Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 41-1491

Definitions

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/8/2026ArizonaFair Housing & Anti-Discrimination

Operative Text

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 41-1491
In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Aggrieved person" includes any person who either:

(a) Claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice.

(b) Believes that the person will be injured by a discriminatory housing practice that is about to occur.

2. "Assistance animal" means a trained or untrained animal that works, provides assistance, performs tasks or provides therapeutic or emotional support for the benefit of a person with a disability.

3. "Complainant" means a person, including the attorney general, who files a complaint under section 41-1491.22.

4. "Conciliation" means the attempted resolution of issues raised by a complaint or by the investigation of the complaint through informal negotiations involving the aggrieved person, the respondent and the attorney general.

5. "Conciliation agreement" means a written agreement setting forth the resolution of the issues in conciliation.

6. "Disability" means a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits at least one major life activity, a record of such an impairment or being regarded as having such an impairment. Disability does not include current illegal use of or addiction to any drug or illegal or federally controlled substance. Disability shall be defined and construed as the term is defined and construed by the Americans with disabilities act of 1990 (P.L. 101-336) and the ADA amendments act of 2008 (P.L. 110-325; 122 Stat. 3553).

7. "Discriminatory housing practice" means an act prohibited by sections 41-1491.14 through 41-1491.21.

8. "Dwelling" means either:

(a) Any building, structure or part of a building or structure that is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence by one or more families.

(b) Any vacant land that is offered for sale or lease for the construction or location of a building, structure or part of a building or structure described by subdivision (a) of this paragraph.

9. "Family" includes a single individual.

10. "Person" means one or more individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, labor organizations, legal representatives, mutual companies, joint stock companies, trusts, unincorporated organizations, trustees, receivers, fiduciaries, banks, credit unions and financial institutions.

11. "Respondent" means either:

(a) The person accused of a violation of this article in a complaint of a discriminatory housing practice.

(b) Any person identified as an additional or substitute respondent under section 41-1491.25 or an agent of an additional or substitute respondent.

12. "Service animal":

(a) Means any dog or miniature horse that is individually trained or in training to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability.

(b) Does not include other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained.

13. "To rent" includes to lease, to sublease, to let or to otherwise grant for a consideration the right to occupy premises not owned by the occupant.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

A.R.S. § 41-1491 et seq. establishes the foundational vocabulary for Arizona's fair housing law by defining key terms such as "dwelling," "disability," "discriminatory housing practice," "assistance animal," and "service animal." These definitions set the boundaries of who is protected, what conduct is regulated, and which properties and transactions fall within the law's reach. The distinctions drawn here—such as the difference between an assistance animal and a service animal, or the specific scope of "disability"—shape how every other provision in the article is interpreted and applied.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers operating under A.R.S. § 41-1491 et seq. generally familiarize themselves with these definitions because they determine which properties, tenants, and animals are covered by Arizona's fair housing requirements. For example, understanding that "family" includes a single individual and that "to rent" encompasses leasing, subleasing, and similar arrangements helps operators recognize when the law applies to their transactions. Compliant operators also distinguish between assistance animals and service animals, as each category may carry different accommodation obligations under the broader article.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

A.R.S. § 41-1491 et seq. defines the terms that determine whether a person qualifies as an "aggrieved person" with standing to pursue a fair housing complaint, and whether a housing situation involves a covered "dwelling" or a protected "disability." Tenants who believe they have experienced a discriminatory housing practice—or that one is about to occur—may find that these definitions are central to understanding their rights under Arizona law. Those seeking to learn more about how these definitions apply to their circumstances can consult a tenant-rights organization or review the complaint process outlined in section 41-1491.22.

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 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 8, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

A.R.S. § 41-1491.22
Not yet ingested
A.R.S. § 41-1491.14
Not yet ingested
A.R.S. § 41-1491.25
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

A.R.S. § 41-1491
A.R.S. § 41-1491

Related Rules

§ 5.106
§ 5.106 Equal access in accordance with the individual's gender identity in community planning and development programs.
§ 5.109
§ 5.109 Equal participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities.
§ 2
Policies; recommendations

Source Information

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