Most Arizona families ask the same first question: how long will this take?
In a straightforward, uncontested Arizona probate, the realistic answer is usually at least six to twelve months from the day the application is filed until the estate is ready to close. One of the biggest drivers of that timeline is Arizona law, not the court calendar. The other big factors include waiting to sell real estate or file a final tax return.
The Initial Filing: 1-2 Weeks
When the personal representative petitions the court to open probate, it doesn’t happen immediately. The court must review the petition, the will (if there is one) and all other supporting documents. This review process typically takes one to two weeks. Once the court reviews the petition and is satisfied all the necessary elements are met, the court will open probate and issue Letters appointing the personal representative.
The Creditor Period: The Four Month Floor Every Arizona Probate Faces
Arizona requires the personal representative to provide notice to estate creditors, both via mail and publication. Creditors then have four months from the first publication of that notice to present claims (A.R.S. § 14-3801). A personal representative generally cannot file a closing statement until that window has run and valid claims have been handled. That four month period is the practical minimum for most estates.
Other Time Consuming Tasks
One of the biggest variables in a probate is whether or not real estate needs to be sold. As anyone who has ever bought or sold a house knows, it can go quickly or take a long time. If the estate needs to sell real estate, it cannot close probate until the real estate is sold.
Also, probate cannot be closed until the deceased person’s final tax return has been filed. If a person passes early in the year, the personal representative may need to wait until the following year to file the final tax return.
Informal vs. Formal Probate Timelines
- Informal probate (the most common path in Maricopa County) is handled by the probate registrar rather than a judge. No hearing is required if the case is straightforward and no one objects. Many informal cases close in the 6–12 month range when assets are straightforward and heirs cooperate.
- Formal probate is used when there is a will contest, an unclear document, a dispute over who should serve, or other issues that need a judge. These cases commonly run 12–24 months or longer.
What Speeds Up an Arizona Probate
- Having the original will and a certified death certificate ready
- Clear beneficiary designations already in place on retirement accounts and life insurance
- Heirs who agree on the personal representative and on distributions
- Prompt inventory and tax filings
- A well-organized estate (bank accounts, deeds, and insurance already located)
What Slows It Down
- Missing original will
- Contested appointment of the personal representative
- Real estate that needs to be sold
- Beneficiary designations that are outdated or missing
- Out-of-state real estate (ancillary probate)
- Family disagreements
If you are handling a probate in Scottsdale, Phoenix, or elsewhere in Maricopa County and want a realistic timeline based on your specific facts, call our office at (480) 699-7992.
