Arizona tenant screening laws

The Act sets no limit on application or screening fees. A fee you mean to keep must be designated nonrefundable with its purpose stated in writing, or it is refundable (A.R.S. § 33-1321(B); A.R.S. title 33, chapter 10).

• Materially false information on the application (such as the number of occupants, pets, income, social security number or employment) is a material noncompliance you can act on with a 10-day notice. False information about criminal records, prior evictions or current criminal activity cannot be cured (A.R.S. § 33-1368(A)).See Notice for lease violations on the Arizona page
• The property-management record rule applies to property management firms. It covers residential leases and related documents, which may include applications identifying the tenant, for one year after the lease expires or until those records are given to the owner when the management agreement ends. Financial records have a separate minimum three-year period from execution. This section does not set a general one-year period running from every rejected application; confirm the rules that apply to your role and record type (A.R.S. 32-2175(A), (C)).

Arizona law bars refusing to rent to, or setting different terms for, anyone because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin or disability. Refusing a reasonable accommodation in rules, policies, practices or services (such as an assistance animal under a no-pets rule), or a reasonable modification at the tenant's expense, that a person with a disability may need is also discrimination (A.R.S. § 41-1491.14; A.R.S. § 41-1491.19).

• Familial status covers pregnancy and living with a child under 18 as parent, custodian or with written permission (A.R.S. § 41-1491.01).
• Knowingly refusing to rent because a person has children, or advertising a no-children restriction, is a petty offense with civil remedies, except in qualifying housing for older persons. An occupancy limit of two persons per bedroom is presumed reasonable (A.R.S. § 33-1317).
• You are not liable for injuries or damages caused by an assistance or service animal you allow as a reasonable accommodation or modification (A.R.S. § 41-1491.38).