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Arizona car accident law: deadlines, fault and your claim

Arizona gives you two years to sue after a crash and uses pure comparative fault, but a claim against a public body needs a notice of claim within 180 days.

Last reviewed By the Editorial team 5 min read

General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your state.

Quick answer

In Arizona you generally have 2 years from the crash to sue for injuries or vehicle damage, and 2 years for a wrongful death claim. Arizona uses Pure comparative fault. The version of comparative negligence that lets you recover something even if you were mostly at fault, reduced by your share. Glossary: your share of fault reduces your damages but does not bar them, with one exception when the injured person was impaired. The deadline that catches people out is the Notice of claim. A written notice that must be sent to a city, county or state agency before you can sue it, often within a few months. Glossary for a city, county or state agency: it is due within 180 days.

Arizona law at a glance

Checked against official sources · October 2026

ClaimDeadline or ruleThe law
Injury2 yearsA.R.S. § 12-542(1)
Vehicle or property damage2 yearsA.R.S. § 12-542(3)
Wrongful death2 yearsfrom the date of deathA.R.S. § 12-542(2)
Shared faultPure Pure comparative faultA.R.S. § 12-2505(A)

The defendant can be found not liable if the injured person was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and, as a result, at least 50% responsible (A.R.S. § 12-711).

Key facts

Injury lawsuit deadline
2 years
Vehicle damage deadline
2 years
Wrongful death deadline
2 years, from the date of death
Fault rule
Pure comparative: damages reduced by your share
Notice to a government body
180 days; lawsuit within 1 year
Minimum liability insurance
$25,000 per person, $50,000 per crash, $15,000 property
Insurance system
At-fault; PIP: Not required
Traffic deaths in Arizona, 2024
1,229 people
Maricopa County bar referral line
(602) 257-4434, ext. 1

Filing deadlines in Arizona#

Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-542 sets a Statute of limitations. The law that sets the last day to file a lawsuit. After it passes, a court will usually dismiss the case, however strong it is. Glossary of 2 years for car-crash lawsuits over injuries, vehicle damage and wrongful death. The clock usually starts on the day of the crash, or on the date of death for a wrongful death claim.

ClaimDeadlineLaw
Personal injury2 yearsA.R.S. § 12-542(1)
Damage to your vehicle or other property2 yearsA.R.S. § 12-542(3)
Wrongful death2 years from the date of deathA.R.S. § 12-542(2)
Notice of claim to a public body180 daysA.R.S. § 12-821.01
Lawsuit against a public body1 yearA.R.S. § 12-821

Injured children. Under A.R.S. § 12-502, the time before a child turns 18 is not counted, so the two-year period generally starts on the 18th birthday. This pause is a form of Tolling. Pausing the limitations clock, for example while the injured person is a child. Glossary.

Claims against a city, county or the state. Arizona's notice-of-claim law is strict. The claim must be filed with the person authorized to accept service for the public body within 180 days, and it must contain facts that explain why the government is liable, plus a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount. If the public body does not answer in writing, the claim is treated as denied after 60 days. Any lawsuit must then be filed within 1 year, half the usual time.

How fault is shared in Arizona#

Under A.R.S. § 12-2505(A), the jury sets each person's percentage of fault, and your damages are reduced by your own percentage. There is no cutoff: you can recover something even if you were mostly to blame.

The exception: The defendant can be found not liable if the injured person was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and, as a result, at least 50% responsible (A.R.S. § 12-711).

Arizona also uses several liability: under A.R.S. § 12-2506, each defendant is generally liable only for its own percentage of fault, with a separate judgment for that share. If a jury blames a driver who has little or no insurance for part of the crash, that share may be hard to collect, and no other defendant has to cover it. Try the fault-rule explainer to compare Arizona with other states.

Insurance in Arizona#

Arizona drivers must carry liability insurance of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injuries, plus $15,000 for property damage. Arizona is an at-fault state: the driver who caused the crash, through their insurer, pays.

  • Uninsured motorist coverage. Coverage under your own policy that pays when the at-fault driver has no insurance, or too little. Glossary. Must be offered in writing on an approved form; optional. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that 10.6% of Arizona drivers were uninsured in 2023, against 15.4% nationally.
  • Personal injury protection. Not required. Without PIP, who pays your medical bills while a claim is open depends on the other coverage you have, such as health insurance.

Questions about a policy can go to the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, which publishes minimum coverage information for drivers.

After a crash in Arizona#

Under A.R.S. § 28-666, the driver of a vehicle in a crash that injures or kills someone must immediately notify the local police (inside a city), the county sheriff or the nearest highway patrol office. An officer who investigates must complete a full written report when the crash involves injury, death, a citation or more than $2,000 of property damage, and the agency sends a copy to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

You get the report from the law enforcement agency that investigated the crash, which may give a copy to the people involved, their representatives, insurers and their lawyers. For crashes on freeways and state highways, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (state troopers) charges $9 for a report sent by email and suggests waiting at least 14 days before checking whether it is ready. See how a police report is used in a claim for what to check in it.

Special rules in Arizona#

No caps on injury damages. Arizona's constitution says no law may limit the amount of damages recovered for causing the death or injury of any person. So there is no statutory ceiling on pain and suffering in an Arizona car-crash case. In practice, the at-fault driver's insurance limits can still limit what is actually collected.

Crashes on Arizona roads#

IIHS counted 1,229 motor vehicle crash deaths in Arizona in 2024. That is 16.2 per 100,000 people, compared with 11.5 per 100,000 people for the US as a whole. About 36% of Arizona's crash deaths were speeding-related, and 30% happened on rural roads.

Finding a lawyer in Arizona#

In the Phoenix area, the Maricopa County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service takes calls at (602) 257-4434, ext. 1 and has an online request form. If a lawyer is available in your area of law, you pay a one-time $50 fee and schedule a 30-minute consultation. Read more about lawyer referral services, and see the Phoenix guide for city claims, police reports and local courts.

Before you hire anyone, use the State Bar of Arizona's member directory to confirm the lawyer's license and any public discipline.

Questions people ask

What is the statute of limitations for a car accident in Arizona?

Generally 2 years from the day of the crash for injuries and vehicle damage, and 2 years from the date of death for wrongful death. If a public body is involved, the notice of claim is due within 180 days and the lawsuit within 1 year.

Is Arizona a no-fault state?

No. Arizona is an at-fault state, and personal injury protection is not required. The at-fault driver's liability insurance pays for others' losses, up to its limits.

Can I recover if I was partly at fault in Arizona?

Yes. Arizona's pure comparative fault rule reduces your damages by your share of fault, without a cutoff. The exception is when you were impaired by alcohol or drugs and at least half responsible because of it.

How do I file a claim against an Arizona city or the state?

File a notice of claim with the person authorized to accept service for that public body within 180 days. It must include a specific amount for which you would settle and the facts supporting it.

Does Arizona cap pain and suffering damages?

No. Arizona's constitution forbids laws that limit the damages recovered for causing someone's death or injury.

How do I get a crash report in Arizona?

Request it from the agency that investigated the crash. Arizona DPS reports for freeway and highway crashes cost $9 by email.

Sources

  1. Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 28-667 — officer crash reports
  2. Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 12-821 — time to sue a public body
  3. Arizona Legislature, Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-542(1) — as of October 2026
  4. Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 12-821.01(A) — as of October 2026
  5. Maricopa County Bar Association, Lawyer Referral Service (client referrals) — as of October 2026
  6. Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 12-502 — as of October 2026
  7. Arizona Legislature, Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-2505(A) — as of October 2026
  8. Arizona Legislature, Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-711 — as of October 2026
  9. Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 12-2506(A) — as of October 2026
  10. Insurance Information Institute, Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists — as of October 2026
  11. Arizona Legislature, A.R.S. § 28-666 — as of October 2026
  12. Arizona Department of Public Safety, Request records — as of October 2026
  13. Arizona Department of Public Safety, Records request (Public Services Portal) — as of October 2026
  14. Arizona Legislature, Arizona Constitution, Article 2, Section 31 — as of October 2026
  15. State Bar of Arizona, Member directory — as of October 2026
  16. Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 28-4009 (motor vehicle liability policy requirements) — as of October 2026
  17. Alabama Department of Insurance, State Auto Insurance Laws — as of October 2026
  18. Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, Auto insurance minimum coverage — as of October 2026
  19. Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 20-259.01 (uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage) — as of October 2026
  20. Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 20-101 (Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions) — as of October 2026
  21. IIHS, Fatality Facts 2024: State by state — as of June 2026

Last reviewed October 29, 2026 by the Accident Claim Facts editorial team. Found an error? Tell us.

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