Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 41-1491.38
Assistance animals; reasonable accommodation; immunity
Operative Text
Notwithstanding any other law, a landlord is not liable for injuries or damages caused by a purported assistance animal or purported service animal that is allowed as a reasonable accommodation or a reasonable modification on the landlord's property or within property controlled by the landlord. This section does not limit or abridge the rights of a person with a disability as otherwise prescribed in this chapter.
Under A.R.S. § 41-1491.38, Arizona law shields landlords from civil liability for injuries or damages caused by an assistance or service animal that was permitted on the property as a reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification. This immunity applies even when the animal causes harm to other residents, guests, or property. The provision explicitly preserves all existing disability-related rights established elsewhere in the A.R.S. § 41-1491 et seq. chapter, so the immunity does not reduce or eliminate any protections afforded to people with disabilities.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under A.R.S. § 41-1491.38, landlords who grant a reasonable accommodation or reasonable modification request for an assistance or service animal generally are not held liable if that animal later causes injury or property damage. Compliant operators typically document the accommodation request and approval process carefully, maintaining records that show the animal was permitted under the reasonable accommodation framework. This immunity does not eliminate other obligations landlords have toward tenants with disabilities under the broader A.R.S. § 41-1491 et seq. framework.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
A.R.S. § 41-1491.38 provides landlords with immunity from liability for harm caused by an assistance or service animal granted as a reasonable accommodation, but it expressly does not limit or reduce the disability-related rights that tenants hold under the rest of the A.R.S. § 41-1491 et seq. chapter. Tenants with disabilities retain the right to request reasonable accommodations and modifications for assistance animals, and those rights remain intact regardless of this immunity provision. Tenants who believe their disability-related rights have been violated may consider contacting a tenant-rights organization or a fair housing agency to understand the options available under Arizona law.
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
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation