Letters of Guardianship in Arizona and Annual Report Requirements

What Letters of Guardianship Are

After the judge signs the Order Appointing Guardian and you sign the Acceptance of Appointment, the Clerk of the Superior Court issues a document called Letters of Guardianship. This is the portable proof of your legal authority over the child.

Letters of Guardianship are what you show to:

• Schools — to enroll the child, access grades and IEP records, and authorize field trips
• Doctors and hospitals — to consent to medical treatment, access health records, and add the child to your insurance
• Government agencies — to apply for TANF child-only grants, AHCCCS, SNAP, and other benefits
• Banks — to show the guardianship; managing the child's property may require a separate conservatorship
• Anyone else who needs proof you have legal authority to act for the child

A certified copy carries the court's seal and the Clerk's signature. Institutions may refuse uncertified copies, so always request certified ones.

Getting Certified Copies

Request certified Letters from the Clerk's office at the same courthouse where your guardianship was granted. Maricopa County charges $35 to certify Letters of Appointment, plus $0.50 per page for copies. Fees differ by county, so check the Clerk's current schedule.

Order several certified copies at once — you'll need them for school, the doctor, benefits applications, and your personal records. Replacing them later means another trip to the courthouse and another fee.

If your fee waiver under A.R.S. § 12-302 is still active, certification fees may be covered. Ask the Clerk.

The Annual Report Obligation

Getting Letters of Guardianship isn't the end of the court process — some courts require ongoing reports. Pima County's minor-guardianship packet requires a report each year by the anniversary date. Maricopa County's Guardianship page says it no longer requires reports from Title 14 guardians, but its JG10p instructions still list annual report packet JG9. Confirm the requirement in your appointment order and with the local court.

Missing an annual report can trigger court action, including a review hearing or, in extreme cases, removal as guardian.

What the Annual Report Covers

The report documents the child's current situation. The questions vary by county. Pima County's Packet #14 and Cochise County's Form 436 ask about:

• The child's physical location — current street address and type of residence
• School — enrollment status, grade level, academic progress
• Physical health — general health status, dates the child was seen by a physician, any ongoing medical conditions or treatments
• Mental health — counseling, therapy, psychiatric services, behavioral health needs
• Government services — any services the child receives from DCS, DES, AHCCCS, or other agencies

Some counties use specific forms. Pima County uses Packet #14, Yavapai County uses Packet #60c, and Cochise County uses Form 436. Maricopa's JG10p instructions list Packet JG9, but its Guardianship page says annual reports are no longer required for Title 14 guardians. Check your appointment order and with your county's court for the current form.

Who Gets Copies

When a report is required, Pima County's Packet #14 directs guardians to mail copies to:

• The minor — if the child is 14 years old or older
• Living legal parents — at their last known address
• Any court-appointed attorney for the child
• Any conservator managing the child's finances
• Any other interested person who has filed a demand for notice with the court

Keep proof that you mailed these copies. A certificate of mailing or certified mail receipts protect you if questions arise later.

Practical Tips

Set a calendar reminder. Pima County's Packet #14 sets the deadline on or before the anniversary date on the Letters. Deadlines in other counties may differ; follow the deadline in your appointment order and local instructions.

Keep a running file. Throughout the year, save school report cards, doctor visit summaries, and agency letters. When the annual report comes due, you'll have everything ready instead of scrambling to reconstruct a year's worth of information.

Be honest. The annual report is a factual status update, not a persuasive document. If the child is struggling in school or has behavioral challenges, report it straightforwardly. Judges understand that children in kinship care face real difficulties — they're looking for evidence that you're managing the situation responsibly, not that everything is perfect.

When the Guardianship Ends

A guardian's authority over a minor terminates when:

• The child turns 18
• The child is adopted
• The child marries
• The child dies
• The guardian dies, resigns (after court approval), or is removed
• A court order terminates the guardianship

You don't need to file annual reports after the guardianship formally ends, but make sure the termination is documented with the court. An expired guardianship that was never formally closed can create confusion in the child's records.

The Arizona guardianship and custody guide includes annual report tracking tools and templates for organizing the information the court expects to see each year.

See more Arizona guides →