You got an Arizona eviction notice — and the clock is measured in days, not weeks
In Arizona, a 5-day pay-or-quit notice can put you in front of a Justice of the Peace within a week or two of missing rent. Maybe your landlord kept your deposit, a contractor took your money, or someone owes you and won't pay. You don't need to guess what the notice means or scramble for a lawyer at midnight. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour, and an AI assistant trained on Arizona and federal law will explain the deadline you're facing in plain English — legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Arizona.
Civil & Housing in Arizona — what to do right now
Read the top of your notice and find the number of days and the reason. A 5-day notice means nonpayment of rent (A.R.S. 33-1368(B)) — if you pay the full rent plus any lawful late fee within those 5 calendar days, the landlord generally cannot evict for that nonpayment. A 10-day notice means a lease violation you can fix in that window. Do not skip the hearing — in Arizona there is no long answer period; if you don't show, the landlord wins by default and a writ of restitution can follow fast. Before you do anything, call 1-844-690-0555 free and have the notice read to you in plain English.
The law in Arizona: Civil & Housing
Arizona residential tenancies run on the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (ARLTA), A.R.S. Title 33. For nonpayment of rent, A.R.S. 33-1368(B) lets the landlord serve a 5-day notice; for a fixable material lease breach, 33-1368(A) gives 10 days; and for a 'material and irreparable' breach — a weapon discharge, an assault, drug manufacture — the landlord can move to terminate almost immediately. The eviction lawsuit itself (called a forcible or special detainer) is filed in the Justice Court under A.R.S. 12-1171 to 12-1183, and Arizona sets the hearing astonishingly fast — under A.R.S. 33-1377 the trial date is set no more than 6 and no fewer than 3 days after the summons, and no later than the 3rd day for an irreparable-breach case. There is no administrative housing tribunal here; the Arizona Department of Housing publishes the law but does not decide your case.Key Statutes
- A.R.S. 33-1368 — ARLTA eviction: 5-day pay-or-quit, 10-day cure notices
- A.R.S. 33-1321 — security deposit: 1.5-month cap, 14-business-day return, double damages
- A.R.S. 22-503 & 22-512 — small claims up to $5,000; attorneys barred absent consent of all parties
- A.R.S. 12-542 — 2-year limit for personal injury & property damage
- A.R.S. 44-1522 — Arizona Consumer Fraud Act (generally a 1-year private suit)
Courts & Agencies
- Justice Courts (Justice of the Peace) — evictions and civil claims up to $10,000
- Small Claims Division — money disputes up to $5,000, informal, no attorneys absent all-party consent
- Arizona Superior Court — claims over $10,000 and eviction appeals
- Arizona Department of Housing — publishes ARLTA (not an adjudicator)
- Arizona Attorney General, Consumer Information & Complaints Unit — consumer-fraud complaints
Penalties & Deadlines
- 5 calendar days to pay rent before the landlord can file (33-1368(B))
- 14 business days for the landlord to return your deposit + itemization (33-1321)
- Twice the amount wrongfully withheld for an unlawful deposit deduction
- 180 days to serve a government Notice of Claim; 2 years for injury suits
- Eviction trial set 3–6 days after summons; restitution 12–24 hours after an irreparable-breach finding (33-1377)
Arizona's eviction clock is one of the shortest in the country — and 'days' means calendar days
Most people assume an eviction takes a month or more. In Arizona it can take a week or two. A 5-day nonpayment notice under A.R.S. 33-1368(B) runs on calendar days — weekends included — and under A.R.S. 33-1377 the Justice Court sets the trial just 3 to 6 days after the summons issues. There is no leisurely answer window: you must show up at the hearing with your defense ready, or the landlord wins by default and a writ of restitution follows. The single biggest mistake is treating the notice like junk mail. If there's a notice on your door tonight, the days are already counting. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, and understand exactly how long you have — information, not advice.
Likely outcomes & penalties
Every case turns on its own facts, but here is the realistic range of what's at stake in common Arizona civil and housing matters. These are outcomes, not predictions.Mistakes to avoid
How it works
Free & low-cost Civil & Housing help in Arizona
If you can't afford a lawyer, Arizona has real free and low-cost help for civil and housing problems. These are independent organizations, not Legal Hotline — start here, then call us to make sense of what they tell you.
FAQ — Civil & Housing in Arizona
I got a 5-day notice in Arizona — how long do I really have?
Five calendar days, weekends included, from when the nonpayment notice is served under A.R.S. 33-1368(B). Pay the full rent plus any lawful late fee inside that window and the landlord generally can't evict for that nonpayment. Don't guess at the math — call 1-844-690-0555 free and have your notice read to you in plain English.
How fast can I actually be evicted here?
Faster than almost anywhere. After the 5-day notice expires the landlord files in Justice Court, and under A.R.S. 33-1377 the trial is set just 3 to 6 days after the summons — and no later than the 3rd day in an irreparable-breach case, where restitution can be ordered 12 to 24 hours after the finding. Call 1-844-690-0555 to learn the exact timeline for your case.
My landlord kept my security deposit — what can I do?
Under A.R.S. 33-1321, after you move out, hand back possession, and demand the deposit with a forwarding address, the landlord has 14 business days to return it with an itemized list. If they wrongfully withhold it, you can recover twice the amount wrongfully kept. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand whether your deduction was lawful — information, not advice.
What's the small claims limit in Arizona now?
$5,000, raised from $3,500 by SB1022 effective September 26, 2025 — so any guide quoting $3,500 is out of date. Small claims handles money disputes informally with no jury. Call 1-844-690-0555 to find out whether your case belongs in small claims or the regular civil docket.
Can I bring a lawyer to small claims court in Arizona?
Only if everyone agrees. Under A.R.S. 22-512, an attorney cannot take part in the small claims hearing unless all parties consent in writing, and under A.R.S. 22-519 there's no appeal from the result. If lawyers or appeal rights matter to you, you must move the case to the regular justice-court civil docket before trial. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to weigh that choice.
How long do I have to sue someone for an injury in Arizona?
Generally 2 years from the injury under A.R.S. 12-542 for personal injury or property damage. But if a government entity is involved, you must serve a Notice of Claim within just 180 days under A.R.S. 12-821.01 or the claim is barred. Call 1-844-690-0555 to find out which deadline applies before it runs.
If I miss the eviction hearing, what happens?
You lose by default. Arizona has no long written-answer period — your defense has to be made at the hearing, so not showing up hands the landlord a judgment for possession and money, with a writ to follow. Even if you think you have no defense, call 1-844-690-0555 first; you may have more options than you realize.
A company ripped me off — is that a consumer-fraud case?
It may be. The Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, A.R.S. 44-1522, bans deception and misrepresentation in selling or advertising goods and services, and courts generally apply a 1-year limit to a private suit, running from when you discover the deception. You can also complain to the Attorney General. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand your options in plain English.
Does Arizona have rent control if my rent jumps?
No. A.R.S. 33-1329 preempts city and town rent-control ordinances statewide — one of the strongest such bans in the country — so there's no municipal cap on increases. Your rights turn on your lease and ARLTA, not a rent ceiling. Call 1-844-690-0555 to understand what your lease and the law actually allow.
I was partly at fault for an accident — can I still recover anything?
Yes. Arizona is a pure comparative-negligence state under A.R.S. 12-2505: even if you're 90% at fault, you can still recover 10% of your damages, unlike states that bar you once you cross 50%. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand how fault could affect a claim — this is legal information, not advice.
Is this call really free, and are you my lawyer?
The call is genuinely free, 24/7, with no income test and no form. But Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender — the AI assistant gives legal information, not legal advice, and the call creates no attorney-client relationship. If you want a lawyer, we can help you book a paid consultation with an Arizona-licensed attorney. Call 1-844-690-0555.
Are you an Arizona civil or landlord-tenant attorney? Join our network
We send Arizona residents who need representation in evictions, deposit disputes, small claims, personal injury, and consumer matters toward a paid consultation with a licensed local attorney. If you're an Arizona-licensed lawyer in good standing with the State Bar of Arizona and want qualified client referrals, get in touch to join our network. Client calls always come first — this is a separate path for attorneys.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
The notice on your door is already counting down
In Arizona, a few days can be the difference between curing an eviction and losing your home, or between recovering double your deposit and walking away with nothing. You don't have to figure out the statute, the deadline, or the court alone — and you don't have to wait for business hours. Call 1-844-690-0555 now, free and 24/7, and an AI assistant trained on Arizona and federal law will explain exactly where you stand in plain English. Legal information, not legal advice — no attorney-client relationship, no income test, no form.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.