Power of attorney in Arizona: form, signing and powers

The form, the signing rules, durable or not, and what an agent can do in Arizona, from Arizona law.

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Short answer

Powers of Attorney

How to sign
Notarized and signed in front of one witness
Durable unless it says otherwise?
No: it continues after incapacity only if it says so.
Uniform Power of Attorney Act
No

Words used in Arizona

In Arizona you name an agent for money and property in a financial power of attorney, and an agent for medical decisions in a separate health care power of attorney. A living will gives treatment instructions, and a mental health care power of attorney covers mental health treatment. If an adult cannot manage, the superior court can appoint a guardian for personal decisions and a conservator for money.

An agent (also called an attorney-in-fact) is the person you choose to act for you. You are the principal.

Money and property
Durable power of attorney (financial power of attorney)
The person you choose
Agent (also called attorney-in-fact)
Health care
Health care power of attorney; mental health care power of attorney (health care directives)
Treatment wishes
Living will
Court-appointed decision-maker
Guardian (personal decisions, general or limited) and conservator (property and money)

Law and official form

Law
Powers of Attorney
Uniform Power of Attorney Act
No

Law: A.R.S. §§ 14-5501 to 14-5507

Signing rules

How to sign

Sign the power of attorney in front of a notary public and one qualified witness. You acknowledge it and the witness signs a sworn affidavit before the notary, who completes a certificate under seal. The statute gives the wording of this signing certificate. A financial power of attorney needs both the witness and the notary.

Who signs

Signed or marked by you, or signed in your name by another person in your conscious presence and at your direction.

Notary
Required
Witnesses
1
Who cannot witness

You need one witness. The witness cannot be your agent, the agent's spouse, the agent's children, or the notary public.

Law: A.R.S. § 14-5501(D)

Durable and springing

Is it durable?

A power of attorney is durable only if it contains words showing you want it to keep working if you later become disabled or incapacitated, such as 'This power of attorney is not affected by subsequent disability or incapacity of the principal or lapse of time'.

Law: A.R.S. 14-5501(A)-(B)

Durable unless it says otherwise?
No: it continues after incapacity only if it says so.
Starting later (springing)

A durable power of attorney can say 'This power of attorney is effective on the disability or incapacity of the principal' or similar words. The statute does not set how incapacity is shown.

Law: A.R.S. 14-5501(B)(2)

What an agent can and cannot do

No power of attorney can

A person whose Arizona fiduciary license was suspended or revoked cannot serve as an agent unless related to you by blood, adoption or marriage, or the license has been reinstated. An agent who used intimidation or deception to get the power of attorney can be prosecuted and face civil penalties. A financial power of attorney does not give health care authority.

Law: A.R.S. 14-5501(F); A.R.S. 14-5506; A.R.S. 14-5507

Agent duties, pay and court review

Asking a court to review an agent

If a court appoints a conservator for you, your agent must account to the conservator as well as to you, and the conservator can revoke or amend the power of attorney.

Law: A.R.S. 14-5503(A)

When it ends and how to revoke it

How to revoke a power of attorney in Arizona

Official forms in Arizona

Forms published by the state or its courts. You open them on the official site.

Health care directive

Living will

Good to know in Arizona

  • A financial power of attorney needs both a notary and one witness; the witness cannot be the agent, the agent's spouse or children, or the notary.

    Law: A.R.S. 14-5501(D)

  • A health care power of attorney needs only a notary or one adult witness, not both.

    Law: A.R.S. 36-3221

  • Arizona's health care directive registry is free and run for the Department of Health Services, not the Secretary of State (A.R.S. 36-3291; AzHDR registration agreement).
  • The Prehospital Medical Care Directive (DNR) must be printed on an orange background to be valid.

    Law: A.R.S. 36-3251

    Source: Attorney General Life Care Planning page

Changes in 2024–2026

Laws 2023, ch. 195, effective October 30, 2023, created supported decision-making agreements and changed guardianship and conservatorship procedures. Superior court filing fees changed effective December 28, 2024 (Arizona Supreme Court AO 2024-210). The Attorney General updated its Life Care Planning forms in 2026 (health care power of attorney updated 08/2026).

Law: SB 1291; A.R.S. 14-5721, 14-5722

Free help in Arizona

Report abuse or exploitation

Arizona Department of Economic Security, Adult Protective Services · 1-877-767-2385

Questions about powers of attorney in Arizona

What is a power of attorney called in Arizona?

Durable power of attorney (financial power of attorney). In Arizona you name an agent for money and property in a financial power of attorney, and an agent for medical decisions in a separate health care power of attorney. A living will gives treatment instructions, and a mental health care power of attorney covers mental health treatment. If an adult cannot manage, the superior court can appoint a guardian for personal decisions and a conservator for money.

Does a power of attorney have to be notarized in Arizona?

Sign the power of attorney in front of a notary public and one qualified witness. You acknowledge it and the witness signs a sworn affidavit before the notary, who completes a certificate under seal. The statute gives the wording of this signing certificate.

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