Skip to main content

Arizona law

Family Laws in Arizona.

Arizona is a community property state and a no-fault divorce state — the sole ground is "irretrievably broken." The residency requirement is 90 days. Arizona replaced "custody" and "visitation" with "legal decision-making" and "parenting time" in 2013. Community property is divided equitably without regard to marital misconduct. Spousal maintenance has no formula — the court considers 13 statutory factors.

Last verified: 2026-02-25

Guided help

Ask about a family law deadline, right, or next step.

Keep the question grounded in Arizona. FlowLawyers can route you to the statute section, legal aid, attorney search, or a guided workflow when one fits.

Use only the minimum facts needed. This is not legal advice.

Fast paths

The law sections below preserve the citations and source links. Use guided help when you need to move from reading the rule to choosing what to do next.

State law

Statute of Limitations

90-day residency requirementA.R.S. § 25-312

One party must have been domiciled in Arizona for at least 90 days before filing the petition for dissolution.

State law

Key Arizona Statutes

Grounds for Dissolution (No-Fault)A.R.S. § 25-312

Arizona is a no-fault divorce state. The court grants dissolution if it finds the marriage is "irretrievably broken." No showing of fault is required.

Community Property DivisionA.R.S. §§ 25-211, 25-213, 25-318

Arizona is one of 9 community property states. Property acquired during marriage is community property. Upon divorce, community property is divided equitably (though not necessarily equally), without regard to marital misconduct.

Legal Decision-Making (Custody)A.R.S. § 25-403

Arizona uses "legal decision-making" (not custody) and "parenting time" (not visitation). The sole standard is best interests of the child. Factors include the parent-child relationship, adjustment to home/school/community, child's wishes if mature enough, and which parent is more likely to allow contact with the other parent.

Child Support GuidelinesA.R.S. § 25-320

Child support is determined using the Arizona Child Support Guidelines considering financial resources, the child's standard of living, physical/emotional condition, and educational needs.

Spousal Maintenance (13 Factors)A.R.S. § 25-319

Spousal maintenance requires a threshold showing (e.g., insufficient property, unable to be self-sufficient, long marriage with age precluding employment). The court considers 13 factors including standard of living, marriage duration, age, earning ability, and the paying spouse's ability to pay. Maintenance is awarded only for the period necessary to become self-sufficient.

State law

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Arizona.

More in Arizona

Other state law topics.

Personal Injury Laws·Criminal Defense Laws·Immigration Laws·Employment Laws·Bankruptcy Laws·Medical Malpractice Laws·Workers' Compensation Laws·Wrongful Death Laws·Product Liability Laws·Long-Term Disability & ERISA Laws·Estate Planning Laws·Probate Laws·Real Estate Laws·Landlord & Tenant Laws·Business Laws·Intellectual Property Laws·Tax Laws·Elder Laws·Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Laws·Civil Rights Laws·Domestic Violence Laws·Veterans Legal Services Laws·Healthcare & Benefits Laws·Construction Defect Laws·Insurance Disputes Laws·Premises Liability Laws·Commercial Litigation Laws·Environmental Laws·Securities & Finance Laws·Municipal Laws·Administrative Laws