This Statute Has Been Repealed
Arizona repealed A.R.S. 12-524 as part of Senate Bill 1479 (Chapter 31, 2026), the same law that created new anti-title-fraud rules like the notary thumbprint requirement. The repeal takes effect September 12, 2026. After that date, the special five-year rule for city lots no longer exists. The other Arizona adverse possession periods, such as the five-year rule in A.R.S. 12-525 and the ten-year rule in A.R.S. 12-526, remain in force. The description below explains how the statute worked before the repeal.
What This Statute Said Before the Repeal
This section applied specifically to lots in a city or town. The possessor had to have a recorded deed, claim ownership, and have paid the property taxes during the five-year period. If those elements were met, the true owner was barred after five years.
An action to recover a lot located in a city or town from a person having a recorded deed therefor, who claims ownership and has paid the taxes thereon, shall be brought within five years after the cause of action accrues, and not afterward, provided that the person against whom the action is brought, by himself or his grantors, has claimed ownership thereof and has paid the taxes thereon for at least five consecutive years next preceding the commencement of such action.
A.R.S. § 12-524What the Repeal Means Going Forward
Claims and defenses that fully matured under this section before September 12, 2026 may still matter in older disputes. For anything new, families should look to the surviving adverse possession statutes instead.
What This Means for Arizona Families
City lots are often the most valuable single asset in an Arizona estate. If a family previously relied on this section to defend title to an urban parcel, the repeal does not automatically undo rights that vested before the effective date, but it removes this shortcut for the future.
If you serve as a personal representative for an estate that includes urban real property with any title concern, gather the deed, the recording history, and the tax payment records. Our FAQ on managing real estate during probate or trust administration covers the broader playbook. An Arizona real estate attorney can confirm which limitations period applies today, such as the five-year rule in A.R.S. 12-525 or the ten-year rule in A.R.S. 12-526, and whether any rights vested under the old statute before the repeal.