A Declination Is Not a Rejection of the Will
This distinction matters. When a registrar declines an application for informal probate, it does not mean the will is invalid. It means the registrar was not satisfied that the requirements for the simplified process were met. The will itself may be perfectly valid.
If the registrar is not satisfied that a will is entitled to be probated in informal proceedings because of failure to meet the requirements of sections 14-3303 and 14-3304 or any other reason, he may decline the application.
A.R.S. § 14-3305The registrar checks whether the application is complete, whether the will appears to meet basic validity requirements, and whether any disqualifying conditions exist under sections 14-3303 and 14-3304. If something does not line up, the registrar has discretion to decline.
The Door to Formal Probate Stays Open
The statute makes this explicit. A declination of informal probate is not an adjudication. It carries no legal weight as a ruling on whether the will is valid or enforceable.
A declination of informal probate is not an adjudication and does not preclude formal probate proceedings.
A.R.S. § 14-3305If your informal probate application is declined, formal probate remains available. In formal proceedings, a judge reviews the will, hears from interested parties, and makes a binding determination. The process takes longer and involves more steps, but it provides the judicial oversight that the informal track does not. A declination simply means the streamlined path was not the right fit for your situation.