What This Statute Says
A.R.S. § 42-11127 exempts a set dollar amount of business personal property from each taxpayer's annual personal property tax. The exempt amount is indexed to inflation and adjusted by the Department of Revenue.
A. Pursuant to article IX, section 2, subsection F, Constitution of Arizona, personal property that is class two property pursuant to section 42-12002, paragraph 2, subdivision (a) or (b) and that is used for agricultural purposes or personal property that is class one property pursuant to section 42-12001 and that is used in a trade or business as described in section 42-12001, paragraphs 8 through 11 or 13 is exempt from taxation up to a maximum amount of $500,000 of full cash value for each taxpayer.
A.R.S. § 42-11127Small businesses benefit most from this statute. Every business gets an exempt slice, $500,000 of full cash value for tax year 2026 (raised by SB 1069 from $269,905 in 2025), off the top of its business personal property value. Many small operations end up paying no personal property tax at all.
For an estate that owns a small business, the statute often eliminates the personal property tax line item entirely. The personal representative still has to file the return, but the bottom-line tax may be zero.
When This Statute Comes Into Play
This statute typically becomes relevant in three situations. A property owner is reviewing an annual tax bill. An estate is being administered and the personal representative has to address ongoing property tax obligations. Or a charitable or nonprofit organization is claiming or maintaining an exemption. The statute is part of a larger framework in chapter 11 of title 42 and operates alongside the related sections cross-linked below.
What This Means for Arizona Families
Most families never think about Arizona property tax statutes until they are sitting at a closing table on an inherited home, reviewing an unexpected tax bill, or trying to claim an exemption for a surviving spouse. When that moment arrives, the rules in chapter 11 of title 42 are the framework you are working inside.
If you are holding real property in a revocable living trust, the trust structure does not by itself remove the property from the tax rolls. The exemption has to come from a specific statute. Our FAQ on what to do with property you inherit in Arizona covers the immediate practical questions, and our FAQ on probate timelines covers how a contested or stalled administration can affect tax filings and exemptions.
If you are administering an estate, the personal representative has a duty to keep property taxes current, to claim available exemptions where appropriate, and to maintain documentation in case the assessor reviews a claim later. Calendar the February exemption filing window each year for any property where a widow, widower, or disability exemption applies. Once the deadline passes, the saving for that year is usually lost.