Arizona Landlord-Tenant Law 2026: The Plain-English Guide
Arizona's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (ARLTA) is landlord-friendly with a couple of distinctive quirks: deposits must be returned in 14 business days (not calendar days), and landlords must give 2 days' notice before entry (not 24 hours). Here's the plain-English version.
Security deposits
- No state cap on the amount.
- Return within 14 business days of move-out — weekends and holidays don't count. This is faster than most states.
- Must provide an itemized list of deductions with the return.
- Penalty: bad-faith withholding = up to 2x the deposit.
Use our Security Deposit Deadline Finder and deductions guide.
Rent rules
- No rent control — prohibited by state law.
- Late fees must be in the lease and reasonable.
- Raising rent: 30 days' notice for month-to-month tenancies. See how to raise rent legally.
Eviction in Arizona
Arizona evictions move quickly through Justice Court:
1. 5-Day Notice to Pay or Quit for nonpayment.
2. 10-Day Notice for health/safety violations (with right to cure for first offenses); immediate termination for serious violations.
3. File in Justice Court — filing fees are low, hearings typically within 2–3 weeks.
Uncontested cases usually resolve in 3–5 weeks. Arizona also allows landlords to recover attorney's fees in eviction actions — a nice edge. Self-help is illegal. Full process: how to evict a tenant.
Repairs and habitability
- Landlords must maintain the property fit and habitable and make repairs after written notice.
- Self-help repair: if you don't fix a serious problem within 10 days of written notice (or sooner for emergencies), the tenant can have it fixed and deduct up to $300 or half a month's rent, whichever is greater.
- Utility shutoff by landlord as retaliation or to force a tenant out is illegal.
Entry rights
- 2 days' notice required before entry — longer than the 24 hours most states use.
- Entry only at reasonable times, for reasonable purposes. Emergencies excepted.
The bottom line
Arizona is efficient: 5-day notices, fast justice courts, attorney's fees recoverable. The traps are the two "not-quite-standard" numbers — 14 business days (not 30 calendar) for deposits and 2 days (not 24 hours) for entry. Put both in your lease so nobody has to guess.
This is general information, not legal advice. Consult an Arizona landlord-tenant attorney for specific situations.