Arizona's 180-day rule that catches people hurt by a city or county

Last checked November 8, 2026

If a city, county, school or other public body in Arizona hurt you, you must generally file a notice of claim within 180 days.¹ A claim filed late is barred.² This is much shorter than Arizona's usual two years to sue.³ You must also file any lawsuit against a public body within one year.⁴

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Why this rule catches people

Most people who have heard of a deadline have heard of two years. That is Arizona's general time limit for an injury lawsuit.³ So they treat their injury, deal with the insurance and plan to look at legal options later. Then they learn the other driver was on a city job, or the road problem was the county's.

A different clock applies to public bodies. Under A.R.S. § 12-821.01, people with claims against a public entity, public school or public employee must file within 180 days after the cause of action accrues.¹ If you miss it, the law is blunt: the claim is barred and no action may be maintained on it.²

The two clocks can both matter in one crash. If you were hit by a private driver and a city truck, for example, you might have two years for one and only 180 days for the other.

Who counts as a public entity in Arizona?

The rule covers public entities, public schools and public employees.¹ Think about who was behind the wheel, who owned the vehicle and who was responsible for the place where you were hurt. These common situations may fall under it:

A crash with a city or county vehicle, such as a police car, garbage truck or road crew
A crash with a public school bus
A public transit bus or train operated by a public agency
A dangerous road, sidewalk or crossing that a city or county maintains
An injury at a public park, library or government building

It is not always obvious. A private company may be working under a government contract, and the rule may or may not reach it. If you are not sure, treat the 180-day date as real until someone qualified tells you otherwise.

When does the 180-day clock start?

Usually, on the day you were hurt. The statute says a cause of action accrues when the damaged party realizes they have been damaged and knows or reasonably should know the cause.⁵ Do not assume the clock waits until you finish treatment or get a final bill. In a crash, you usually know right away that you were hurt and what caused it.

There are special rules for some people. A minor, or a person who is legally incompetent, may file a claim within 180 days after the disability ceases.⁶ Count on getting specific advice before relying on this exception.

What goes in an Arizona notice of claim?

A vague letter may not be enough. The City of Phoenix's claim form lays out what the claim needs:

Enough facts for the public entity to understand the basis for liability⁷
A specific dollar amount for which the claim can be settled, and the facts supporting that amount⁸

The dollar amount trips people up, since many injuries are still changing at 180 days. Do what you can to base it on real numbers, like your bills and your missed pay, and keep the supporting records.

Where do I file a notice of claim?

You file with the person or persons authorized to accept service for that public body.¹ Sending it to the wrong office can be a serious problem. Each public body has its own instructions. Here are some examples.

Public body	Where it goes	What it says
City of Phoenix	City Clerk Department, 200 W. Washington St., 15th Floor⁹	File within 180 days. Use the claim form.¹⁰
Maricopa County	Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor¹¹	Mail or hand-deliver the county form.
City of Tucson	City Clerk	180 days from an accident or injury to file a claim.¹²
City of Flagstaff	See the city's claim page	Must be filed within 180 days and in writing.¹³

Check the agency's current instructions before you send anything, because addresses and forms change. Keep a copy of everything, and keep proof of when it was delivered.

What happens after I file a notice of claim?

The public body may respond, or it may not. A claim is deemed denied 60 days after filing unless you are told in writing that it is denied sooner.¹⁴ A denial is not the end of it, but your second clock is already running: all actions against a public entity or public employee must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues.⁴

Step	Time limit in Arizona
File notice of claim with a public body	180 days¹
Claim is treated as denied if no answer	60 days after filing¹⁴
File a lawsuit against a public body	1 year⁴
General injury lawsuit against a private party	2 years³

What to do if you think a public body hurt you

Find out today who owned the vehicle or who maintains the place. Ask the officer, and read the crash report.
Count 180 days from the date you were hurt, and put it on your calendar. Aim to file well before that.
Find the right office to file with. Call the clerk and ask.
Gather your facts, bills and missed-pay records, and work out a specific dollar amount.
File the claim and keep proof of delivery.
Mark the one-year lawsuit date as well.

Other states have similar rules, but the time limits and the steps differ. This post covers Arizona only. Laws can change, and details matter, so get advice about your own case if you can.

Questions

How long do I have to file a claim against a city in Arizona?

Generally 180 days after the cause of action accrues.¹

What happens if I miss the 180-day deadline?

The statute says the claim is barred and no action may be maintained on it.²

Does the same deadline apply to a minor?

A minor may file within 180 days after the disability ceases.⁶ Get specific advice about your situation.

How long do I have to sue a public body in Arizona?

All actions against a public entity or employee must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues.⁴

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Guides

Sources

A.R.S. § 12-821.01(A), checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues.”
A.R.S. § 12-821.01(A), checked 2026-11-08. “Any claim that is not filed within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues is barred and no action may be maintained thereon.”
A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “there shall be commenced and prosecuted within two years after the cause of action accrues”
A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “All actions against any public entity or public employee shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward.”
A.R.S. § 12-821.01(B), checked 2026-11-08. “a cause of action accrues when the damaged party realizes he or she has been damaged and knows or reasonably should know the cause, source, act, event, instrumentality or condition that caused or contributed to the damage.”
A.R.S. § 12-821.01(D), checked 2026-11-08. “a minor or an insane or incompetent person may file a claim within one hundred eighty days after the disability ceases.”
City of Phoenix claim form, checked 2026-11-08. “Contain sufficient facts to permit the public entity to understand the basis upon which liability is claimed”
City of Phoenix claim form, checked 2026-11-08. “Contain a specific dollar amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting the amount.”
phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “a copy of the claim form to: City of Phoenix City Clerk Department 200 W. Washington Street, 15th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003”
phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “Be filed with the City Clerk Department within 180 days after the cause of action accrues,”
Maricopa County, Notice of Claim form (rev. 09/16/2024), checked 2026-11-08. “return by mail or hand-delivery to: Clerk of the Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson 10th Floor Phoenix AZ 85003”
City of Tucson, checked 2026-11-08. “Claimants have 180 days from an accident or injury to file a claim against the City.”
City of Flagstaff, checked 2026-11-08. “requires the claim be filed within 180 days after the cause of action accrues, and requires that the City receives notification in writing.”
A.R.S. § 12-821.01(E), checked 2026-11-08. “is deemed denied sixty days after the filing of the claim unless the claimant is advised of the denial in writing before the expiration of sixty days.”

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