Designation of Guardian for Minor Child - Arizona
DESIGNATION OF GUARDIAN FOR MINOR CHILD — LIMITED WILL
State of Arizona
Before you use this: Arizona's parental appointment under A.R.S. § 14-5202 must be made by will. This document is a limited will for that purpose; review it with any other will you have made.
1. TESTATOR AND CHILDREN
I, [PARENT'S FULL LEGAL NAME], residing at [ADDRESS], declare that I am a parent of each child identified below. I intend this signed and witnessed paper to be my will for the limited purpose of appointing a guardian under A.R.S. § 14-5202.
| Child's full legal name | Date of birth | Other parent's name (if known) |
|---|---|---|
| [CHILD 1] | [__/__/____] | [NAME] |
| [CHILD 2] | [__/__/____] | [NAME] |
| [CHILD 3] | [__/__/____] | [NAME] |
Additional children covered by this appointment, identified by full name and date of birth: [NAMES AND DATES / NONE].
2. TESTAMENTARY APPOINTMENT
For each unmarried minor child named above, I appoint [PRIMARY GUARDIAN'S FULL LEGAL NAME], of [ADDRESS], as guardian under A.R.S. § 14-5202. This appointment is subject to the statutory conditions for effectiveness and the child's right to object. It does not displace the rights of a surviving parent.
If that person cannot or will not serve, I appoint [FIRST ALTERNATE'S FULL LEGAL NAME], of [ADDRESS]. If neither can or will serve, I appoint [SECOND ALTERNATE'S FULL LEGAL NAME], of [ADDRESS].
These appointments express my order of preference. I request that each nominee be considered for each child separately if the nominees cannot serve for all children together.
3. CARE WISHES
I ask the guardian to consider the following wishes for the children's care, schooling, family contact, and health needs. These wishes provide context for the guardian and do not themselves transfer custody or give authority to act before an appointment is effective.
- Care and living arrangements: [WISHES]
- Schooling and activities: [WISHES]
- Health needs and providers: [WISHES]
- Family and other important contacts: [WISHES]
- Other information for the guardian: [WISHES]
4. EFFECTIVENESS AND ACCEPTANCE
Under A.R.S. § 14-5202, this testamentary appointment becomes effective when the nominee files an acceptance in the court where this will is probated, provided that, before acceptance, both parents are dead or the surviving parent has been adjudged incapacitated. If both parents are dead, an effective appointment by the parent who died later has priority. After acceptance, the guardian must give written notice to the minor and to the person caring for the minor or the minor's nearest adult relation.
A child who is fourteen or older may object in writing in the probate court before acceptance or within thirty days after notice of acceptance, as provided by A.R.S. § 14-5203. The child's objection does not prevent the court from appointing a suitable person in a proper proceeding.
5. TESTATOR'S SIGNATURE
I sign this limited will voluntarily and intend it to appoint the guardian or alternate named above, subject to Arizona law.
Date: [__/__/____]
Testator's signature: [________________________________]
Printed name: [________________________________]
Place of signing: [CITY], Arizona
6. WITNESSES
We each sign within a reasonable time after witnessing the Testator sign this will, or after the Testator acknowledged the signature or this will to us, as provided by A.R.S. § 14-2502(A).
| Witness | Signature | Printed name | Address | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witness 1 | [SIGNATURE] | [NAME] | [ADDRESS] | [__/__/____] |
| Witness 2 | [SIGNATURE] | [NAME] | [ADDRESS] | [__/__/____] |
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
- A.R.S. § 14-5202 — https://www.azleg.gov/ars/14/05202.htm
- A.R.S. § 14-5203 — https://www.azleg.gov/ars/14/05203.htm
- A.R.S. § 14-2502 — https://www.azleg.gov/ars/14/02502.htm
About this template
- Last updated
- October 13, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 13, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Arizona
- Category
- Estate Planning & Wills
Legal authority
- A.R.S. § 14-5202 (testamentary appointment of guardian of minor)
- A.R.S. § 14-5203 (objection by minor fourteen or older)
- A.R.S. § 14-2502(A) (execution of paper will)
Estate planning documents decide what happens to your property, your children, and your medical care when you cannot make those decisions yourself. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives each serve different purposes and each have to meet state law requirements for signing, witnessing, and notarization. A document that looks fine on the page but was not executed correctly can be rejected in probate, which is exactly when it is too late to fix.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 13, 2026.
A.R.S. § 14-5202 (checked October 13, 2026): "The parent of a minor may appoint by will a guardian of an unmarried minor. Subject to the right of the minor under section 14-5203, a testamentary appointment becomes effective upon filing the guardian's acceptance in the court in which the will is probated, if before acceptance, both parents are dead or the surviving parent is adjudged incapacitated."
A.R.S. § 14-5203 (checked October 13, 2026): "A minor of fourteen or more years may prevent an appointment of his testamentary guardian from becoming effective, or may cause a previously accepted appointment to terminate, by filing with the court in which the will is probated a written objection to the appointment before it is accepted or within thirty days after notice of its acceptance."
A.R.S. § 14-2502(A) (checked October 13, 2026): "Except as provided in sections 14-2503, 14-2506 and 14-2513, a paper will shall be: 1. In writing. 2. Signed by the testator or in the testator's name by some other individual in the testator's conscious presence and by the testator's direction. 3. Signed by at least two people, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after that person witnessed either the signing of the will as described in paragraph 2 of this subsection or the testator's acknowledgment of that signature or acknowledgment of the will."
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