Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-321
Maintenance of premises
Operative Text
A tenant shall exercise diligence to maintain the premises in as good condition as when he took possession, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
Under A.R.S. § 33-321, tenants are responsible for keeping a rental unit in roughly the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy, with an explicit carve-out for ordinary wear and tear — the gradual, expected deterioration that comes from normal, everyday use. The rule draws a legal distinction between damage caused by neglect or misuse and the natural aging of a property. This standard applies throughout the duration of the tenancy, not just at move-out.
Plain English — not legal advice.
A.R.S. § 33-321 provides landlords with a baseline standard against which a tenant's care of the premises can be measured. Compliant operators typically document the condition of a unit at move-in with written checklists, photographs, or video, and compare that record to the unit's condition at move-out. Understanding the legal distinction between ordinary wear and tear — such as minor scuffs or carpet fading — and actual damage is important when evaluating any deductions from a security deposit.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
A.R.S. § 33-321 establishes that tenants are expected to maintain the rental unit with reasonable care, but are not responsible for deterioration that results from normal, everyday living. Tenants generally benefit from documenting the unit's condition at move-in and move-out to demonstrate that any changes fall within the ordinary wear and tear exception. If a dispute arises over property condition, tenant-rights organizations in Arizona can help explain how this standard has been applied and what options may be available.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.