I own a home in Arizona
Property taxes, exemptions, deeds, and valuation notices.
From limited property values and the senior freeze to community property, monsoon season, and starting a business, CountyOffices gives you clear Arizona-specific guidance for the things that matter.
Reviewed against official Arizona government sources • Updated as laws and requirements change
Property taxes, exemptions, deeds, and valuation notices.
Arizona uses a two-value property tax system that trips up a lot of new homeowners. Your county Assessor tracks both a Full Cash Value (roughly market value) and a Limited Property Value, and it's the Limited Property Value that your primary tax bill is actually based on. That limited value can only grow by 5% a year or a statutory formula, whichever is less - which protects long-term owners from sudden tax jumps but also means your LPV resets close to market value the moment you buy, so a new purchase often comes with a bigger jump than a longtime owner ever sees. Property tax bills go out in September and are due in two installments: half by October 1 (delinquent after November 1) and the rest by March 1 (delinquent after May 1). If you disagree with your valuation, you have 60 days from the Notice of Valuation to file a Petition for Review with the Assessor, with further appeal available to the State Board of Equalization and then Arizona Tax Court.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Revenue, county Assessor offices
Closings, title searches, deeds, HOA documents, and property records.
Arizona closings typically go through a title company and escrow, with real estate agents and attorneys playing a smaller closing-day role than in some states. Deeds are recorded with the County Recorder - a different office from the Assessor, so recording a sale and updating the tax valuation are technically separate steps, though most counties coordinate the handoff automatically. If the property is under an HOA, request the CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) and any resale disclosure documents before closing; these are recorded with the county and govern things like exterior modifications, rentals, and assessments that aren't obvious from the listing alone. When you buy, expect your property's Limited Property Value to reset closer to market value the following tax year, which can mean a bigger property tax jump than what the seller was paying - factor that into your budget rather than assuming the prior owner's tax bill will carry over.
Sources: county Recorder offices, Arizona Dept. of Revenue
Flood zones, dust storm safety, insurance documents, and county alerts.
Arizona's monsoon season runs mid-June through the end of September, bringing sudden dust storms (haboobs) and flash flooding that can turn dry washes into dangerous currents within minutes - Arizona's "Pull Aside, Stay Alive" campaign exists because so many storm deaths happen in vehicles caught in dust or floodwater. Before the season starts, know whether your property sits in a flood zone (available through your county's floodplain management office) since that affects both insurance requirements and what building permits you might need for modifications. Extreme heat is a parallel summer risk - most counties operate cooling centers during heat warnings, typically coordinated through county emergency management or human services offices. After storm damage, your county Assessor can adjust a damaged property's valuation, and if a federal disaster is declared, FEMA assistance runs on its own separate timeline from any insurance claim.
Sources: National Weather Service, FEMA, county Emergency Management offices
Probate, wills, estates, community property, and county filing.
Because Arizona is a community property state, settling an estate here often starts with a question other states don't ask first: which assets were community property (owned equally by both spouses, regardless of whose name is on the title) versus separate property (owned before the marriage, or received individually by gift or inheritance)? A surviving spouse automatically owns their half of community property outright, which can simplify things considerably. Probate itself is filed with the Superior Court in the county where the deceased lived, and Arizona offers a small estate affidavit process for estates under statutory thresholds that lets heirs collect certain assets without opening a full probate case. Larger or more complex estates go through informal or formal probate depending on whether anything is contested. County Recorder offices hold any real estate deeds relevant to the estate, separate from the court case itself.
Sources: Arizona Judicial Branch, Arizona Revised Statutes Title 14
Marriage licenses, divorce filing, community property, and name changes.
Marriage licenses in Arizona are issued by the Clerk of Superior Court in any county - both applicants apply together with government-issued photo ID, and the fee runs around $85. Arizona has no waiting period between getting the license and marrying, and the license stays valid for a full 12 months, one of the longest validity windows in the country, so you don't need to time your application tightly to your ceremony date. Divorce (legally "dissolution of marriage") requires 90 days of Arizona residency before filing, goes through Superior Court in your county, and costs roughly $300–$400 in filing fees. Arizona is a pure no-fault state - "irretrievable breakdown" is the only ground needed - and because Arizona is a community property state, dividing marital property in a divorce means most assets acquired during the marriage are split roughly equally regardless of whose name they're titled in.
Sources: Arizona Judicial Branch, county Clerk of Superior Court offices, Arizona Revised Statutes Title 25
CC&Rs, disputes, recorded documents, and homeowner rights.
A large share of Arizona homes, especially in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, sit inside a homeowners association, and HOA disputes here run through Arizona's Planned Communities Act rather than general contract law alone. Your CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) are a recorded document held by the county Recorder - if you're unsure what your HOA can and can't require, the recorded CC&Rs, not just the HOA's handbook, are the controlling document. Arizona gives homeowners specific statutory rights: HOAs generally can't restrict political signs, flags, or solar panels beyond limited reasonable restrictions, and there are formal notice-and-hearing requirements before an HOA can levy fines or place a lien for unpaid assessments. If a dispute escalates, the Arizona Dept. of Real Estate handles some categories of HOA complaints, and unresolved disputes over assessments or CC&R violations can also go to Arizona's expedited HOA dispute process through the Office of Administrative Hearings before landing in Superior Court.
Sources: Arizona Revised Statutes Title 33, Chapter 16; Arizona Dept. of Real Estate; county Recorder offices
Birth, death, marriage, court, property, and business records.
Birth and death certificates come from the Arizona Dept. of Health Services Office of Vital Records, though many counties also allow local ordering for events that occurred in that county - a certified copy runs about $20 at the state level. Marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the license was issued. Property records - deeds, mortgages, liens, easements - are held by the County Recorder, along with voter registration records (Arizona uniquely assigns voter registration to the Recorder's office rather than a separate elections office). Court records are searchable statewide through the Arizona Public Access to Court Information system, though full case files come from the Clerk of Superior Court where the case was filed. Business records are filed with the Arizona Corporation Commission. Criminal history and record set-aside or sealing requests follow their own separate process under Arizona law.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Health Services, Arizona Judicial Branch, county Recorder offices, Arizona Corporation Commission
Licenses, permits, EIN, sales tax, and local requirements.
To form an LLC in Arizona, you file Articles of Organization with the Arizona Corporation Commission - $50 for regular processing (14–21 business days) or $85 for expedited (5–10 business days). One distinctive Arizona requirement: after forming your LLC, you generally must satisfy a newspaper publication requirement in the county of formation, notifying the public of the new entity (a handful of counties are exempt because they already have this covered through the Corporation Commission's own publication). Arizona LLCs are not required to file annual reports, which is unusual among states and one less recurring task to track. If you'll sell taxable goods or services, register for Transaction Privilege Tax (Arizona's version of sales tax) through the Dept. of Revenue - note it's technically a tax on the seller's privilege of doing business, not a sales tax on the buyer, though it functions similarly at checkout. Local business licensing and zoning permits come from your city or county separately.
Sources: Arizona Corporation Commission, Arizona Dept. of Revenue
The County Assessor values property. The Treasurer bills and collects the tax.
Arizona splits property tax between two separate elected county offices, and mixing them up is a common source of confusion. The County Assessor determines your property's value - both the Full Cash Value (market value) and the Limited Property Value that your tax bill is actually calculated from - and processes exemption applications like the senior valuation freeze. The County Treasurer then bills and collects the resulting tax, manages the two semi-annual due dates (October 1 and March 1), and handles delinquent tax and payment plan questions. If you think your home is overvalued, that's an Assessor issue (file a Petition for Review within 60 days of your Notice of Valuation). If you have a question about your actual bill, a payment, or a past-due balance, that's the Treasurer.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Revenue, county Assessor and Treasurer offices
Taxes are based on a limited value that can grow only modestly each year under Prop 117.
Most states tax you on your property's market value. Arizona instead uses a Limited Property Value (LPV) for primary tax purposes - a separate, capped figure that can grow by no more than 5% a year (or a statutory alternate formula, whichever is less), regardless of how much the market value (Full Cash Value) actually rises. Voters created this system through Proposition 117 to make property tax bills more predictable. The tradeoff: the cap resets close to market value when a property sells, so a new buyer's first-year LPV is often much closer to market value than what a longtime owner next door is paying, even on an identical home. Your Assessor's Notice of Valuation shows both figures - Full Cash Value and Limited Property Value - so you can see the gap directly, and the LPV, not the FCV, is what determines your actual bill.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Revenue, Arizona Revised Statutes Title 42, Proposition 117 (2012)
Deeds and document recording share an office with voter registration and early ballots.
In many states, deed recording and voter registration are handled by completely different offices. In Arizona, they're the same office: the County Recorder records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real property documents, and also administers voter registration and, in most counties, early/mail voting. This means the same office you'd contact to search a property's ownership history is also where you'd sign up for Arizona's Active Early Voting List (AEVL) to automatically receive mail ballots for future elections, or resolve a voter registration issue. The Recorder also holds military discharge papers (DD-214s) and notary commission records. If you're not sure which county office handles something involving either property records or elections, the Recorder is the first place to check.
Sources: county Recorder offices, Arizona Secretary of State
Licenses and titles come from state MVD offices or authorized third-party providers.
Arizona doesn't run driver's license and vehicle title services out of county offices at all - that's handled by the state Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), part of the Arizona Dept. of Transportation. What's distinctive is how MVD delivers those services: alongside full-service state MVD locations, Arizona authorizes private "third-party" providers to handle most of the same transactions (registration renewals, title transfers, driver's license services in many cases) under contract with the state. These third-party offices are often faster and more numerous than state-run locations, especially in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, though they may charge a small service fee on top of state fees. If you're looking for "the DMV" in Arizona, search for MVD or an authorized third-party provider near you rather than expecting a county-run office.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division
Arizona divides most marital property equally, which may affect divorce, debt, and inheritance.
Arizona is one of a handful of community property states, and it changes how marriage, divorce, and inheritance work compared to most of the country. Property acquired during the marriage generally belongs equally to both spouses, regardless of whose name is on the title or bank account - a paycheck earned by one spouse, for instance, is still community property. Property owned before the marriage, or received individually by gift or inheritance during the marriage, stays separate property and isn't automatically split. At divorce, community property is divided equitably, which in practice usually means close to a 50/50 split. At death, a surviving spouse automatically owns their half of the community property outright - it doesn't have to pass through probate the way separate property might. Debts follow a similar logic: debt taken on during the marriage is often treated as a shared community obligation, which matters for creditors as much as for divorce.
Sources: Arizona Revised Statutes Title 25, Arizona Judicial Branch
Qualifying homeowners 65 and older may freeze their home's limited value.
Arizona voters created the Senior Property Valuation Protection Option, commonly called the "senior freeze," through a constitutional amendment in 2000. It lets qualifying homeowners 65 or older lock their home's Limited Property Value in place for three years, regardless of whether market values rise or fall during that window - it's renewable after that if you still qualify. This doesn't freeze your actual tax bill (tax rates can still change), only the valuation your bill is calculated from, so it's protection against appreciation-driven increases specifically. To qualify, at least one owner must be 65+, the home must be your primary residence for at least two years before applying, and total household income (taxable and non-taxable combined) generally can't exceed roughly $47,712 for a single owner or $59,640 for two or more owners, though these figures adjust periodically. Applications go through your county Assessor, typically during a window from March through September for the following year's freeze - check your specific county's exact dates.
Sources: Arizona Constitution Article 9, Section 18; county Assessor offices
The Arizona county records research approach starts with the specific county's official website. Most Arizona counties offer online court record search, property record search, and recording document search through their county websites. The Arizona Public Access to Court Information system provides statewide case lookup for many court types. The County Supervisors Association of Arizona provides resources for accessing county government.
Arizona uses a two-value property tax system. The Full Cash Value (FCV) is market value. The Limited Property Value (LPV) is used for primary tax calculations and is limited to 5 percent annual growth (or the rule B calculation, whichever is less). This creates substantial differences between long-term owners (who benefit from the cap) and recent buyers (whose LPV resets near market value on purchase). The Arizona county records on property show both FCV and LPV separately for transparency.
Arizona is a community property state. Property acquired during marriage belongs equally to both spouses regardless of titling. At divorce, community property is divided equitably (typically roughly 50/50). At death, the surviving spouse automatically owns their half of community property. Separate property (owned before marriage or received by gift or inheritance) remains separate. The Arizona county records on property held during marriage often involve community property considerations.
Arizona property taxes are due in two semi-annual installments. The first half is due October 1 and becomes delinquent if not paid by November 1. The second half is due March 1 and becomes delinquent if not paid by May 1. Property owners receive an annual tax bill in September. Many Arizona counties allow payment plans. The Arizona county records on property tax payments are maintained by the County Treasurer.
Apply at the Clerk of Superior Court in any Arizona county. Both applicants must appear together. Required documents include government-issued photo ID. License fees are approximately $85. Arizona has no waiting period between license issuance and the marriage ceremony. Licenses are valid for 12 months from issuance (one of the longest validity periods in the United States). The Arizona county records on marriage are maintained by the issuing Clerk of Superior Court.
Order through the Arizona Department of Health Services Office of Vital Records or through your county vital records office. Many Arizona counties allow local ordering for events in their county. Required information includes the full name on the certificate, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names, and proof of your identity and relationship if you are not the person named. Arizona birth certificate fees are approximately $20 per certified copy at the state level.
Arizona dissolution (divorce) filing requires meeting the 90-day Arizona residency requirement, completing the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, and filing with the Superior Court in the county of residence. Filing fees range from approximately $300 to $400. Arizona is a pure no-fault state with irretrievable breakdown as the standard ground. Arizona is a community property state. The Arizona county records on dissolutions are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk.
Arizona property owners can appeal in multiple stages. First, owners can file an Assessor appeal (Petition for Review) within 60 days of the Notice of Valuation. If unsuccessful, owners can appeal to the State Board of Equalization. From the State Board, owners can appeal to the Arizona Tax Court (a division of Superior Court). The multi-stage process creates several opportunities to resolve disputes. The Arizona property tax guide covers the appeal process.
File Articles of Organization with the Arizona Corporation Commission. The filing fee is $50 for regular processing or $85 for expedited. Arizona LLC formation typically processes within 14-21 business days for regular processing or 5-10 business days for expedited. Arizona LLCs are not required to file annual reports (distinctive among states). After formation, register for Transaction Privilege Tax if applicable through the Department of Revenue. Arizona LLCs must also satisfy a publication requirement in most counties (publish in a newspaper in the county of formation).
Register through the Arizona Secretary of State or your county Recorder. Arizona allows online voter registration. Registration deadline is 29 days before each election. Arizona requires proof of citizenship for full ballot access (federal-only ballot is available without citizenship proof). Arizona allows joining the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) to automatically receive mail ballots for future elections. The Arizona county records on voter registration are maintained by each County Recorder.
The Arizona county records maintained by the County Recorder include real property records (deeds, mortgages, easements, liens, releases), voter registration records (administered by the County Recorder in Arizona), military discharge papers (DD-214), notary commissions, and various other recorded instruments. Each Arizona county has its own Recorder. Most offer online search through their county website. The Arizona Association of Counties provides additional information.
Arizona allows set-aside of certain criminal convictions under ARS 13-905. Set-aside does not destroy the record but indicates the conviction has been resolved. Proposition 207 created a marijuana expungement option. HB 2752 (effective 2023) created a new sealing option under ARS 13-911 for certain offenses after specified waiting periods. The Arizona county records on set-aside and sealed matters become inaccessible to most parties through these processes. The Arizona court records guide covers procedures.
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Get Help Now → Private. Secure. Always free.Arizona runs a genuinely detailed property tax calendar worth tracking.
Arizona runs a genuinely detailed property tax calendar worth tracking. Notices of Value are mailed by March 1 each year, and you have 60 days from that mailing date to file an administrative valuation appeal. Property taxes themselves are paid in two installments: the first half is due November 1 (delinquent after December 31), and the second half is due March 1 of the following year (delinquent after May 1). If you're 65+ and want the Senior Property Valuation Protection Option ("senior freeze"), the application window runs March 1 through September 1 - apply in person at your county Assessor's office, since mail-in applications aren't accepted. Once approved, the freeze locks your Limited Property Value for three years and is renewable afterward if you still qualify (income limits apply: recently $47,712 for one owner, $59,640 for two or more). If your county mails a separate Notice of Change later in the year (by September 30), you get a distinct 25-day appeal window for that specific notice. If an administrative appeal doesn't resolve things, Arizona Tax Court appeals are due by December 15 of the notice year regardless of where you are in the administrative process.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Revenue, Arizona State Board of Equalization, county Assessor and Treasurer offices
If you disagree with your Notice of Value - mailed by your county Assessor by March 1 each year - you have 60 days from that mailing date to file an administrative appeal.
If you disagree with your Notice of Value - mailed by your county Assessor by March 1 each year - you have 60 days from that mailing date to file an administrative appeal. Arizona recognizes three genuine grounds for challenging a valuation: the market approach (your property's actual sale price or comparable sales differ significantly from the assessed value), the income approach (for income-producing property, the assessed value doesn't reflect actual revenue generated), and errors in the property's classification or physical description. File the appeal directly with your county Assessor's office; the Assessor must respond to petitions by August 15, and if you disagree with that decision, you have 25 days to escalate to your county's State Board of Equalization. If you skip the administrative appeal entirely, you can instead file directly with Arizona Tax Court by December 15 of the notice year. If you did file an administrative appeal and remain unsatisfied, you get 60 days from the administrative decision to go to Tax Court, but never later than that same December 15 cutoff. A new owner who buys mid-year, where the prior owner didn't appeal, gets until December 15 of the following year (the actual tax year) to file their own Tax Court appeal.
Read the full property tax appeal guide →
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Revenue, Arizona State Board of Equalization, county Assessor offices, Arizona Tax Court
Arizona's public records law gives residents broad access to government-held records, presuming that documents made or maintained by public officials in the course of their duties are open for inspection unless a specific statutory exemption applies.
Arizona's public records law gives residents broad access to government-held records, presuming that documents made or maintained by public officials in the course of their duties are open for inspection unless a specific statutory exemption applies. You generally don't need to explain why you want a record or demonstrate a personal stake in it - the presumption runs toward disclosure. Common exemptions include certain law enforcement investigative records, records that would violate personal privacy interests, and specific categories deemed confidential by other statutes. Real estate records - deeds, mortgages, liens - are recorded and searchable through the county Recorder, an office that in Arizona also genuinely runs early voting and voter registration, a combination worth knowing when you're trying to figure out which office handles what. Court records for civil, criminal, and probate matters are held by the Clerk of Superior Court in each county. Business entity records are filed with the Arizona Corporation Commission, searchable statewide. Property valuation and appeal records go through your county Assessor, a separate office from the Recorder and Treasurer. If a records request is denied, the specific statutory exemption should be cited, and disputes can ultimately be taken to court if unresolved.
Read the full open records guide →
Sources: Arizona Attorney General's Office, Arizona Revised Statutes §39-121 et seq., county Recorder and Assessor offices
Arizona's monsoon season runs officially June 15 through September 30, bringing genuine risks from sudden dust storms (haboobs), flash flooding in normally dry washes, and severe thunderstorms with damaging winds - conditions that can develop and turn dangerous with very little warning. "Pull Aside, Stay Alive" is Arizona's real, practical guidance for dust storms while driving: pulling completely off the roadway, turning off your lights, and waiting it out is genuinely safer than trying to drive through zero visibility.
Arizona's monsoon season runs officially June 15 through September 30, bringing genuine risks from sudden dust storms (haboobs), flash flooding in normally dry washes, and severe thunderstorms with damaging winds - conditions that can develop and turn dangerous with very little warning. "Pull Aside, Stay Alive" is Arizona's real, practical guidance for dust storms while driving: pulling completely off the roadway, turning off your lights, and waiting it out is genuinely safer than trying to drive through zero visibility. Flash flood risk is real even well away from obvious water, since Arizona's washes and low-water crossings can fill rapidly from storms miles away - never drive through flowing water across a roadway. Extreme heat is a year-round concern but peaks alongside monsoon season, and counties maintain cooling centers for residents without reliable air conditioning during dangerous heat events; check with your county or city for current locations. After storm or flood damage, your county Assessor can adjust your property's valuation, and if a federal disaster is declared, FEMA assistance becomes available for both individuals and local governments. Insurance claims should be filed promptly with documentation (photos, a written inventory), since Arizona homeowner policies carry their own claim timelines.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Emergency and Military Affairs, National Weather Service Phoenix, FEMA, county Emergency Management offices
As a new Arizona resident, you're expected to register your vehicle promptly after establishing residency - check with the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) for the current specific window, and remember that Arizona lets you complete many MVD transactions through authorized third-party providers rather than only at state offices, which can genuinely speed up the process compared to a state-run-only system.
As a new Arizona resident, you're expected to register your vehicle promptly after establishing residency - check with the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) for the current specific window, and remember that Arizona lets you complete many MVD transactions through authorized third-party providers rather than only at state offices, which can genuinely speed up the process compared to a state-run-only system. Arizona doesn't require a fixed-day deadline to transfer your driver's license the way some states do, but driving in Arizona long-term on an out-of-state license isn't advisable once you're genuinely a resident - plan your MVD visit soon after arriving. If you've purchased a home, understand that Arizona's property tax is based on a "Limited Property Value," which under Prop 117 can only grow modestly each year even if the home's full cash (market) value rises faster - this cap benefits you automatically without needing to apply. If you're 65+, look into the Senior Property Valuation Protection Option ("senior freeze"), applying between March 1 and September 1 at your county Assessor's office in person. Register to vote through your county Recorder, the same office that also runs early voting and handles deed recording - a genuinely broad combination in Arizona. Remember Arizona is a community property state, which shapes how marital assets and debts work here.
Sources: Arizona Dept. of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division, Arizona Dept. of Revenue, county Recorder and Assessor offices
Arizona laws apply statewide, but offices, services, procedures and local requirements can vary by county. Select your county for verified local offices, services and official resources.
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