"Advance directive" is not one document. It is the umbrella term for the papers that speak for you when you cannot: the health care power of attorney, the living will, and in Arizona a third one many states do not have, the mental health care power of attorney. If you have been told to "get your advance directives in order," this is the checklist.
The three Arizona directives
- Health care power of attorney - names who decides when you cannot speak for yourself.
- Living will - states what you want at the end of life, so your agent is never guessing.
- Mental health care power of attorney - covers mental health treatment decisions, which the standard health care POA does not fully reach. Arizona publishes a sample form right in the statute.
The registry that makes them work
Arizona runs a free statewide registry, the Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry (AzHDR), where residents store their directives so hospitals can find them in an emergency. It accepts out-of-state directives too. Signing the documents is half the job; registering them is the other half, and it takes minutes.
What advance directives do not cover
None of these touch money. Bills, accounts, and property while you are incapacitated need the durable financial power of attorney, with its stricter signing rules. And nothing here handles what happens after - that is the will, the trust, and your probate-avoidance routes.
Sources
- A.R.S. § 36-3221 (health care power of attorney; requirements) (checked 2026-08-09)
- A.R.S. § 36-3261 (living will; verification) (checked 2026-08-09)
- A.R.S. § 36-3286 (sample mental health care power of attorney) (checked 2026-08-09)
- Arizona Healthcare Directives Registry (AzHDR) (checked 2026-08-09)
Educational information only, not legal advice. Have your documents reviewed by a licensed professional.