What This Statute Says
A.R.S. § 42-11132 exempts property that is leased, rather than owned, by an educational institution, provided the lease is long-term and the property is used exclusively for educational purposes.
A. Property, buildings and fixtures that are leased to a nonprofit charter school or a residential treatment and education facility and that are used for educational instruction in any grade or program through grade twelve shall be classified as class nine property pursuant to section 42-12009. If only part of a parcel of real property or improvements to real property is leased for operation of a charter school or a residential treatment and education facility, only the portion so leased qualifies as class nine property.
A.R.S. § 42-11132This statute extends the educational exemption to leasehold arrangements. A private investor who builds a school building and leases it to a qualifying school for a substantial term can claim the exemption on the building during the lease.
For families considering an estate-planning vehicle that owns leased-to-school real estate, the statute is part of the planning analysis for both income tax and property tax.
When This Statute Comes Into Play
This statute typically becomes relevant in three situations. A property owner is reviewing an annual tax bill. An estate is being administered and the personal representative has to address ongoing property tax obligations. Or a charitable or nonprofit organization is claiming or maintaining an exemption. The statute is part of a larger framework in chapter 11 of title 42 and operates alongside the related sections cross-linked below.
What This Means for Arizona Families
Most families never think about Arizona property tax statutes until they are sitting at a closing table on an inherited home, reviewing an unexpected tax bill, or trying to claim an exemption for a surviving spouse. When that moment arrives, the rules in chapter 11 of title 42 are the framework you are working inside.
If you are holding real property in a revocable living trust, the trust structure does not by itself remove the property from the tax rolls. The exemption has to come from a specific statute. Our FAQ on what to do with property you inherit in Arizona covers the immediate practical questions, and our FAQ on probate timelines covers how a contested or stalled administration can affect tax filings and exemptions.
If you are administering an estate, the personal representative has a duty to keep property taxes current, to claim available exemptions where appropriate, and to maintain documentation in case the assessor reviews a claim later. Calendar the February exemption filing window each year for any property where a widow, widower, or disability exemption applies. Once the deadline passes, the saving for that year is usually lost.