Security Deposit Law in Arizona (Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1321): Deadline and Penalty
In Arizona, a landlord has 14 business days to return a security deposit. The deadline is measured from this trigger: Termination of tenancy, delivery of possession, AND demand by the tenant. The verified penalty formula is 2x the amount wrongfully withheld, plus recovery of the property/money due, if the landlord fails to comply with the subsection D itemization/return duty (no separate statutory "bad faith" element required - the penalty attaches to noncompliance with the 14-day itemized-list duty itself) under Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1321 (Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act).
Key facts
| Deadline | 14 business days |
|---|---|
| Deadline trigger | Termination of tenancy, delivery of possession, AND demand by the tenant |
| Penalty formula | 2x the amount wrongfully withheld, plus recovery of the property/money due, if the landlord fails to comply with the subsection D itemization/return duty (no separate statutory "bad faith" element required - the penalty attaches to noncompliance with the 14-day itemized-list duty itself) |
| Bad faith required | No |
| Statute citation | Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1321 (Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) |
Statute says
"A landlord shall not demand or receive security, however denominated, including prepaid rent in an amount or value of more than one and one-half month's rent... Within fourteen days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays or other legal holidays, after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession and demand by the tenant the landlord shall provide the tenant an itemized list of all deductions together with the amount due and payable to the tenant... If the landlord fails to comply with subsection D of this section, the tenant may recover the property and money due the tenant together with damages in an amount equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld."
What this means
Read the deadline, trigger, and penalty together. Match the date you can prove to the trigger above, then compare the landlord's response to the rule in Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1321 (Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act).
Free Arizona template, built from verified state data
I rented [rental property address] from [lease start date] to [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[amount]. I returned the keys on [date] and gave you my forwarding address in writing on [date]. Under Arizona law (Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1321), a landlord must return the deposit or send a written, itemized list of deductions within 14 business days after termination of tenancy, delivery of possession, and demand by the tenant.
FAQ
Does Phoenix have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Arizona law.
What is the small claims limit in Arizona?
See the applicable court limits and jurisdictions in the state court guide. Arizona small claims courts and filing fees
What happens if a landlord misses the Arizona deposit deadline?
The verified penalty formula is 2x the amount wrongfully withheld, plus recovery of the property/money due, if the landlord fails to comply with the subsection D itemization/return duty (no separate statutory "bad faith" element required - the penalty attaches to noncompliance with the 14-day itemized-list duty itself) under Arizona Revised Statutes § 33-1321 (Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Keep the move-out date, forwarding address records, and any itemized statement before you act.
Does a demand letter change the legal deadline?
No. The deadline is still 14 business days. The deadline trigger is Termination of tenancy, delivery of possession, AND demand by the tenant. A letter documents the timeline and asks the landlord to resolve the deposit before the next step.
If the deadline passed
Send a letter that documents the demand and keeps your record tied to the verified Arizona deadline.
build an Arizona demand letter
If the landlord stays silent, review landlord ignoring the deadline before choosing the next step.