When You Must Identify
A.R.S. 13-2412 — a true full name when lawfully detained, and no compelled answer to anything else
A true full name, and nothing more. A person a peace officer has lawfully detained on reasonable suspicion of a crime, and has advised that refusing to answer is unlawful, has to state a true full name on the officer's request. The person shall not be compelled to answer any other inquiry. Failing or refusing to state the name is a class 2 misdemeanor.
The duty has three conditions in the section's own words: a lawful detention, reasonable suspicion that the person has committed, is committing or is about to commit a crime, and the advice that refusing is unlawful. It asks for a name, not a document.
Behind the wheel the rule is different: a stopped driver exhibits a driver license, or an unlicensed driver provides evidence of identity, and a passenger does so when the officer has reasonable cause to believe the passenger violated the transportation title.
Sources for this section (2)
- A.R.S. 13-2412 — Refusing to provide truthful name when lawfully detained
- A.R.S. 28-1595 — Failure to stop or provide driver license or evidence of identity
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Arizona attorney.