How to Look Up Eviction Records in Arizona 2026
Court portal, certified copy fees, and expungement laws for Arizona
Where to Search Arizona Eviction Records
Online portal: AZ Public Access
Certified copy fee: $0.50/page
In Arizona, an eviction (the state calls it a "special detainer" or forcible detainer action) is filed and recorded in the Justice Court when the disputed amount is under $10,000, or in the Superior Court for larger or appealed matters. Most residential evictions stay at the justice-court level, so that is where the case file, the judgment, and any writ of restitution will sit. The record is created the moment a landlord files, long before any judge rules.
Arizona makes these records broadly reachable: there is a single statewide case-search system, AZ Public Access, that lets anyone search court cases across participating Arizona courts without visiting a clerk's counter. That statewide reach is the exception, not the rule, among states. One caution shapes everything below: Arizona has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a case that appears once tends to stay visible. Certified copies, when you need them, run $0.50 per page.
How to look up an Arizona eviction record
Start with AZ Public Access, the statewide case-search system. Search by party name to pull eviction filings across participating Arizona courts, then open the matching case to view the docket, parties, and disposition. Because Arizona evictions are heard in Justice Court (claims under $10,000) or Superior Court, confirm which court holds the case before relying on it; the justice court that covers the rental's precinct is the usual home for a residential special detainer.
If you need an official document rather than a screen view, request a certified copy from the clerk of the court that heard the case. Certified copies cost $0.50 per page. For a screening decision, the online docket is normally enough to confirm whether a case exists and how it ended; certified copies matter mainly for court filings, appeals, or formal disputes.
Reading the result: a filing is not a judgment
The single most important field on an Arizona eviction record is the disposition. A landlord filing only means a case was opened; it does not mean the tenant lost. Cases are dismissed, settled, decided for the tenant, or withdrawn, and any of those outcomes can sit under the same case caption as one that ended in a judgment and writ of restitution.
Read the docket from the bottom up: look for the final order, whether judgment was entered and for whom, and whether a writ of restitution issued. Treating an open or dismissed filing as a proven eviction is the most common and most damaging screening mistake. If the disposition is blank, the case is likely still pending, and no conclusion about the tenant's conduct is supported yet.
Expungement reality and what it means for screening
Arizona has no statutory eviction-record expungement or sealing right. Unlike states that let tenants petition to seal a closed or dismissed case, an Arizona special detainer that reaches the public docket generally remains visible there. For a landlord, that permanence cuts two ways. The record stays findable, but it also means an old or dismissed case can keep surfacing long after it stopped being relevant.
Screening still has to follow the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. If you pull a tenant screening report from a consumer reporting agency, FCRA accuracy, dispute, and adverse-action duties apply, and reported court records must be current and correctly attributed. Pulling a record yourself from AZ Public Access does not turn you into a credit bureau, but acting on a stale, mismatched, or misread case still creates fair-housing and FCRA exposure.
The tenant's side: limited options without a sealing law
Because Arizona provides no eviction expungement statute, a tenant cannot simply petition to erase a special detainer case the way they could in a sealing state. The practical levers are narrower. A tenant who believes a record is factually wrong, attributed to the wrong person, or reported inaccurately by a screening company can dispute it under the Fair Credit Reporting Act directly with the consumer reporting agency.
Within the court itself, a tenant's strongest move is at the front end: contesting the case, reaching a stipulated dismissal, or securing a judgment in their favor so the disposition reads accurately. A case that ends in dismissal still appears, but the outcome on the docket is the tenant's best defense when a landlord screens them later. Reviewing your own record on AZ Public Access before applying to rent lets you explain any filing in advance.
Step-by-Step: How to Search Arizona Eviction Records
- Go to AZ Public Access. Open https://apps.supremecourt.az.gov/publicaccess in your browser.
- Search by party name. Enter the prospective tenant's full legal name (last name, first name) as a defendant/respondent. Try name variations including maiden names.
- Filter by case type. Select eviction, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, or summary possession as the case type depending on the court's terminology.
- Review the disposition. Identify whether the case resulted in a judgment for the landlord (eviction), dismissal (tenant won or case settled), or is still pending. A filing alone does not mean the tenant was evicted.
- Check the filing date. Consider how old the record is, most tenant-screening best practices recommend discounting records older than 5-7 years.
- Request certified copies if needed. For a certified copy of the court record, contact the Justice Court (< $10K) or Superior Court clerk's office directly. Fees are typically $0.50/page.
This page was prepared by the Eviction Risk Map research team using public information from the Arizona Judicial Branch and its statewide AZ Public Access case-search system; Arizona has no eviction-record expungement or sealing statute as of this review. Last reviewed June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; for guidance on a specific eviction record, court filing, or screening decision, consult a licensed Arizona attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up an eviction record in Arizona?
Search by name on AZ Public Access, Arizona's statewide court case-search system, then open the matching case to read the docket and disposition. Evictions are heard in Justice Court for claims under $10,000 or in Superior Court for larger or appealed cases, so confirm which court holds the file. For an official document, request a certified copy from that court's clerk.
Are Arizona eviction records public?
Yes. Arizona eviction (special detainer) cases are public court records and are searchable statewide through AZ Public Access, without a trip to the clerk's counter. The record is created when the landlord files, so a case can appear before any judgment is entered. Always check the disposition, because a filing is not proof the tenant lost.
Can a tenant expunge an eviction in Arizona?
No. Arizona has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a special detainer case that reaches the public docket generally stays visible. A tenant's realistic options are to contest the case for a favorable or dismissed disposition and to dispute any inaccurate reporting by a screening company under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.
How much does a certified copy of an Arizona eviction record cost?
Certified copies run $0.50 per page from the clerk of the court that heard the case. For most screening purposes the online docket on AZ Public Access is enough to confirm a case and its outcome; certified copies are mainly needed for formal filings, appeals, or disputes where an official, court-stamped document is required.
Related Arizona Landlord Guides
Court portal information sourced from the Arizona court administrative office official website. Expungement laws from published Arizona statutes (see citations above). Last updated August 28, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.