Arizona Filing Deadline Checker
Arizona gives most injury claims two years. If a public body was involved, the whole timetable collapses: 180 days to serve a written notice of claim, and one year rather than two to file suit.
Enter the date of injury below to see where you stand. Nothing is submitted or stored.
- Most injury claims2 yearsFrom the date of injury
- Government notice180 daysWith a sum-certain demand
- Suing a public body1 yearNot the usual two
- Dog bite claims1 yearUnder the strict liability statute
Every deadline that can apply in Arizona
| Most personal injury claims | Two years from the date of injury. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542 |
|---|---|
| Wrongful death | Two years from the date of death. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542 |
| Medical malpractice | Two years from the discovery of the injury. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542 |
| Claim against a city, county or state agency Much shorter than the ordinary deadline | 180 days from the date the claim accrues. A written notice of claim must be served within 180 days, and the lawsuit itself must be filed within one year — not two. Both deadlines are far shorter than the ordinary rule. Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 12-821, 12-821.01 |
If the injured person is under 18: Tolled until the injured person turns 18, then two years run. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-502
This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can start earlier or later than the date of injury, and exceptions apply. If any deadline here looks close, speak to a lawyer straight away rather than relying on this page.
Two years, and the cases that get far less
Most Arizona personal injury and wrongful death claims must be filed within two years under A.R.S. § 12-542. Wrongful death runs from the date of death rather than the date of the original injury, which can matter where someone survives a crash for months.
Arizona then carves out shorter periods for particular claims, and the government one is severe enough that it deserves its own section.
180 days, and then only one year
If a city, county, school district, state agency or any public employee caused your injury, two separate deadlines replace the ordinary rule:
- A written notice of claim within 180 days of the incident, under § 12-821.01
- The lawsuit within one year, under § 12-821
Most states shorten one or the other. Arizona shortens both, which is why the six-month mark, not the two-year mark, is the real deadline whenever a public defendant might be involved.
What the notice has to contain
Arizona courts treat the contents of the notice as strictly as its timing. It must:
- be served on the correct public official, not simply sent to the department
- set out sufficient facts to let the entity understand and investigate the claim
- state the basis on which the entity is liable
- state a specific amount for which the claim will be settled — a sum certain
Claims have been barred for omitting the settlement figure, for serving the wrong official, and for offering a figure without any supporting basis. None of those defects can be cured after the 180 days expire, which is why a credible notice takes weeks of records work rather than an afternoon.
Punitive damages are also unavailable against public entities under § 12-820.04.
Dog bites run on a shorter clock
Arizona’s strict liability dog bite statute, § 11-1025, carries a one-year deadline under § 12-541. The owner is liable regardless of whether the dog had ever bitten before, which makes it the stronger route — but it expires in half the usual time.
An ordinary negligence claim for the same bite keeps the two-year period, though it requires proving the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.
When the clock starts later
Minors and incapacitated claimants. The deadline is tolled while the disability lasts. For government claims the notice period becomes 180 days from the end of the disability rather than from the incident.
Discovery. Arizona applies a discovery rule to most negligence claims, starting the clock when the injury and its cause were known or reasonably should have been known.
What actually stops the clock
Filing suit, or serving a valid notice of claim where one is required. Reporting to an insurer does not. Neither does correspondence with a government risk department — which has consumed more than one Arizona claim while the claimant waited for a reply that never came.
Common questions
How long do I have to sue a city or the state in Arizona?
A written notice of claim within 180 days of the incident, then the lawsuit within one year. Both are strictly enforced and both are shorter than the ordinary rule.
What happens if the notice of claim is incomplete?
The claim is generally barred. Arizona courts have rejected notices for omitting the settlement figure or for being served on the wrong official, regardless of the merits behind them.
Is the dog bite deadline really one year?
Under the strict liability statute, yes. A negligence claim for the same bite keeps two years but requires proving the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
Does a minor’s claim get extra time?
Yes, the deadline is tolled while the disability lasts. For government claims the 180-day notice period runs from the end of the disability rather than from the incident.
Related
- Arizona settlement calculator — estimate what a claim may be worth
- Arizona injury claims overview
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