Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-2121
Security deposits
Operative Text
A. On termination of the tenancy, any security deposit may be applied to the payment of accrued rent, including utilities, and the amount of damages that the landlord has suffered by reason of the tenant's noncompliance with the law if the accrued rent and damages are itemized by the landlord in a written notice delivered to the tenant together with the amount due within fourteen days after termination of the tenancy and delivery of possession by the tenant. B. The holder of the landlord's interest in the premises at the time of the termination of the tenancy is bound by this section. C. The amount of any security deposit shall not be changed after the tenant executes the initial rental agreement.
Under A.R.S. § 33-2121, when a tenancy ends, a landlord may use a security deposit to cover unpaid rent (including utilities) and documented damages caused by the tenant's failure to comply with the law. To do so lawfully, the landlord must provide the tenant with a written, itemized statement of those deductions along with any remaining balance owed, all within fourteen days of the tenancy ending and the tenant returning possession. The law also fixes the security deposit amount at whatever was agreed upon in the original rental agreement—it cannot be increased later—and binds any new owner of the property to these same obligations.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to A.R.S. § 33-2121 generally prepare a detailed written accounting of any deductions from the security deposit—covering accrued rent, utilities, and documented damages—and deliver it to the former tenant along with any amount owed within the fourteen-day window that begins when the tenancy ends and possession is returned. Compliant landlords keep records that support each line item in that notice, since unsupported deductions can expose them to disputes. Owners should also be aware that anyone who acquires the landlord's interest in a property inherits the obligation to honor this provision, and that the deposit amount set in the original lease cannot be unilaterally increased at any point during the tenancy.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
A.R.S. § 33-2121 gives tenants the right to receive a written, itemized explanation of any security deposit deductions—along with any money owed back to them—within fourteen days of the tenancy ending and possession being returned. If a landlord misses that deadline or provides inadequate itemization, tenants may have grounds to challenge the deductions through Arizona courts or by consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with state law. Tenants should also know that the deposit amount locked in at the time of signing the original rental agreement cannot be raised during the tenancy, and that a change in property ownership does not affect these protections.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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