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Arizona · Understand the process

How long does foreclosure take in Arizona?

An Arizona trustee's sale can be held on the 91st day after the Notice of Trustee's Sale is recorded. Added to the federal 120 day wait, that is about seven months from the first missed payment at the fastest. The trustee can also postpone the sale, up to 90 days at a time, so real cases can run longer.

The short answer: Federal rules make the servicer wait until you are more than 120 days behind. Arizona then bars the sale until the 91st day after the notice of sale is recorded, so the fastest path is roughly seven months from your first missed payment. That is a minimum, not a prediction.

Ask for help in Arizona Free HUD counselor: (800) 569-4287

Reviewed against Arizona law and official sources on October 11, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

The foreclosure timeline in Arizona, phase by phase

  1. Missed payments

    Day 1 to about day 120

    Your servicer must tell you about help options, and federal rules generally block the first foreclosure step until you are more than 120 days behind.

    12 C.F.R. § 1024.41(f)

  2. Notice of Trustee's Sale recorded and mailed

    Day of recording, plus 5 business days to mail

    Recording the notice starts the state clock. Your copy must be mailed within five business days.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 33-808, 33-809(C)

  3. Waiting period

    At least 90 days; sale no earlier than the 91st day

    You can reinstate throughout this period. Starting 30 days after recording, the trustee must answer a written request for the unpaid principal balance and a list of liens it knows of.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 33-807(D), 33-809(E), 33-813

  4. Posting and publication

    Posting at least 20 days before the sale; four weekly newspaper notices ending at least 10 days before

    These run during the waiting period, not after it.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-808

  5. Postponements

    Each new date must be within 90 calendar days of the announcement

    The person conducting the sale can postpone by announcing the new date, time and place at the scheduled sale. No new written notice is required.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-810(B)

  6. After the sale

    15 business days to record the deed; 90 days for any deficiency suit

    If the trustee's deed is recorded within 15 business days, the sale is treated as perfected at the sale date and time. Where a deficiency is allowed, the lender must sue within 90 days after the sale.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 33-810(A), 33-814(A)

Arizona deadlines written into the law

Federal wait before foreclosure can start12 C.F.R. § 1024.41(f)More than 120 days behind
Recorded notice of sale to sale dateAriz. Rev. Stat. § 33-807(D)Sale no earlier than the 91st day after recording
Notice of sale mailed to youAriz. Rev. Stat. § 33-809(C)Within 5 business days after recording
Last chance to reinstateAriz. Rev. Stat. § 33-8135:00 p.m. on the last day (not a Saturday or legal holiday) before the sale
Lender's deadline to sue for a deficiency, where allowedAriz. Rev. Stat. § 33-814(A)90 days after the trustee's sale
Redemption after a court (judicial) foreclosureAriz. Rev. Stat. § 12-12826 months after the sale, or 30 days if the court found the property abandoned

Your own dates are on the notices you received. If a notice and this page disagree, trust the notice and ask a counselor or lawyer.

Common questions in Arizona

How many days does Arizona give between the notice and the trustee's sale?

The trustee cannot exercise the power of sale before the 91st day after the date the notice of sale is recorded, under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-807(D). The sale also cannot be set for a Saturday or legal holiday.

How long can an Arizona trustee's sale be postponed?

Each postponement must set a fixed date within 90 calendar days of the announcement, under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-810(B). The statute we read does not cap the number of postponements.

What happens to an Arizona sale if I file bankruptcy without the trustee knowing?

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-810(C) says a sale held in violation of federal law because of an unknown bankruptcy is not complete. It is treated as continued to a date the trustee announces or, if none, to the same time and place 28 days later.

Step by step

More on foreclosure in Arizona

Understand the process

What is happening and how much time there is.

Weigh your options

What can stop it, and what happens if it goes ahead.

Get help now

Who to call, and what to do when a sale is scheduled.

Back to the Arizona overview

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Sources for this page

  1. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-810 (sale by public auction; postponement)
  2. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1175 (forcible detainer complaint and summons)
  3. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1178 (judgment; writ of restitution)
  4. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-1378 (foreclosure consultants, definitions)
  5. U.S. Courts: Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Basics (automatic stay)
  6. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-807 (sale of trust property)
  7. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-808 (notice of trustee's sale)
  8. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-809 (mailing of notice of sale)
  9. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-811 (trustee's deed, no redemption)
  10. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-812 (disposition of proceeds of sale)
  11. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-813 (reinstatement)
  12. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-814 (deficiency after trustee's sale)
  13. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-729 (purchase money mortgage, limit on liability)
  14. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1282 (time for redemption after judicial sale)
  15. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1173.01 (forcible detainer after trustee's sale)
  16. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-1378.02 (foreclosure consultants, prohibited acts)
  17. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-1378.04 (foreclosure consultants, right of cancellation)
  18. U.S. Treasury: Homeowner Assistance Fund (program ended September 30, 2026)
  19. CFPB: 12 C.F.R. § 1024.41 Loss mitigation procedures
  20. State Bar of Arizona: Legal Aid Resources