What This Statute Says
A.R.S. § 42-11151 sets the general procedure, affidavits, and forms required to claim a property tax exemption in Arizona. The procedural rules apply to most exemptions in chapter 11.
The department shall prescribe the procedure, affidavits and forms that are required to effectuate the property tax exemptions prescribed by article IX, Constitution of Arizona, and article 3 of this chapter.
A.R.S. § 42-11151This statute is the front door for any property tax exemption claim. The claimant submits an affidavit on the form prescribed by the Department of Revenue, along with any required supporting documents. The filing is annual unless a specific exemption statute says otherwise.
For families administering a homestead, a surviving spouse exemption, or a disability exemption, this is the procedural backbone. Miss the filing window and the exemption is lost for the year.
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.