Someone died in Arizona. Start here.
The first 24 hours, in order, then the first week and the first month, with Arizona's actual rules for death certificates, cremation, and probate. This page is free. No account required.
Sources: official Arizona statutes and agencies, linked below. Last updated: October 2026.
Start with safety, the required local response, and the people who can help. The exact process depends on where and how the death occurred.
These figures come from the same data as our full Arizona guide, built from state statutes and official agencies.
Death certificate
Filed within 7 days of custody
The window runs from receiving possession of the body. The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs. Confirm the current fee with the issuing office; the guide's last-reviewed first-copy or search fee starts at $20. Additional-copy, vendor, and expedited fees may differ.
Source: A.R.S. 36-325, 36-326 (Arizona Vital Records) (opens in a new tab)Cremation
24-hour standard wait
Arizona's standard statutory wait is 24 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
Source: A.R.S. 36-831, 36-831.01, 32-1365.01 (disposition of remains) (opens in a new tab)Probate
$200,000 listed amount
The amount alone doesn’t establish eligibility. Confirm which property counts, how it’s valued, the waiting period, ownership, any pending court case, and every other state condition.
Source: A.R.S. 14-3971 (Arizona small estate affidavits) (opens in a new tab)Estate tax
None in this state
Arizona has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026; other Form 706 filing reasons can still apply.
Source 1: Arizona Department of Revenue (opens in a new tab)Source 2: IRS: 2026 estate tax basic exclusion amount (opens in a new tab)Days 2 to 7 · 1 to 7 days
These tasks often begin during the first week, but local requirements and the family's circumstances may change the order.
Weeks 2 to 4 · 1 to 4 weeks
The immediate calls may slow down. Estate, account, benefit, property, and tax work often continues for months.
The Long Game · 1 month+
Estate administration may take months or longer. The timing depends on the assets, claims, disputes, tax work, court schedule, and state procedure.
Have the death officially pronounced. For an expected hospice death, call the hospice nurse and follow the hospice instructions. For an unexpected death, call 911 and don’t move the body until you’re told you can. Then notify the closest people and, after the body is released, contact the funeral, cremation, burial, or donation provider the person chose.
In Arizona, the death certificate must be filed within 7 days of receiving possession of the body. The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs.
The state form takes orders from a parent, spouse, grandparent, other relative or government agency and requires proof of the relationship or documentation of eligibility with every request. We couldn't check the department's own web page on who can obtain a death certificate when we reviewed this on September 18, 2026. Certified copies come from Arizona's Bureau of Vital Records, Arizona Department of Health Services, in Phoenix; participating county vital records offices take walk-in orders.
$20 for a certified copy from the state office, per the fee page linked on this page. The state office’s fee. County offices set their own fees for walk-in service.
From Arizona's Bureau of Vital Records, Arizona Department of Health Services, in Phoenix; participating county vital records offices take walk-in orders, by mail to the state Bureau of Vital Records with a copy of your ID or a notarized signature, online through VitalChek, or walk-in at a participating county office. The official order page is linked on this page. The funeral home usually orders the first copies for you.
Arizona's standard statutory wait is 24 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
Arizona's stated small-estate threshold is $200,000. Value alone doesn’t establish eligibility. Ownership, asset type, timing, beneficiaries, debts, and other state requirements can affect whether a simplified procedure is available.
No. Arizona has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026, and Form 706 may also be relevant for certain elections.
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