What are the landlord-tenant laws in Arizona?
Arizona landlord-tenant law for apartments comes mainly from the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, A.R.S. 33-1301 and the sections that follow, which applies statewide and leaves little room for city rules. The act sets the deposit cap, the notice periods for ending a tenancy, entry rules and the remedies on both sides. Evictions are handled through a fast court process called a special detainer action.
Arizona landlord-tenant rules at a glance
The table lists the rules apartment owners use most, with the statute for each.
| Rule | Arizona requirement | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Ending a month-to-month tenancy | 30 days’ written notice before the periodic rental date, by either side | A.R.S. 33-1375 |
| Ending a week-to-week tenancy | 10 days’ written notice | A.R.S. 33-1375 |
| Nonpayment of rent | 5 days’ written notice to pay before filing | A.R.S. 33-1368(B) |
| Material lease violation | 10 days to cure; 5 days for health and safety violations | A.R.S. 33-1368(A) |
| Material and irreparable breach | Immediate termination notice | A.R.S. 33-1368(A) |
| Security deposit cap | 1.5 months’ rent, including prepaid rent | A.R.S. 33-1321(A) |
| Deposit return | 14 days, excluding weekends and holidays, with an itemized list | A.R.S. 33-1321(D) |
| Late fees | Must be reasonable and in a written lease; no fixed cap | A.R.S. 33-1368(B) |
| Entry | At least 2 days’ notice, except emergencies | A.R.S. 33-1343(D) |
| Rent control | Preempted statewide | A.R.S. 33-1329 |
How much notice does a landlord have to give in Arizona?
An Arizona landlord must give 30 days’ written notice before the periodic rental date to end a month-to-month tenancy, and 10 days for a week-to-week tenancy, under A.R.S. 33-1375. The notice runs to a rent date, so a notice served on March 12 for a lease with rent due on the first ends the tenancy on April 30, not April 11.
A fixed-term lease ends on the date it states, and the lease itself governs renewal terms. Notices tied to a tenant’s breach follow the shorter A.R.S. 33-1368 periods instead.
Security deposit rules in Arizona
An Arizona landlord may not demand or receive more than one and a half months’ rent as security, counting prepaid rent, under A.R.S. 33-1321(A). On a $1,400 apartment that is a cap of $2,100. A tenant may choose to prepay more, but you can’t require it.
The purpose of every nonrefundable fee or deposit has to be stated in writing; anything not labeled nonrefundable is refundable. After the tenancy ends and the tenant gives up possession and asks for the deposit, you have 14 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, to return it with an itemized list of deductions. A landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit can owe the tenant twice the amount withheld.
Late fees and entry notice
Arizona has no statewide dollar cap on late fees, but a late fee must be reasonable and stated in a written rental agreement before it can be included in what a tenant pays to reinstate after a nonpayment notice (A.R.S. 33-1368(B)). A fee buried in a verbal agreement won’t count.
To enter a unit for repairs, inspections or showings, you must give at least two days’ notice under A.R.S. 33-1343(D), unless there is an emergency or notice is impracticable. That rule matters during a sale, when buyers and lenders want to walk units. Schedule inspections in batches and send the notices early.
Lease violation notices: 10 days, 5 days or immediate
For a breach other than unpaid rent, A.R.S. 33-1368(A) sets three tracks, and the right one depends on how serious the problem is. Picking the wrong track is a common reason a judge sends a landlord back to start over.
- Material noncompliance with the lease, such as an unauthorized occupant or a pet the lease forbids: a 10-day notice to cure, after which the lease can end.
- Noncompliance that materially affects health and safety, such as blocked exits or sanitation problems: a 5-day notice to cure.
- A material and irreparable breach, as the statute defines it: an immediate notice of termination and the fast-track special detainer.
- Unpaid rent sits on its own track: the 5-day notice to pay in A.R.S. 33-1368(B).
Avoiding delays in an Arizona eviction
Most delays in Arizona evictions come from the notice, not the court. Because the trial comes within days of filing, a judge looks closely at whether the notice was right before ruling.
- Count days carefully and keep a copy of the notice with proof of how and when it was delivered.
- Demand only the rent and charges the lease and statute allow, with late fees that are reasonable and written into the lease.
- Keep the ledger, lease and notice together so they are ready for the hearing three to six days out.
- If you plan to sell, tell buyers about any pending case, since the new owner may have to finish it.
The eviction process in Arizona
An Arizona eviction is a special detainer action, and it moves faster than in most states. For unpaid rent, the landlord serves a five-day notice to pay or the lease ends. If the tenant doesn’t pay, the landlord files in justice court and the summons sets a trial three to six days out (A.R.S. 33-1377(B)).
If the landlord wins, the court can’t issue a writ of restitution until five calendar days after judgment (A.R.S. 12-1178(C)). The constable then returns possession. For a material and irreparable breach, the trial is held within three days of filing and the writ can issue 12 to 24 hours after judgment.
| Step | Time | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Five-day notice to pay | 5 days | A.R.S. 33-1368(B) |
| File special detainer; trial date | 3 to 6 days from the summons | A.R.S. 33-1377(B) |
| Judgment to writ of restitution | 5 calendar days | A.R.S. 12-1178(C) |
| Typical total if uncontested | About 2 to 4 weeks from notice to lockout |
Does Arizona have rent control?
No. A.R.S. 33-1329 bars cities, including charter cities like Phoenix and Tucson, and towns from controlling the amount of rent on private residential property. Residential property owned, financed, insured or subsidized by a state agency, city or town is excepted. An owner of a market-rate building can set rent at lease renewal, subject to proper notice and the lease terms.
That preemption is a big reason investors from rent-regulated markets buy in Arizona. It also means the rules in this guide are largely the same in Flagstaff as in Yuma, since cities can’t layer on their own rent limits.
For a seller, preemption simplifies pricing. A buyer underwriting an Arizona building can model rent growth to market at each lease renewal instead of discounting for a local cap, and the rent roll you hand over reflects leases that can be reset as they expire under the notice rules above.
What happens to leases and deposits when you sell
Leases stay in force when an Arizona apartment building is sold, and the buyer takes the property subject to them. A tenant with eight months left on a lease keeps it, at the same rent, under the new owner.
Deposits follow the landlord’s interest. A.R.S. 33-1321(H) makes whoever holds the landlord’s interest when a tenancy ends responsible for the deposit rules, so the buyer will be the one returning deposits. In practice the seller credits the buyer at closing for every deposit on the rent roll, and the purchase contract should say so.
- Deliver a certified rent roll with each unit’s rent, lease end date, deposit and any prepaid rent.
- Hand over the signed leases and any written nonrefundable fee disclosures.
- Credit the buyer for all refundable deposits and prepaid rent at closing.
- Send tenants a written notice of the new owner and where to pay rent.
- Give two days’ notice for buyer and lender unit inspections.
Arizona landlord-tenant law changes in 2025 and 2026
The biggest recent change for apartment owners is the end of city taxes on residential rent. SB 1131, passed in 2023, bars Arizona cities and towns from levying transaction privilege tax on residential rentals starting January 1, 2025. Landlords who had been passing that city tax through to tenants had to stop charging it, and that pass-through requirement itself repeals on January 1, 2027.
If your leases still contain a line for city rental tax, update them and make sure the charge no longer appears on ledgers. A buyer’s due diligence will look for it. Other landlord-tenant bills were filed in the 2026 session, including proposals on application fees and rent increase notice, but we found none that became law; check the current status with an Arizona attorney before relying on any of them.
Selling an Arizona apartment building with tenants in place
Skyline buys apartment buildings with five or more units in Arizona with tenants in place, including buildings with below-market leases. We buy directly, close on your timeline, and can work inside 1031 deadlines. We take over the leases and deposits as Arizona law requires and handle tenant notices after closing.
