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Apache County, AZ Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Apache County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of Arizona in Apache County, the court with probate jurisdiction under A.R.S. § 14-1302 |
| Courthouse address | 70 W 3rd South St, St. Johns, AZ 85936 |
| Mailing address | Clerk of the Superior Court, P.O. Box 365, St. Johns, AZ 85936 |
| Phone | (928) 337-7550, clerk's main line |
| Fax | (928) 337-2771 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., closed for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. and closed on state holidays |
| Initial probate filing fee | $251.00, effective December 28, 2024, for an application for informal probate or informal appointment under A.R.S. § 14-3301 and A.R.S. § 12-284, and for a petition in formal testacy or appointment under A.R.S. § 14-3401 and A.R.S. § 12-284 |
| Local forms | Call the St. Johns clerk's office before filing. Arizona statewide forms do not include the county application that opens a decedent's estate. |
| E-filing | You cannot open probate electronically. Under Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901, a will and any document used to initiate a probate case must be filed on paper. The Judicial Branch eFileAZ chart lists Apache County probate as subsequent filings only. |
| Case search | The statewide public access page excludes probate cases. No Apache County probate case portal is listed here; call the clerk's office for file questions. |
| Remote appearance | Remote participation may be possible only with court permission. R-21-0007 amended the Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure to authorize and facilitate virtual appearances at probate proceedings. |
| Website | https://www.apachecountyaz.gov/Clerk-of-the-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path in Apache County, make a full list of accounts, vehicles, debts, and real property. Arizona's small estate rules under A.R.S. § 14-3971 use separate net values for personal property and Arizona real property, and those figures were raised by Laws 2025, ch. 24 (HB 2116), effective September 26, 2025. Personal property can be collected by affidavit if it does not exceed $200,000 and thirty days have passed; real property can be transferred by affidavit filed with the court if it does not exceed $300,000 and six months have passed.
That asset work comes first because it drives the whole estate settlement plan. Sunset can search across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help find accounts and balances before you decide whether to use an affidavit, file an application for informal probate under A.R.S. § 14-3301, or ask an attorney about a formal filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Apache County probate is handled at the Superior Court of Arizona in Apache County in St. Johns, which has probate jurisdiction under A.R.S. § 14-1302. Arizona has one superior court, sitting in every county; Arizona's justice courts and city courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and do not hear decedents' estates.
Venue for a first probate proceeding is the county where the person who died was domiciled (A.R.S. § 14-3201(A)(1)), so an Apache County estate is filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court in Apache County. If the person was not domiciled in Arizona, A.R.S. § 14-3201 allows filing in a county where the person owned property.
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts, title documents, and family information before filing. If a small estate affidavit under A.R.S. § 14-3971 may work, check the separate personal property and real property limits that were raised by Laws 2025, ch. 24 (HB 2116), effective September 26, 2025.
- Choose the correct county paperwork. Arizona's statewide probate forms do not include the application that opens a decedent's estate, so call the St. Johns clerk's office before filing an application for informal probate under A.R.S. § 14-3301 or a petition in formal testacy under A.R.S. § 14-3401.
- File the opening papers on paper with the Clerk of the Superior Court in St. Johns or by mail to P.O. Box 365. Under Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901, a will and any document used to initiate a probate case cannot be e-filed.
- Pay the Apache County filing fee. The local initial probate filing fee is $251.00, effective December 28, 2024, under A.R.S. § 12-284 and the Apache County fee schedule. If you cannot pay when filing, ask for the statewide deferral or waiver process under A.R.S. § 12-302, including forms AOCDFGF1F and AOCDFGF9F and the required consent to judgment for a deferral.
- Complete Arizona's required fiduciary training. Someone who serves as a personal representative, guardian, or conservator without a fiduciary licence is a non-licensed fiduciary under A.R.S. § 14-5651, and Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 42 requires training before letters issue. The Administrative Office of the Courts publishes the general overview module AOCPBPZ2 and the personal representative module AOCPBPZ6; ask the Apache County clerk's office how proof of completion should be filed.
- Get a hearing date if your filing requires one. Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 18(a), amended effective January 1, 2026, gives the petitioner thirty days to obtain an initial hearing date before the court must notify the petitioner that the petition may be dismissed within thirty days.
- Give required notice. After appointment, a personal representative must publish notice to creditors once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and the published claim period is four months from first publication under A.R.S. § 14-3801. Known creditors must receive mailed or delivered notice under A.R.S. § 14-3801.
- Ask early if a hearing can be remote. R-21-0007 amended the Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure to authorize and facilitate virtual appearances at probate proceedings, but permission is not automatic.
- After the court or registrar acts, the personal representative must qualify and letters testamentary or letters of administration must issue before estate administration begins (A.R.S. § 14-3103). A registrar may act only as allowed by A.R.S. § 14-1307.
- Administer and close the estate. Collect assets, pay valid expenses and claims, keep beneficiaries informed, and close the estate under the Arizona probate path that applies to the case.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Apache County
Arizona publishes statewide probate forms through the Administrative Office of the Courts, but the statewide set covers fiduciary orders, conservator accounts, and adult guardianship and conservatorship petitions. It does not provide the county application that opens a decedent's estate.
For Apache County, use statewide resources such as the Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center and AZCourtHelp as starting points, then call the St. Johns clerk's office at (928) 337-7550 before filing. Ask which local papers the clerk wants, whether the original will must accompany the filing, how to submit proof of Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 42 training, and whether any local cover sheet is required.
Fees
Apache County charges more than the statewide baseline. Arizona's statewide probate fee starts with A.R.S. § 12-284 and Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 3-404, effective December 28, 2024. The current statewide total for a Class C probate filing is $191.00, made up of a $176.00 base amount under A.R.S. § 12-284 plus the $15.00 document storage fund under A.R.S. § 12-284.01, effective December 28, 2024. Apache County's schedule adds local fees authorized under A.R.S. § 11-251.08, bringing the local initial probate filing fee to $251.00, effective December 28, 2024.
| Apache County probate fee item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Petition in formal testacy or appointment proceeding under A.R.S. § 14-3401 and A.R.S. § 12-284 | $251.00, effective December 28, 2024 |
| Application for informal probate or informal appointment under A.R.S. § 14-3301 and A.R.S. § 12-284 | $251.00, effective December 28, 2024 |
| Petition for supervised administration under A.R.S. § 14-3501 and A.R.S. § 12-284 | $251.00, effective December 28, 2024 |
| Petition for transfer of real property by affidavit under A.R.S. § 14-3971(F) and A.R.S. § 12-284 | $251.00, effective December 28, 2024 |
| Any person opposing a contested petition if no prior payment under A.R.S. § 12-284 | $162.00, effective December 28, 2024 |
| Post-judgment activities in probate cases under A.R.S. § 12-284 | $162.00, effective December 28, 2024 |
If you cannot pay at filing, ask for the statewide deferral or waiver of court fees process under A.R.S. § 12-302. The starting form is AOCDFGF1F, the supplemental end-of-case form is AOCDFGF9F, and a deferral requires a consent to judgment under A.R.S. § 12-302(F).
Local nuance
Apache County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Lunch closure | The St. Johns clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., with a noon to 1 p.m. lunch closure. Plan paper filing around that break. |
| Local fee schedule | Apache County's initial probate filing fee is $251.00, effective December 28, 2024, under A.R.S. § 12-284 plus local fees allowed by A.R.S. § 11-251.08. That amount also appears for a real property affidavit under A.R.S. § 14-3971(F). |
| E-filing status | The Judicial Branch eFileAZ chart lists Apache County probate as subsequent filings only. Under Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901, the will and the opening probate papers still must be filed on paper. |
| Case lookup | The statewide public access page excludes probate cases, so call the Apache County clerk's office at (928) 337-7550 for case-file questions. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Apache County fee schedule effective December 28, 2024 | The Apache County probate filing fee is $251.00, effective December 28, 2024, under A.R.S. § 12-284 with local fees allowed by A.R.S. § 11-251.08. |
| Small estate limits effective September 26, 2025 | Laws 2025, ch. 24 (HB 2116) raised the A.R.S. § 14-3971 personal property limit to $200,000 and the Arizona real property limit to $300,000, effective September 26, 2025. |
| Initial hearing rule effective January 1, 2026 | Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 18(a) now gives a petitioner thirty days to obtain an initial hearing date after filing before the court must notify the petitioner that the petition may be dismissed within thirty days. |
| E-filing rule effective June 1, 2026 | Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901 continues to bar e-filing of wills, letters in probate cases, and any document used to initiate a probate case. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Apache County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking title and debts. If the Arizona real property transfer route under A.R.S. § 14-3971 applies, the real property affidavit is filed with the Superior Court of Arizona in Apache County under A.R.S. § 14-1302 and the Apache County fee is $251.00, effective December 28, 2024, under A.R.S. § 12-284. If the home cannot be transferred by affidavit, ask about opening probate on paper. | Sunset helps gather account and property information so the family can decide whether an affidavit or probate filing fits the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Do not try to open the case online. Under Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901, opening probate papers and any original will must be filed on paper. If personal property qualifies under A.R.S. § 14-3971, that affidavit is generally presented to the holder of the property rather than filed with the court. | Sunset helps identify accounts, prepare a task list, and organize the estate settlement before you decide whether travel to St. Johns is needed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Call the Apache County clerk before filing to ask which papers are required. If a personal representative is needed to sell the home, the opening probate fee is $251.00, effective December 28, 2024, under A.R.S. § 12-284, and the proposed personal representative must complete Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 42 training before letters issue under A.R.S. § 14-3103. | Sunset can generate a probate packet, organize asset information, and connect the family with a vetted local probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of the Superior Court in Apache County | Call before filing to ask about local forms, proof of Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 42 training, paper filing logistics, and case-file questions. | (928) 337-7550; 70 W 3rd South St, St. Johns, AZ 85936 |
| Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center | Provides statewide legal information and court forms for people representing themselves. Court staff can provide legal information, not legal advice. | https://www.azcourts.gov/selfservicecenter |
| AZCourtHelp | Statewide self-help site with a Self-Help Center, Form Finder, Find My Court, Legal Aid Options, live chat, and court information. | https://azcourthelp.org/ |
| Southern Arizona Legal Aid, White Mountain Legal Aid office | Lists Navajo, Apache, and Gila Counties under its White Mountain Legal Aid office. Its site describes civil legal help generally, so call and ask whether your probate question fits its intake rules. | 1052 E. Deuce of Clubs Suite C, Show Low, AZ 85901; 1-928-537-8383; toll free 1-800-658-7958 |
| DNA-People's Legal Services | Serves remote portions of three states and seven Native American nations and has a self-help resource titled Understanding Probate. Call to ask whether it can help with your situation. | 1-928-871-4151 |
| AZLawHelp | Named by the Arizona Judicial Branch as a probate resource. | https://www.azlawhelp.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if there is no original will, family members disagree, the estate owns real property that must be sold, creditor issues are unclear, a late filing under A.R.S. § 14-3108 may be needed, or the personal representative lives outside Apache County and cannot easily manage paper filings in St. Johns. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for accounts, balances, insurance, and other assets before choosing an Apache County estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset can help organize the information needed for the papers that open a probate in the Superior Court of Arizona in Apache County under A.R.S. § 14-1302. Opening papers still must be filed on paper because Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901 does not allow e-filing of a will or any document used to initiate a probate case.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs formal help, Sunset can connect you with a vetted attorney who understands Arizona probate procedure, paper filing, and the local St. Johns clerk process.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a clearer estate settlement plan, helps reduce administrative work, and keeps the next step focused on what the court or asset holder actually needs.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Apache County?
File with the Clerk of the Superior Court of Arizona in Apache County in St. Johns. The superior court has probate jurisdiction under A.R.S. § 14-1302, and venue is the county where the person who died was domiciled under A.R.S. § 14-3201.
Can I open an Apache County probate online?
No. Under Arizona Code of Judicial Administration § 1-901, e-filing is not permitted for a will or for any document used to initiate a probate case. The opening papers go to the clerk on paper.
What is the Apache County probate filing fee?
The Apache County initial probate filing fee is $251.00, effective December 28, 2024, under A.R.S. § 12-284 and the local Apache County schedule. The statewide baseline is $191.00, effective December 28, 2024, made up of $176.00 under A.R.S. § 12-284 plus the $15.00 document storage amount under A.R.S. § 12-284.01, but Apache County adds local fees allowed by A.R.S. § 11-251.08.
Can the Apache County probate fee be deferred or waived?
Yes, use the statewide deferral or waiver of court fees process under A.R.S. § 12-302. Ask the clerk for form AOCDFGF1F at the start and AOCDFGF9F at the end of the case. A deferral requires a consent to judgment under A.R.S. § 12-302(F).
Does Apache County have local probate forms?
Call the St. Johns clerk's office before filing. Arizona statewide forms do not include the application that opens a decedent's estate, and the Judicial Branch says each court may have preferred forms.
Can I look up an Apache County probate case on the statewide public access page?
The statewide public access page excludes probate cases. It also uses randomly generated verification words. For an Apache County probate file, call the Clerk of the Superior Court at (928) 337-7550.
Can I appear remotely for an Apache County probate hearing?
Ask the court as soon as a hearing is set. R-21-0007 amended the Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure to authorize and facilitate virtual appearances at probate proceedings, but the Judicial Branch describes this as some hearings, not every hearing.
How quickly do I need a hearing date after filing?
Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure Rule 18(a), effective January 1, 2026, gives the petitioner thirty days to obtain an initial hearing date after filing. If that does not happen, the court must notify the petitioner that the petition may be dismissed within thirty days.
Does Arizona impose an estate tax on an Apache County estate?
Arizona imposes no estate tax for decedents dying after 2004, and the Legislature repealed the estate tax provisions in Laws 2006, Ch. 262, § 3. Arizona also imposes no inheritance or gift tax under that Department of Revenue guidance, but the federal estate tax is a separate question for large estates.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.