Arizona Tenant Rights Laws

Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 19, 2019

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The decision to rent out your property as a landlord or to lease property as a tenant comes with various legal rights and responsibilities. Each state, including Arizona, has developed laws that set forth the obligations and rights of tenants. These laws inform tenants of important issues like payment of rent, security deposits, living conditions and habitability, terminating a lease, discrimination, and retaliation.

Arizona Tenants Rights Laws at a Glance

The chart below provides an overview of tenant rights laws in Arizona as well as links to applicable statutes. While this chart provides information on the basics of landlord-tenant laws in Arizona, it's a good idea to read the statutes for more detailed information.

Statute(s)

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 33, Chapter 10, Section 33-1301, et seq. (Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act)
Security Deposits
  • Security Deposit Limit: cannot exceed one and one-half times rent.
  • Return of Security Deposit: must be returned (with an itemized list if anything is deducted) within 14 business days of tenant move-out.
Rent
  • Lease can contain rent amount, or, in the absence of a rent provision tenant shall pay the fair market value of the dwelling unit.
  • Unless otherwise agreed, periodic rent is due at the beginning of any term of one month or less, and is due in equal installments at the beginning of each month.
  • Only the state has the authority to impose rent control, cities and towns do not have this right.
Living Conditions
  • Landlords must comply with building codes affecting health and safety and must make repairs to keep the premises fit and habitable.
  • Tenant can withhold rent or "repair and deduct" if landlord fails to make repairs fundamental to habitability.
  • Unless in case of emergency, landlord must give at least 2 days' notice to enter the unit, and must enter at a reasonable time.
  • Tenant cannot withhold consent to the landlord to enter the unit to make an inspection or agreed upon repairs.
  • Landlords cannot use the right to access in an abusive way to harass a tenant.
Ending a Tenancy

When a tenancy can be terminated depends on the circumstances:

  • Landlord or tenant can terminate a week-to-week tenancy by giving 10 days' written notice and can terminate a monthly tenancy with 30 days' written notice.
  • In the event of non-payment of rent, landlord must give 5 days' notice to pay rent before commencing eviction proceedings.
  • If the tenant fails to maintain the unit, landlord can give 5 days' notice to cure, and thereafter can evict.
  • If tenant violates the rental agreement, landlord can give 10 days' notice to quit.
Discrimination

A landlord can't discriminate against tenants on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, familial status, or disability.

Retaliation

A landlord can't retaliate against a tenant for exercising legal rights by increasing rent, decreasing services, or threatening to evict a tenant.

Note: State regulations are always subject to change through the passage of new legislation, rulings in the higher courts (including federal decisions), ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most current information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.

 

Arizona Tenants Rights Laws: Related Resources

You can visit the links listed below if you'd like additional information and resources related to this topic.

Get Legal Help with Your Questions About Arizona Tenants Right Laws

Tenants can face many legal challenges. If you've been wrongfully evicted, experienced discrimination or retaliation, or your landlord has failed to maintain a habitable living environment, there may be legal remedies available to you. For more information and personalized legal advice, speak with a skilled landlord-tenant attorney in Arizona today.

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