Arizona Legal Aid (Community Legal Services & AZLawHelp)
Last updated August 2026
Free civil legal help in Arizona starts at azlawhelp.org: apply online at apply.azlawhelp.org or call 866-637-5341 to be routed to the legal aid program serving your county, for family, benefits, debt, employment, and health problems. For housing, the Bar Foundation's companion sites matter just as much: azevictionhelp.org walks through every stage of an eviction, and azcourthelp.org has court forms, live chat, and an eviction portal.
Arizona evictions are measured in days, not weeks, so read this part slowly. Nonpayment starts with a 5-day notice, which the landlord can serve the day rent is late. The 5 days are calendar days, weekends and holidays included, starting the day after the notice. When they expire, the landlord can file the next day, and the court sets a hearing almost immediately, typically 3 to 6 days out.
Money can still stop it. Paying everything demanded within the 5 days stops the filing, and a partial payment the landlord accepts generally blocks a nonpayment filing too, unless you signed an agreement saying otherwise. If paying is impossible, moving out and returning the keys within the 5 days keeps an eviction judgment off your record; you still owe the money, but no filing follows you to the next rental application.
If it reaches court, go. Cases under $10,000 owed run in Justice Court, larger ones in Superior Court. After a judgment, the landlord requests a Writ of Restitution, the order for the constable to remove you and change the locks, and the judgment itself states the earliest date it can issue. If you are locked out with belongings inside, the landlord must hold them 14 days.
Because the timeline punishes waiting, azevictionhelp.org pushes tenants toward its legal help and rental-assistance directories at every step, plus live chat. Use them the day the notice appears, not the day of the hearing. 2-1-1 can surface local rent funds the same day.
Beyond evictions, the network runs deep: LawForSeniors, LawForKids, and LawForVeterans cover their audiences free, and azlawhelp.org handles benefits appeals and consumer problems. Legal aid programs screen by income, so apply rather than assume you earn too much.
Phone 1-800-852-9075
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Low-income Arizona residents with a civil, noncriminal legal problem; income is generally at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty level, and each program sets its own guidelines
- The self-help legal information at AZLawHelp.org is free for everyone, with no income screen
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
The day a 5-day notice appears: count the calendar days, weekends included, and get help at azevictionhelp.org or 866-637-5341.
- 2
If you can pay everything demanded within the 5 days, do it; that stops the filing. Ask 2-1-1 about emergency rent funds immediately.
- 3
If you cannot pay, weigh moving out within the 5 days to keep a judgment off your record.
- 4
If the case is filed, attend the hearing; it lands 3 to 6 days after filing, and missing it means losing.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How fast can an eviction happen in Arizona?
Fast. A 5-day notice (calendar days, weekends count), filing the day after it expires, and a hearing 3 to 6 days later. Act the day the notice appears.
Can paying the rent stop it?
Yes. Paying everything demanded within the 5 days stops the filing, and an accepted partial payment generally blocks a nonpayment filing unless you agreed otherwise in writing.
What if I just move out?
Leaving and returning the keys within the 5 days keeps an eviction judgment off your record. You still owe the money, but no eviction case follows you.
What happens after a judgment?
The landlord requests a Writ of Restitution directing the constable to remove you; the judgment states the earliest date it can issue. Belongings left inside must be held 14 days.
Where do I get free legal help?
Apply at apply.azlawhelp.org or call 866-637-5341. azevictionhelp.org and azcourthelp.org offer guides, forms, an eviction portal, and live chat, free for everyone.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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