Arizona public records: who holds what

In Arizona, deeds are recorded by the County Recorder, birth and death certificates come from the ADHS Bureau of Vital Records and requests for other government records fall under the Arizona Public Records Law. Below: who holds every other record, what copies cost and the official link for each office.

Last checked against official sources on November 4, 2026.

On this page

Who holds what in Arizona
Public records law in Arizona
Property and tax records in Arizona
Divorce records in Arizona
Probate records and wills in Arizona
How Arizona organizes its records
Other records: background checks, voters, businesses, maps
Counties in Arizona
Warnings from official sources
Official copies vs look-alike sites
Official directories
Sources

Who holds what in Arizona

The office that keeps each record, and the fee the law or the office sets for a copy. Open a record type for the full rules, ordering steps and older records.

Record	Who holds it	Copy fee
Deeds	County Recorder of the county where the property is located (15 counties).¹	$1 per page or partial page (statutory recorder copy fee).²
Property records	County Assessor determines value and classification of property and sends notices of valuation (by mail, common carrier or, on request, electronically); County Treasurer collects property taxes. First half due October 1 (delinquent after November 1, 5 p.m.); second half due March 1 (delinquent after May 1, 5 p.m.). If the total tax is $100 or less, all of it is due October 1 and delinquent after December 31, 5 p.m.³	—
Court records	Integrated state judicial department: Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Superior Court (a single statewide court with judges in every county; each county has an elected Clerk of the Superior Court who keeps civil, criminal, family, probate and marriage records), and limited-jurisdiction justice and municipal courts.⁴	Statutory Clerk of Superior Court fees (A.R.S. 12-284 amounts): copies $.50 per page; certification/certificate of clerk $30; research in locating a document $30 per year or source; postage and handling $7. A county's published schedule can be higher, so check it (e.g. Mohave: certification $35, research $35, copies $.50/page, postage and handling $8).⁵
Marriage records	Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the license was issued/filed; not available from ADHS Vital Records.⁶	Statutory: $30 for a certified copy or abstract of marriage application or license; Mohave County charges $35 (plus $8 postage and handling by mail).⁵
Divorce records	Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce (dissolution) was granted.⁶	Certified copy of a decree: per-page copy fee ($.50) plus certification ($30 statutory; $35 in Mohave County).⁷
Birth certificates	ADHS Bureau of Vital Records (state registrar), Phoenix; also local county health department vital records offices (all 15 counties listed by ADHS), some offering same-day service.⁸	$20.00 per certified copy from ADHS (Certificate of Birth Registration) under A.A.C. R9-19-105; VitalChek online orders add a $15.50 processing charge per order; amendments $30.00. County offices may set their own fees.⁹
Death certificates	ADHS Bureau of Vital Records and county health department vital records offices.¹⁰	$20.00 per certified copy (Certificate of Death Registration); VitalChek adds $15.50 per order.⁹
Probate and wills	Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the probate case was filed (Superior Court probate). Territorial-era to 1960s probate files at the Arizona State Archives.¹¹	—

Public records law in Arizona

Arizona Public Records Law (A.R.S. §§ 39-121 through 39-161 (Title 39, ch. 1)) Read the law¹²

This law covers records that agencies hold, such as a county office's correspondence or a property file. Recorded deeds, vital records and court files usually have their own rules, set out in each record section.

Who can ask: Any person; no need to state why, but the requester must affirm whether the use is commercial and, if commercial, provide a statement of the commercial purpose. Written request not required for non-commercial requests.¹³
Response time: No fixed number of days: custodians must 'promptly' furnish records; what is prompt depends on what is reasonable under the circumstances. Failure to respond promptly is deemed a denial.¹³
Copy fees: Inspection is free. For non-commercial requests the custodian may charge a copying fee and postage (and may require advance payment for mailed copies); it may not charge for searching, inspection, labor, redaction, overhead or review. Commercial-purpose requests may be charged a portion of the cost of obtaining the record, a reasonable fee for time/materials/equipment/personnel, and the commercial market value. Certified copies and searches for benefit claims presented to the United States (A.R.S. 39-122) and one copy of police reports for victims of certain crimes (A.R.S. 39-127) must be free.¹⁴
If a request is refused: Special action in superior court against the officer or public body; court may award attorney fees if the requester substantially prevails; damages action for wrongful denial. Free assistance/investigation by the Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide (Public Access Unit, 602-277-7292), which can investigate public access complaints against state and local bodies.¹⁵
What is exempt: Records are presumed open; withheld only where confidential by law (statute, rule or privilege), where privacy interests outweigh the public's right to know, or where disclosure is not in the best interest of the state. Bodies must redact and release the rest, and state a legal basis for withholding; state agencies (with exceptions) must provide an index of withheld records on request.¹⁴
Official guide: Arizona Agency Handbook Chapter 6 (Public Records) from the Attorney General, linked by the Ombudsman; plus the Ombudsman's 2026 Public Records Law Booklet. AG Opinion I13-012 on copying fees.¹²

Property and tax records in Arizona

Who does what: County Assessor determines value and classification of property and sends notices of valuation (by mail, common carrier or, on request, electronically); County Treasurer collects property taxes. First half due October 1 (delinquent after November 1, 5 p.m.); second half due March 1 (delinquent after May 1, 5 p.m.). If the total tax is $100 or less, all of it is due October 1 and delinquent after December 31, 5 p.m.³
Appealing a value: File a Petition for Review of Valuation (DOR form, AZDOR Form 82130R for Maricopa real property) with the County Assessor within 60 days after the notice of valuation was mailed; further administrative appeal or appeal to court (tax court or superior court) within 60 days of the latest administrative decision, or directly to court by December 15.¹⁷

How this works in other states: property and tax records by state.

Divorce records in Arizona

Who holds it: Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce (dissolution) was granted.⁶
Certified copy fee: Certified copy of a decree: per-page copy fee ($.50) plus certification ($30 statutory; $35 in Mohave County).⁷
Which court: Superior Court (domestic relations/family). Statutory initial filing fee for dissolution/legal separation petition $149; county schedules are higher: Mohave charges $361 (no children) / $411 (with children).⁷

How this works in other states: divorce records by state.

Probate records and wills in Arizona

Who holds it: Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the probate case was filed (Superior Court probate). Territorial-era to 1960s probate files at the Arizona State Archives.¹¹
Fees: Statutory initial filing fee for informal probate application/formal testacy petition $149; county schedules are higher: Mohave charges $371 for an informal probate application.⁷
Deadline: Probate or appointment proceedings generally may not start more than two years after death, with statutory exceptions (e.g. later proceedings are allowed if no court proceeding on the succession occurred in those two years, with limits on the personal representative's powers).¹⁸

How this works in other states: probate records and wills by state.

How Arizona organizes its records

Clerk of the Superior Court (not a county clerk) issues marriage licenses and keeps marriage, divorce, probate and court records; any county's clerk may issue a license valid statewide¹⁹
County Recorder handles both land records and voter registration²⁰
Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide (legislative agency) handles public records complaints, free¹⁴
Commercial-purpose rule: requesters must state if the use is commercial; misuse can cost treble damages²¹
Corporations/LLCs are registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission, not the Secretary of State; SOS handles trade names, trademarks and UCC²²

Other records: background checks, voters, businesses, maps

Criminal history checks

State repository: Arizona Department of Public Safety, Central State Repository (A.R.S. 41-1750).²³
Online portal: No public name-search. Individuals may review their own record via a fingerprint-based Record Review Packet mailed to DPS (DPS page: response within 15 days of receipt; packet: within approximately two weeks); authorized noncriminal-justice agencies use the NCJ Compliance Program; employment clearances use the Fingerprint Clearance Card.²³
Who may order: Restricted: copies only to authorized individuals/agencies; DPS cannot run checks for private citizens or private employers (except non-profits under 41-1750(G)(23)), nor for immigration, visas or foreign adoption; the record subject may review own record for accuracy only.²³

Sex offender registry

Official registry: DPS Arizona Sex Offender Information page (azdps.gov/content/basic-page/106), which links to the OffenderWatch search (icrimewatch.net/index.php) and a downloadable CSV list.²⁴
Restrictions: Website lists Level 2 and Level 3 offenders and others meeting A.R.S. 13-3827. The downloadable list cannot be obtained through the web form for a commercial purpose; commercial requests go to the DPS Public Records Unit, (602) 223-2345. Misuse may be prosecuted.²⁴

Inmate and jail lookups

State prisons: Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) Inmate Data Search: corrections.az.gov/inmate-data-search (the 'Locate Inmate' link on the ADCRR home page).²⁵
County jails: County jails are run by each county Sheriff; e.g. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office inmate lookup by booking number at mcso.org/InmateInfo.²⁶

Voter records

Public or restricted: Restricted: precinct registers and voter lists may be used only for political, campaign, election, redistricting or other legally authorized purposes, not commercial purposes, and may not be posted on the internet except as the statute authorizes. Records may be inspected at the County Recorder's office for those purposes; birth month and day, SSN, driver license number, father's name or mother's maiden name, state or country of birth, signature and email are not accessible to the public. Eligible protected persons can have their voter record sealed by court order (A.R.S. 16-153).²⁷
Who holds it: County Recorder (voter registration); the Secretary of State develops and administers the statewide database.²⁷
Check your registration: Arizona Voter Dashboard (Secretary of State): my.arizona.vote/WhereToVote.aspx (linked by county recorders).²⁸

Business names (DBA)

DBA at the county: No statewide county DBA filing statute found; the Corporation Commission says DBA names can be recorded through the Maricopa County Recorder's Office.²²
DBA at the state: Arizona Secretary of State trade name registration (A.R.S. 44-1460), online only, 5-year term renewable within 6 months before expiry; $25 expedite; copies of applications $.10/page, plus $3 per request if certified; duplicate certificate $3. Corporations and LLCs are registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission (Arizona Business Center).²⁹
Index: SOS trade name/trademark search (apps.azsos.gov/apps/tntp/se.html); ACC business entity search arizonabusinesscenter.azcc.gov/….³⁰
Trade name fee: Statutory maximum: no more than $10 to file or renew a trade name; no more than $3 for the certificate.³¹

Liens and UCC filings

UCC filings: Arizona Secretary of State UCC filings; UCC-1 filing fee $9; UCC-3 $9 ($2 terminations only); UCC-5 $9; UCC-11 search pricing varies. Standard liens effective 5 years (tax, restitution, racketeering and utility liens do not expire); public UCC Lien Search (uncertified); certified searches via UCC-11 request.³²
Fixture filings: Fixture filings (and as-extracted collateral/timber) go to the office where a mortgage on the related real property is recorded, i.e. the County Recorder of the county where the real property is located; all other UCC filings go to the Secretary of State.³³
Federal tax liens: Federal liens on real property: County Recorder where the property lies. On personal property: Secretary of State for corporations or partnerships whose principal executive office is in Arizona, and for trusts and decedents' estates; in all other cases, the County Recorder where the person resides.³⁴
Judgment liens: Judgment liens: record a certified copy of the judgment (plus information statement) with the County Recorder.³⁵

GIS and parcel maps

State GIS portal: AZGeo, Arizona's statewide geospatial clearinghouse (azgeo.az.gov).³⁶

Historical and genealogy records

State archives: Arizona State Archives (Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State): county records including marriage and divorce (1864-1972, varies by county), probate (Territorial era-1960s), naturalization and local census records; many on Ancestry, free to Arizona residents.³⁷
Vital record indexes: ADHS Arizona Genealogy Record Search: births 75+ years old and deaths 50+ years old.³⁸

Counties in Arizona

9 counties with a full guide

Each guide lists the office for every record type, the official online searches, copy fees, phones and hours.

All 15 counties

Names in bold open our guide. Names with an arrow go to the county's own website, where the US Census Bureau lists one and it opened when we checked.³⁹

Warnings from official sources

Deed/title fraud: new 2026 law (SB1479) requiring photo ID for in-person recording and a voluntary assessor owner-alert system; Maricopa Title Alert (Maricopa County Assessor's Office)⁴⁰
Vital records: ADHS endorses only VitalChek for online orders (Arizona Department of Health Services)⁴¹

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Arizona office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Official directories

Lists that name the office in every county.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 44 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

A.R.S. 11-468 Place of recording instrumentArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 11-475 County recorder feesArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 42-18052 Due dates; delinquencyArizona State Legislature
Arizona Constitution Art. 6 Sec. 1 Judicial power; courtsArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 12-284 Clerk of superior court feesArizona State Legislature
Vital Records - Marriage & Divorce RecordsArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
Filing FeesMohave County Superior Court / Clerk of Superior Court (Judicial Branch of Arizona)
Vital Records - Apply for Birth CertificateArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
Vital Records - Fee SchedulesArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
Vital Records - Apply for a Death CertificateArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
Arizona Genealogy Resources: Wills and Probate RecordsArizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Arizona Public Records LawArizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide
A.R.S. 39-121.01 Definitions; maintenance of records; copiesArizona State Legislature
FAQs - Public RecordsArizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide
A.R.S. 39-121.02 Action on denial of accessArizona State Legislature
Arizona Public Records Law booklet, 2026 EditionArizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide
A.R.S. 42-16051 Petition for assessor reviewArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 14-3108 Probate proceedings; ultimate time limitArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 25-121 Marriage license; applicationArizona State Legislature
RecorderMohave County
A.R.S. 39-121.03 Commercial purpose requestsArizona State Legislature
Business Services FAQsArizona Corporation Commission
Records RequestArizona Department of Public Safety
Sex Offender Compliance / Arizona Sex Offender InformationArizona Department of Public Safety
ADCRR home pageArizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry
Inmate InformationMaricopa County Sheriff's Office
A.R.S. 16-168 Precinct registers; copies; statewide databaseArizona State Legislature
Voter RegistrationMohave County Recorder
Trade Names and TrademarksArizona Secretary of State
A.R.S. 44-1460.04 Public examination of recordsArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 41-126 Secretary of State fees; expedited serviceArizona State Legislature
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)Arizona Secretary of State
A.R.S. 47-9501 UCC filing officeArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 33-1032 Federal liens; place of filingArizona State Legislature
A.R.S. 33-961 Recording judgments; lienArizona State Legislature
AZGeo - Arizona's Statewide Geospatial Clearing HouseState of Arizona (AZGeo; azgeo.az.gov redirects to azgeo-data-hub-agic.hub.arcgis.com)
Arizona Genealogy Resources: Vital Records: Marriage & DivorceArizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Arizona Genealogy Resources: Vital Records: Birth & DeathArizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
Maricopa County Assessor home (2026 legislation summary)Maricopa County Assessor
Vital Records - Online Ordering OptionsArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
Vital Records - Local County Health DepartmentArizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records
Superior Court - Clerks of the CourtArizona Judicial Branch
AZ Courts LocatorArizona Judicial Branch