Arizona Landlord-Tenant Laws: A Plain-English Guide
Arizona landlord-tenant laws are built for speed on both sides. Deposits are capped at 1.5 months' rent and due back within 14 business days, one of the shortest deadlines in the country. Entry needs 2 days' notice, rent control is banned, and an eviction trial is held 3-6 days after filing. Since 2025, cities can't tax residential rent. Here is the Arizona landlord year, and how it compares on security deposit laws by state.
By LandlordTested editorial teamLast reviewed
Arizona at a glance
- Security deposit limit
- 1.5 months' rent (refundable deposits + prepaid rent; tenant may voluntarily prepay more)
- Deposit returned within
- 14 days14 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after termination, delivery of possession and tenant's demand; itemized list of deductions required. Wrongful withholding = 2x amount wrongfully withheld.
- Late fees
- Must be reasonable and stated in the written lease
- Rent control
- No statewide rent controlNo statewide rent control; cities and counties are prohibited from controlling rents on private residential property.
- Entry notice
- 2 days' notice; reasonable times
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 5-day notice to pay rent or quit
- Ending a month-to-month
- 30 days30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date (A.R.S. § 33-1375).
Source: A.R.S. § 33-1321; A.R.S. §§ 33-1368, 33-1375, 33-1377
Arizona topic guides
General information, not legal advice. Last legal review October 18, 2026. Laws change; check the statute or a local landlord-tenant attorney before acting.
Before the lease
Screening
Arizona adds little to federal screening rules, so get those right. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, take written consent before pulling any report and send an adverse action notice if the report leads to a denial. The Fair Housing Act applies to every rental, and blanket bans on criminal records remain a legal risk under it, even though HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance in 2025. Write your criteria down and use them for every applicant.
Deposits and fees
Refundable deposits plus prepaid rent can’t exceed 1.5 months’ rent (A.R.S. § 33-1321). The tenant can choose to prepay more, but you can’t require it. Any nonrefundable fee, such as a cleaning or redecorating fee, has to be labeled as nonrefundable in the written lease. If the lease doesn’t say it, treat the fee as refundable.
The lease
State the late fee in writing (A.R.S. § 33-1368(B)), list every nonrefundable fee, and if your old lease charged tenants the city rental tax, take it out: since January 1, 2025, cities can’t charge it on residential rent. Pre-1978 buildings need the federal lead-based paint disclosure.
During the tenancy
Rent increases
Cities and counties can’t control rent on private residential property (A.R.S. § 33-1329). Fixed-term leases hold their rent until renewal. For month-to-month tenants, give at least 30 days’ notice of an increase.
Late fees
Arizona doesn’t cap the amount, but the fee must be reasonable and stated in the written lease (A.R.S. § 33-1368(B)). A flat $75 on $1,600 rent, starting a few days after the due date, is easier to defend than a large fee on day two.
Entry
Two days’ notice, at reasonable times (A.R.S. § 33-1343). For a Saturday showing, send the notice by Thursday.
Repairs
You must keep the unit fit and habitable and make repairs promptly after the tenant tells you about a problem. Keep a dated log of each request and each fix. A tenant whose own conduct creates a health or safety problem gets the shorter 5-day notice described below.
Ending the tenancy
Notices
| Situation | Notice |
|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | 5-day notice to pay rent or quit |
| Material lease violation | 10-day notice to cure |
| Health or safety violation | 5-day notice |
| Material and irreparable breach (for example, violent crime on the premises) | Immediate termination |
| Month-to-month, no cause | 30 days’ written notice before the periodic rental date (A.R.S. § 33-1375) |
The immediate-termination ground is narrow. Talk to an Arizona landlord attorney before you use it.
Move-out and deposit return
The tenant has the right to be present at the move-out inspection, so offer a time. After termination, the tenant’s return of possession and the tenant’s demand, you have 14 business days to return the deposit with an itemized list of deductions. A worked example: rent is $1,500, the deposit is $2,250, and the tenant leaves a damaged blind ($90) and a wall repair beyond normal wear ($210). The itemized list shows $300, and you refund $1,950. Wrongful withholding costs twice the amount withheld.
Eviction overview
Arizona calls it a special detainer action (A.R.S. §§ 33-1368, 33-1375, 33-1377).
- Serve the 5-day pay or quit notice, or the right violation notice.
- After it expires, file the special detainer complaint in justice court. Filing runs roughly $100-$200 depending on the county, plus service, so check with the court.
- Serve the summons and complaint. Trial is set 3-6 days after filing.
- Win judgment for possession and any rent owed.
- Request a writ of restitution no sooner than 5 days after judgment. A constable carries it out.
Uncontested cases often take 2-4 weeks from the first notice.
What’s different in Arizona
- No city rental tax on homes and apartments. Since January 1, 2025, cities can’t charge transaction privilege tax on residential rent (SB 1131, 2023).
- A 14-business-day deposit deadline, one of the shortest in the country.
- Immediate termination is allowed for material and irreparable breaches such as violent crime on the premises.
- Very fast evictions. Trials 3-6 days after filing and writs 5 days after judgment.
- Rent control is preempted, and month-to-month tenants get at least 30 days’ notice of a rent increase.
Questions landlords ask
The questions we get most, each answered in a paragraph.
How much can an Arizona landlord charge for a security deposit?
No more than 1.5 months' rent in refundable deposits and prepaid rent combined (A.R.S. § 33-1321). On $1,800 rent, that's $2,700. A tenant may voluntarily prepay more rent. Nonrefundable fees, such as a cleaning or administrative fee, are allowed only if the lease states in writing that they're nonrefundable.
How long does an Arizona landlord have to return a security deposit?
14 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays, after the tenancy ends, the tenant returns possession and the tenant demands the deposit. You must include an itemized list of deductions. Wrongfully withholding a deposit can cost twice the amount withheld. In practice that's close to three calendar weeks, so start the inspection on move-out day.
How much notice does an Arizona landlord need to enter?
Two days' notice, and entry at reasonable times (A.R.S. § 33-1343). Emergencies are the exception. Two days is longer than many states require, so plan showings and routine maintenance a few days ahead, and send the notice in writing with the date, time window and reason for the visit.
How fast is an eviction in Arizona?
Among the fastest in the country. After the 5-day pay or quit notice, you file a special detainer complaint in justice court, and the trial is set 3-6 days after filing. A writ of restitution can issue no sooner than 5 days after judgment. Uncontested cases often finish in 2-4 weeks from the first notice.
Do Arizona landlords still pay city rental tax?
Not on residential rent. As of January 1, 2025, cities can no longer charge transaction privilege tax on residential rentals (SB 1131, 2023). If your lease passed that tax through to tenants as a separate line, update the lease and your rent ledger so tenants aren't billed for a tax that no longer applies.