
Official statute page giving the claims bar dates tied to publication, actual notice, and death.
Official statute page for small-estate affidavits covering personal property, vehicles, and real property.
Key facts for Arizona
- Arizona requires publication once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. A.R.S. §14-3801(A).
- Published notice bars creditors unless claims are presented within four months after first publication. A.R.S. §14-3801(A).
- Known creditors must get written notice by mail or other delivery. A.R.S. §14-3801(B).
- Known creditors have the later of four months after published notice or sixty days after mailing or delivery. A.R.S. §14-3801(B).
- Pre-death claims are barred at the earlier of the notice periods or two years after death plus remaining notice time. A.R.S. §14-3803(A).
- Small-estate affidavits allow up to $200,000 personal property after 30 days and up to $300,000 Arizona real property after six months. A.R.S. §14-3971.
What to do next
- Use the Arizona Self-Service Center packets and probate forms before filing; they are designed for self-represented users.
- Send written notice to every known creditor and keep proof of mailing, because their deadline may extend beyond publication.
- Check whether affidavit transfer works before opening probate: the personal-property and real-property limits differ.
Helpful guides
- What is a notice to creditors in probate?
- How to publish a probate notice in a newspaper
- How much does it cost to publish a probate notice?
- What counts as a legal newspaper for probate notices
Creditor deadline calculator →