Leaving A Lease Early
A.R.S. 33-1318 — a victim of domestic violence may end the lease on written notice within thirty days
Domestic violence or sexual assault. An Arizona tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, or was a victim of sexual assault in the dwelling, may end the rental agreement by written notice asking for release on a mutually agreed date within the next thirty days, with a copy of a protective order or of a written law enforcement report stating that the tenant reported it. The tenant then owes no future rent and no early termination penalty or fee.
The events have to have occurred within the thirty days before the notice, unless the landlord waives that. The tenant owes rent only through the termination date plus earlier obligations. The deposit may not be kept for the early termination itself, though it may still cover damage from the tenant's failure to maintain the unit.
A tenant who is a victim may also require the landlord to install a new lock, at the tenant's cost, by rekeying or replacing it. The landlord may refuse a key to the person named in the order or report, and refuses that person access to reclaim property without a law enforcement escort once served with the order.
A tenant convicted of falsely filing the report or order is liable for treble damages. The person named who provoked the termination may be civilly liable to the landlord for the resulting losses. Apart from this section, a month-to-month tenancy ends on written notice at least 30 days before the periodic rental date the notice names.
Sources for this section (2)
- A.R.S. 33-1318 — Early termination by tenant; domestic violence; sexual assault; lock replacement
- A.R.S. 33-1375 — Periodic tenancy; hold-over remedies
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Arizona attorney.