Published 2026-09-25 · 14 min read

Arizona Landlord-Tenant Law 2026: The Plain-English Guide

Arizona's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act — the ARLTA, Title 33, Chapter 10 — is often called landlord-friendly, and its timelines are short: brief cure periods and fast special detainer trials. But its hard numbers are easy to get wrong, and the most common error is the security deposit. Arizona does cap deposits, the return clock is unusually short, and the penalty is measured from the amount wrongfully withheld.

The short version: Security, however named, including prepaid rent, is capped at one and one-half months' rent under A.R.S. § 33-1321(A). Any nonrefundable fee or deposit must have its purpose stated in writing, or it is refundable. After termination, delivery of possession and demand, you have fourteen days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays, to mail an itemized list of deductions and any amount due. Entry requires at least two days' notice under § 33-1343. Nonpayment gets five calendar days under § 33-1368(B); a health and safety breach gets five days to cure; other material noncompliance gets ten days. Local rent control is preempted under § 33-1329.

Where the law comes from

The controlling text is the statute itself, not a lease form or another state's habit. The sections deciding most disputes — deposits (§ 33-1321), disclosure (§ 33-1322), fit premises (§ 33-1324), tenant maintenance (§ 33-1341), access (§ 33-1343), tenant remedies (§§ 33-1361, 33-1363), tenant noncompliance (§ 33-1368), abandonment (§ 33-1370), periodic tenancies (§ 33-1375), special detainer (§ 33-1377), and retaliation (§ 33-1381) — are all linked in "Read the rules yourself" below. This guide covers ordinary Chapter 10 residential rentals; mobile home parks sit in a separate chapter, and federal fair housing and subsidized-tenancy program rules can add requirements. A lease may add terms the Act does not prohibit under § 33-1314(A), but cannot waive an Act duty.

Before the tenancy: disclosures and the signed lease

Who manages and who owns — § 33-1322(A)–(B). At or before the tenancy begins, disclose in writing the name and address of (1) the person authorized to manage the premises and (2) an owner, or a person authorized to act for the owner for service of process and receiving notices and demands, and inform the tenant in writing that the Act is available on the Arizona Department of Housing's website. Keep the disclosure current and refurnish it on request; it binds successors. A person who fails to comply becomes, under § 33-1322(D), an agent of each landlord for service, notices, and performing the landlord's obligations out of rent collected.

Signed copy, completed blanks, move-in form — §§ 33-1322(E), 33-1321(C). The landlord must tender a signed copy of any written agreement, the tenant must return one fully executed copy within a reasonable time, and all blanks must be completed; noncompliance is deemed a material noncompliance by the party who failed. On move-in, also furnish the move-in damage form and written notice that the tenant may be present at the move-out inspection, and on request say when it will occur — except on a material and irreparable breach eviction where the landlord has reasonable cause to fear violence or intimidation.

Bedbug education — § 33-1319. Except for a single-family residence, which the section excludes, provide bedbug educational materials to existing and new tenants and never lease a unit known to have a current infestation. The tenant must not knowingly move infested materials in and must notify the landlord in writing or electronically on learning bedbugs are present. This material, plus the § 33-1322(B) notice about the Act, is Arizona's "education" disclosure; § 33-1322 imposes no other.

Utilities charged separately — § 33-1314.01. Separate charges for gas, water, wastewater, solid waste removal or electricity are allowed only through submetering or a ratio utility billing system, recovering the provider's charges plus an administrative fee for actual administrative costs only. The agreement must disclose the services charged separately, the fee amount, and the specific ratio method used (per tenant, by square footage, by unit type, by water fixtures, by submetered hot water use, or another fair method described in the agreement). Bills must state period charges with meter readings and dates where applicable and show any fee. Existing tenancies require at least ninety days' notice where the section requires it.

Foreclosure notice — § 33-1331. If an agreement is signed after a foreclosure action began, include the section's written notice of possible foreclosure with it; if a trustee's-sale notice arrives after signing, give that notice within five business days, subject to the section's limits, including its exclusion for multifamily units of four or more connected units.

Tax and other pass-through charges. The ARLTA has no general tax pass-through disclosure section parallel to § 33-1314.01. Charges beyond rent are lease terms under § 33-1314(A) — name each charge and its calculation in the signed lease, and remember that an amount that is in substance security counts toward the cap however labeled.

How much can an Arizona landlord charge as a security deposit, and when must it be returned?

Section 33-1321 is the section landlords most often misstate — the earlier version of this guide wrongly said there was no cap:

Cap — § 33-1321(A). A landlord shall not demand or receive security, however denominated, including prepaid rent, of more than 1.5 months' rent. Relabeling does not help: amounts that are security in substance count. The only exception is voluntary payment by the tenant of more in advance — document it in writing if it ever occurs.

Nonrefundable amounts — § 33-1321(B). The purpose of all nonrefundable fees or deposits shall be stated in writing. Any fee or deposit not designated as nonrefundable is refundable — so an undesignated "nonrefundable cleaning fee" counts toward the cap and must be accounted for at the end.

Permitted applications and return — § 33-1321(D). On termination, security may be applied to all rent and, subject to the duty to mitigate, all charges specified in the signed lease or provided in this chapter, including damages from noncompliance with § 33-1341. Within fourteen days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays or other legal holidays, after termination, delivery of possession and demand by the tenant, provide an itemized list of deductions with the amount due, if any, and — unless the tenant arranges otherwise in writing — mail the list and amount due by first class mail to the last known address. Calendar from the last trigger and keep mailing proof. Use our Security Deposit Deadline Finder and deductions guide. If the tenant does not dispute within sixty days after that mailing, the amount due is deemed valid and final and further claims are waived — protection for a landlord who complied, not a cure for a late accounting.

Penalty — § 33-1321(E)–(F). A landlord who fails to comply with subsection D faces recovery of the money due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld — not "up to twice the deposit," and with no separate bad-faith finding in the subsection. Subsection F preserves other chapter damages; subsection G limits mid-tenancy use to an applicable management agreement, and subsection H binds whoever holds the landlord's interest at termination.

Can an Arizona landlord raise the rent or charge late fees?

When rent is due — § 33-1314(B)–(C). Rent is payable without demand or notice at the agreed time and place; unless otherwise agreed, at the unit, in equal monthly installments at the beginning of each month. With no agreement, rent is the fair rental value.

Late fees and reinstatement — § 33-1368(B). A tenant may not withhold rent for any reason the chapter does not authorize. If rent is unpaid when due and not paid within five days after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate, the landlord may terminate by filing a special detainer action under § 33-1377. Before filing, the agreement shall be reinstated if the tenant tenders all past due rent and a reasonable late fee set forth in a written agreement. After filing, reinstatement also requires attorney's fees and court costs. After judgment for the landlord, reinstatement is solely at the landlord's discretion. A fee not in a written agreement is not part of the reinstatement amount, and the fee stated must be reasonable — the statute's word.

Periodic tenancies and increases — § 33-1375. Either party may terminate a week-to-week tenancy on written notice at least ten days before the specified date, and a month-to-month tenancy on written notice at least thirty days before the specified periodic rental date. A rent increase on a continuing month-to-month tenancy changes its terms, so give it in writing on that same thirty-day structure. A fixed-term lease pays the rent it states unless it lawfully provides otherwise. See how to raise rent legally.

No rent control — § 33-1329. Rent control on private residential housing is of statewide concern, the power to control rents is preempted by the state, and cities and towns shall not have it — except for property owned, financed, insured or subsidized by a state agency or a city or town. Summaries citing the mobile home definitions section for this point cite the wrong section.

Arizona preempts rent control statewide, but caps can apply in other states in your portfolio — our free Rent Cap Checker checks the current cap rules by location before you send an increase notice.

Habitability and tenant maintenance

Landlord duties — § 33-1324(A). The landlord shall: (1) comply with building codes materially affecting health and safety as prescribed in § 9-1303; (2) make all repairs and keep the premises fit and habitable; (3) keep common areas clean and safe; (4) maintain in good and safe working order all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, the landlord supplies or must supply; (5) provide receptacles for waste and arrange removal; and (6) supply running water and reasonable hot water at all times, and reasonable heat and cooling where installed and offered when seasonal weather requires, subject to the section's exceptions for buildings not legally required to be so equipped and for tenant-controlled installations. If the paragraph 1 code duty is greater, it controls under subsection B. Work may be shifted only as subsections C and D allow — in writing, for adequate consideration, in good faith, never to cure paragraph 1 or 2 noncompliance — so a clause saying "tenant handles all repairs" does none of that.

Tenant duties — § 33-1341. The tenant shall comply with tenant building-code obligations materially affecting health and safety; keep the unit as clean and safe as its condition permits; dispose of waste cleanly and safely; keep plumbing fixtures clean; use facilities and appliances reasonably; not deliberately or negligently damage or remove any part of the premises, or knowingly permit another to do so; not disturb neighbors' peaceful enjoyment; and promptly notify the landlord in writing of any situation requiring maintenance or repairs under § 33-1324. Breach damages are a lawful deposit application under § 33-1321(D); a health and safety breach triggers the five-day notice below.

Can an Arizona tenant repair and deduct?

Tenant termination notices — § 33-1361(A). For material landlord noncompliance, the tenant may give written notice specifying the breach and termination not less than ten days after receipt if not remedied in ten days; for § 33-1324 noncompliance materially affecting health and safety, five days. An adequately remedied breach does not terminate the agreement, and a tenant may not terminate for a self-caused condition. Subsection B also allows damages and injunctive relief; on termination, security recoverable under § 33-1321 must be returned.

Repair-and-deduct — § 33-1363. Narrower than the old summary here suggested: if the landlord fails to comply with § 33-1324 and the reasonable cost of compliance is less than $300, or one-half of the monthly rent, whichever is greater, the tenant may recover damages under § 33-1361(B) or notify the landlord of intent to correct the condition at the landlord's expense. After written notice, if the landlord does not comply within ten days — or as promptly as conditions require in an emergency — the tenant may use a licensed contractor and, after submitting an itemized statement and a waiver of lien, deduct the actual, reasonable cost up to that amount. No deduction applies to tenant-caused conditions or work that does not cure a habitability breach. Answer written notices inside ten days and document it.

No ouster or shutoff — §§ 33-1367, 33-1374, 33-1368(D). Possession may be taken only as the chapter permits, on abandonment or surrender — never by forcible removal or willfully interrupting essential services. A tenant so removed or cut off may recover possession or terminate and recover up to two months' rent or twice actual damages, whichever is greater. Landlord-provided utilities may be discontinued only the day after a writ of restitution or execution under § 12-1181 is executed, by a person authorized by the utility.

Own rentals in more than one state? Arizona's two traps — 14 business days (not 30 calendar) for deposit returns and 2 days (not 24 hours) for entry notice — are just one state's quirks; every state rewrites the deposit, notice, and eviction clocks. The 50-State Landlord Law Dataset (CSV + JSON) puts all 50 states' key rules in one spreadsheet-ready dataset ($29, one-time purchase).

How much notice must an Arizona landlord give before entering?

Under § 33-1343, the tenant must not unreasonably withhold consent to entry to inspect, make necessary or agreed repairs or improvements, supply agreed services, or show the unit to prospective purchasers, tenants, workmen or contractors. A tenant's service request under § 33-1341, paragraph 8, is itself permission to enter under subsection D for that request alone. Entry without consent is allowed in an emergency. Otherwise, except in an emergency or where impracticable, give at least two days' notice, enter only at reasonable times, and never abuse access or use it to harass. Other access requires a court order, §§ 33-1369 or 33-1370, or abandonment or surrender. A 24-hour habit from another state is a violation here.

How does eviction work in Arizona, and which notice applies?

Section 33-1368(A) holds three notices that are routinely conflated. Separate them.

Ten days — material noncompliance generally. Written notice must specify the acts and omissions and state termination not less than ten days after receipt if not remedied in ten days. Material falsification about criminal records, prior eviction record and current criminal activity, as the section lists, is not curable.

Five days — health and safety. For noncompliance with § 33-1341 materially affecting health and safety, written notice specifies the breach and termination not less than five days after receipt if not remedied in five days; an adequately remedied breach does not terminate the agreement. A second similar act after a remedy allows a special detainer action under § 33-1377 ten days after written notice of the second noncompliance. The earlier version of this guide called this a ten-day notice; it is five, mirroring § 33-1361's split for tenants.

Immediate — material and irreparable breach. For a breach that is both material and irreparable on the premises — the section's non-exhaustive examples include illegal discharge of a weapon, homicide, prostitution, gang and specified organized-crime activity, unlawful controlled-substance activity, threatening or intimidating, assault, nuisance, and any breach jeopardizing health, safety or welfare or involving imminent or actual serious property damage — give written notice for immediate termination and proceed under § 33-1377. Immediate notice is not self-help: possession changes only through court.

Nonpayment, damages, trial. The five-day nonpayment rule and its reinstatement steps are in the rent section above; "days" in § 33-1368 means calendar days under subsection G. Under subsection C the landlord may recover reasonable damages from noncompliance, court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and quantifiable damage the tenant caused; under subsection F the tenant answers for guests' foreseeable violations the tenant did not try to prevent. In a special detainer action under § 33-1377, the summons issues the day the complaint is filed for appearance three to six days later, with postponement for good cause of at most three days in justice court or five in superior court. For a material and irreparable breach, trial is set by the third day after filing, and on a preponderance finding the court orders restitution twelve to twenty-four hours later. A guilty finding brings restitution, late charges stated in the agreement, costs and, at the plaintiff's option, rent due through the § 33-1314(C) period, plus a writ. Full process: how to evict a tenant.

What counts as landlord retaliation in Arizona?

Under § 33-1381(A), a landlord may not retaliate — by raising rent, decreasing services, or bringing or threatening a possession action — after the tenant complained to a code-enforcement agency about a health and safety violation, complained to the landlord of a § 33-1324 violation, organized or joined a tenants' union, or complained to a wage-price stabilization agency. The tenant gets § 33-1367 remedies and a defense to possession. A complaint within six months before the alleged act creates a presumption of retaliation, unless it came after notice of termination. Subsection C preserves a possession action where the violation was caused primarily by the tenant's side's lack of reasonable care, or the tenant is in default in rent. Document an independent, pre-complaint basis inside that window.

Ending the tenancy, holdover, and abandoned property

Holdover — § 33-1375(C). A tenant who stays without consent after the term expires or is terminated may be sued for possession and, if the holdover is willful and not in good faith, for up to two months' rent or twice actual damages, whichever is greater.

Abandonment defined — § 33-1370(J). Either (1) absence without notice for at least seven days, rent outstanding and unpaid for ten days, and no reasonable evidence other than personal property that the tenant is occupying the unit; or (2) absence for at least five days, rent outstanding and unpaid for five days, and no personal property in the unit. Absence alone is not abandonment.

Notice, retaking, property — § 33-1370(A)–(I). Send notice of abandonment by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known and any known alternate addresses, and post it on the door or another conspicuous place for five days. Five days after it has been both posted and mailed, retake and rerent at fair rental value if no property remains; the deposit is forfeited and applied to accrued rent and reasonable abandonment costs, with a duty to make reasonable efforts to rerent under subsection C. If property remains, inventory it, notify the tenant of storage location and cost the same way, store it as the section allows, and hold it for fourteen calendar days with reasonable care, following the section's rules for perishables, animals, and hazardous items. Then donate it to a qualifying charity or sell it, apply proceeds to outstanding rent and covered costs, mail any excess to the last known address, and keep subsection G records for twelve months after a sale. A tenant who gives subsection H's written intent-to-remove notice has five days to reclaim on paying only removal and storage costs, with immediate access to clothing, trade tools and books, and identification and financial documents. If the tenant returns the keys, subsection I allows immediate disposal unless the parties agreed otherwise in writing.

A worked example: nonpayment cured, then a deposit deadline with a holiday in it

A Phoenix single-family rental rents for $1,800 a month. The deposit is $2,700 — exactly 1.5 × $1,800, the § 33-1321(A) maximum the landlord could demand. The written lease states a $75 late fee.

• Thursday, October 1, 2026 — October rent of $1,800 is due. It is not paid.
• Friday, October 2, 2026 — The landlord delivers the written § 33-1368(B) notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate if rent is not paid within five days. Days there are calendar days, running Saturday, October 3 through Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
• Wednesday, October 7, 2026 — Before any filing, the tenant tenders $1,800 in past due rent plus the $75 reasonable late fee in the written agreement: $1,800 + $75 = $1,875. The agreement is reinstated under § 33-1368(B). After a filing, attorney's fees and court costs would also have been required; after judgment for the landlord, reinstatement would be solely at the landlord's discretion.
• Monday, November 2, 2026 — The tenancy terminates, possession is delivered, and the tenant demands the deposit: all three § 33-1321(D) triggers have occurred. Lawful deductions are $385 in lease-specified cleaning charges and $215 in carpet damage from § 33-1341 noncompliance: $385 + $215 = $600. Amount due: $2,700 − $600 = $2,100.
• Counting fourteen days excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays: November 3, 4, 5, 6 are days 1–4; November 9 and 10 are days 5–6; Wednesday, November 11 is Veterans Day, excluded; November 12 and 13 are days 7–8; November 16–20 are days 9–13; Monday, November 23, 2026 is day 14.
• Monday, November 23, 2026 — Last day to mail the itemized list ($600 in deductions, $2,100 due) with the $2,100, by first class mail to the last known address. No dispute within sixty days after mailing makes it valid and final under § 33-1321(D).

Missing that Monday is expensive: withholding the $2,100 without complying with subsection D exposes the landlord under § 33-1321(E) to the $2,100 due plus twice the amount wrongfully withheld — 2 × $2,100 = $4,200, totaling $6,300, plus any other damages under subsection F. Counting calendar days, or weekdays without excluding Veterans Day, gives the wrong date.

The compliance checklist

1. At signing, give the § 33-1322 disclosures in writing, plus a complete, signed lease copy; keep it current on request.

2. On move-in, furnish the signed lease, move-in damage form, and move-out inspection notice under § 33-1321(C); give bedbug materials where § 33-1319 applies.

3. Cap all security, including prepaid rent, at 1.5 months' rent under § 33-1321(A); state every nonrefundable purpose in writing.

4. For any separately charged utility, put the § 33-1314.01 disclosure — services, actual-cost fee, specific ratio method — in the agreement.

5. Maintain the unit to the full § 33-1324 list; answer written repair notices before ten days run under § 33-1363.

6. Give at least two days' notice before non-emergency entry under § 33-1343, at reasonable times only.

7. Use the right § 33-1368 notice — five days for nonpayment or a health and safety breach, ten for other material noncompliance, immediate only for material and irreparable breach — and file nothing early.

8. Never use lockouts or utility interruption for possession; use only special detainer judgment and writ under §§ 33-1367, 33-1374 and 33-1377.

9. Within six months of a protected complaint, review § 33-1381 and document the independent basis before acting.

10. Calendar § 33-1321(D) from termination, possession and demand, excluding weekends and legal holidays; mail the itemization and amount due; handle left property only under § 33-1370.

The bottom line

Arizona rewards exact numbers. Deposits are capped at 1.5 months' rent, nonrefundable purposes belong in writing, the accounting is due in fourteen days excluding weekends and holidays, and wrongful withholding costs twice the amount withheld plus the money due. Entry takes two days; nonpayment and health and safety breaches take five days; other material noncompliance takes ten; only a material and irreparable breach supports immediate termination — through court only.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much security deposit can an Arizona landlord charge?

At most 1.5 months' rent, however denominated, including prepaid rent, under § 33-1321(A). A tenant may voluntarily pay more in advance, but the landlord may not demand it. Any nonrefundable amount needs its purpose in writing or it is refundable under § 33-1321(B). Check a planned deposit against Arizona's 1.5-month cap with the Security Deposit Max Checker, which returns a compliant or over-the-limit verdict for the amount and state you enter.

How long does an Arizona landlord have to return a security deposit?

Fourteen days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and other legal holidays, after termination, delivery of possession and demand, under § 33-1321(D) — with an itemized list and the amount due, mailed by first class mail to the last known address unless the tenant arranges otherwise in writing.

What happens if a landlord misses the deadline or wrongfully withholds money?

Under § 33-1321(E), the tenant may recover the money due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld — not twice the whole deposit — plus other damages preserved by § 33-1321(F).

How many days' notice are required for nonpayment in Arizona?

Five calendar days. Under § 33-1368(B), after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate, failure to pay within five days lets the landlord terminate by filing a special detainer action. Before filing, tender of all past due rent plus a reasonable late fee in a written agreement reinstates the tenancy.

What is the difference between Arizona's five-day and ten-day breach notices?

Under § 33-1368(A), noncompliance with § 33-1341 materially affecting health and safety gets five days to remedy. Other material noncompliance gets ten days. A breach that is both material and irreparable supports written notice for immediate termination, followed by a special detainer action.

How much notice is required before entering a rental unit in Arizona?

At least two days' notice of intent to enter, except in an emergency or where impracticable, under § 33-1343(D) — at reasonable times only, without abuse or harassment. A written service request is itself permission to enter for that request.

Can an Arizona tenant repair a problem and deduct the cost from rent?

Yes, for minor defects under § 33-1363: landlord noncompliance with § 33-1324, reasonable cost below $300 or half the monthly rent, whichever is greater, written notice, ten days to comply (less in an emergency), licensed contractor, then an itemized statement and waiver of lien before deducting the actual, reasonable cost.

Is there rent control in Arizona, and how is rent raised month-to-month?

No city or town rent control is permitted for ordinary private property: § 33-1329 preempts it to the state, except for publicly owned, financed, insured or subsidized property. A month-to-month tenancy may be terminated on written notice at least thirty days before the specified periodic rental date under § 33-1375(B); give a rent change in writing on that same structure.

Read the rules yourself

• A.R.S. § 33-1321 — Security deposits (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1322 — Disclosure and tender of written rental agreement (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1324 — Landlord to maintain fit premises (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1329 — Regulation of rents; authority (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1314.01 — Utility charges; submetering; ratio utility billing (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1319 — Bedbug control; landlord and tenant obligations (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1341 — Tenant to maintain dwelling unit (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1343 — Access (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1361 — Noncompliance by the landlord (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1363 — Self-help for minor defects (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1367 — Tenant's remedies for unlawful ouster (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1368 — Noncompliance by tenant; failure to pay rent (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1370 — Abandonment; personal property (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1374 — Recovery of possession limited (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1375 — Periodic tenancy; holdover remedies (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1377 — Special detainer actions (azleg.gov)
• A.R.S. § 33-1381 — Retaliatory conduct prohibited (azleg.gov)
• Arizona law — Cornell Legal Information Institute (law.cornell.edu)

More landlord-tenant law guides

• Landlord-tenant law by state
• Alaska landlord-tenant law
• Arkansas landlord-tenant law
• Alabama landlord-tenant law
• California landlord-tenant law

Last verified: October 16, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Consult an Arizona landlord-tenant attorney for specific situations.