How long does an eviction take in Phoenix?
For unpaid rent in Maricopa County, expect about 2.5 weeks from notice to lockout under Arizona's deadlines, or 2 to 7 weeks if it's contested. Cases go to Maricopa County Justice Courts (eviction); constables enforce writs.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
The Phoenix eviction timeline
These deadlines come from Arizona law, as on the Arizona page; we found no separate city notice period for nonpayment. City rules and court backlogs are below.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
5 days5 days to pay or move (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-1368)
- 2
File and get a judgment
3–14 days · typical 6Trial is set 3 to 6 days after filing (up to 3-day postponement for good cause); tenant answers at trial
- 3
Judgment to lockout
5–10 daysNo writ of restitution until 5 calendar days after judgment
- 4
If the tenant appeals
5-day window5 calendar days to appeal; a supersedeas bond is required to stay the eviction
Real-world court wait: we found no official or reputable statistic for this court, so the timeline is a rule-based estimate. unverified
Can the tenant pay and stay? Before filing, paying all past-due rent and the lease's reasonable late fee reinstates the lease; after the case is filed, the tenant must also pay attorney fees and court costs, any time before judgment (A.R.S. § 33-1368(B)). official source Source ↗
What an eviction costs in Phoenix
Local court and marshal fees, plus national lawyer estimates. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Maricopa County Justice Courts$69Eviction complaint and summons $69 (Maricopa County Justice Courts' all-inclusive schedule); the tenant's answer is free
Serving the tenant
statewide (A.R.S. § 11-445)$40Statutory constable/sheriff minimum to serve a summons: $16 per copy + $16 minimum mileage + $8 affidavit of service (A.R.S. § 11-445); longer trips add $2.40/mile and private process servers set their own prices
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Maricopa County Justice Courts$125Writ of restitution $125, including constable service for the first 6 miles; $2.40 per mile beyond that
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this city; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this city.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,712/moPhoenix median gross rent, ±$33; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro: $1,819 (±$19); Cook County $1,820 (±$19). The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
City and state rules that change the answer
Each rule is tagged with whether it comes from city or state law.
Just-cause eviction rules: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Rent control or stabilization: No city law
Arizona preempts city rent control on private housing (A.R.S. § 33-1329)
Right to counsel for tenants: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Seasonal or weather limits: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No state law
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Relocation payments (no-fault evictions): No city law
None found in the city and state sources we checked
Local rules landlords often miss
Fast track: the hearing is set 3 to 6 days after filing, and the tenant can still stop the case by paying the full amount in the complaint (rent, late fees, attorney fees and costs) until the judge rules
Fast track: the hearing is set 3 to 6 days after filing, and the tenant can still stop the case by paying the full amount in the complaint (rent, late fees, attorney fees and costs) until the judge rules.
Phoenix's cooling ordinance (City Code 39-5): rental units with air conditioning must cool to 82°F or below (86°F for evaporative coolers)
Phoenix's cooling ordinance (City Code 39-5): rental units with air conditioning must cool to 82°F or below (86°F for evaporative coolers); habitability problems can come up in court.
An appeal doesn't automatically stop the writ of restitution
An appeal doesn't automatically stop the writ of restitution; the notice of appeal is due within 5 calendar days and costs $99.
Phoenix scores 85 out of 100
Same formula as the state score, with city and state protections counted together. The statewide Arizona score is 85.
Phoenix eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Phoenix?
For unpaid rent, about 2.5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 2 to 7 weeks, based on Arizona's notice and court deadlines. We found no official statistic on actual court wait times here, so this is a rule-based estimate.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Phoenix?
The court filing fee is $69 (Maricopa County Justice Courts). The sheriff or marshal lockout fee is $125 (Maricopa County Justice Courts). Serving the tenant costs $40. Lawyer fees are extra (national rough estimate $500-$1,500 uncontested).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Phoenix?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in Phoenix costs a landlord roughly $1,700 to $2,700: about 2.5 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,712/month (about $1,000), court and service fees of about $234-$234, and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 7 weeks can pass $5,000. These are EvictionMath estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
What tenant protections apply in Phoenix?
We found no just-cause, rent-control or right-to-counsel rules.
Can a tenant in Phoenix stop the eviction by paying?
Before filing, paying all past-due rent and the lease's reasonable late fee reinstates the lease; after the case is filed, the tenant must also pay attorney fees and court costs, any time before judgment (A.R.S. § 33-1368(B)).
What local rule do landlords in Phoenix often miss?
Fast track: the hearing is set 3 to 6 days after filing, and the tenant can still stop the case by paying the full amount in the complaint (rent, late fees, attorney fees and costs) until the judge rules.
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for Phoenix: court wait. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: cities.json · cities.csv.
- Notice periodofficial sourceazleg.gov ↗
- Notice period (backup)secondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourceazleg.gov ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourceazleg.gov ↗
- Appealofficial sourceazcourts.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcejusticecourts.maricopa.gov ↗
- Filing fee (backup)secondary sourcejusticecourts.maricopa.gov ↗
- Service feeofficial sourceazleg.gov ↗
- Lockout feeofficial sourcejusticecourts.maricopa.gov ↗
- Lockout fee (backup)secondary sourcejusticecourts.maricopa.gov ↗
- Right to cureofficial sourceazleg.gov ↗
- Rent controlofficial sourceazleg.gov ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcejusticecourts.maricopa.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcephoenix.gov ↗
- Local ruleofficial sourcejusticecourts.maricopa.gov ↗
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