Arizona security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Arizona. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Arizona
- Return timing
- 14 days, excluding weekends and holidays (business days), running from termination, delivery of possession, and demand by the tenant (§ 33-1321(D)).
- Accounting for deductions
- An itemized list of all deductions must go out with any refund within the window; if the tenant does not dispute deductions in writing within 60 days of mailing, the accounting becomes 'valid and final'.
- Deposit interest
- The state deposit statute does not require interest. Check any additional lease or local rule.
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
Check the type of tenancy, the lease and any local or housing-program rules before relying on the statewide summary.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 ↗What starts the return clock?
14 days, excluding weekends and holidays (business days), running from termination, delivery of possession, and demand by the tenant (§ 33-1321(D)).
Arizona counts the clock from three events together: termination, delivery of possession, and your demand (§ 33-1321(D)). Making that demand in writing and keeping the date is how you prove the clock started, though the statute does not prescribe a form.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
No receipts requirement; instead: a required signed move-in condition form, a written purpose statement for any nonrefundable fee (otherwise it is refundable), and the tenant's right on request to attend the move-out inspection.
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 ↗What could you recover?
Fixed, no bad-faith element: the tenant may recover the money due together with damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld (§ 33-1321(E)) - the 2x stacks on the refund, for an effective 3x exposure.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321(E), including applicable notice requirements. A multiplier that already includes the deposit should not be added to that deposit again.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $5,000. Filing: ~$58 (Maricopa; counties vary $40-$75). The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Arizona deposit rights
How long does a Arizona landlord have to return a security deposit?
14 days, excluding weekends and holidays (business days), running from termination, delivery of possession, and demand by the tenant (§ 33-1321(D)).
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Arizona?
Missing the deadline lets the tenant recover the property and money due, plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld (§ 33-1321(E)). Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Arizona?
An itemized list of all deductions must go out with any refund within the window; if the tenant does not dispute deductions in writing within 60 days of mailing, the accounting becomes 'valid and final'. No receipts requirement; instead: a required signed move-in condition form, a written purpose statement for any nonrefundable fee (otherwise it is refundable), and the tenant's right on request to attend the move-out inspection.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1321 ↗