Arizona Property Owners and Officials Will Have New Tools in Fight Against Title Fraud

By Drew Williamson

© 2026 Williamson News Service LLC

A new “Assessor Alert” program will provide a second warning system to property owners in Arizona to help protect them from fraudsters who would steal their property by falsifying deeds.

The new alert system is part of a bi-partisan bundle of legislative changes (SB1479) that was recently passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Gov. Katie Hobbs. The changes are the result of more than a year’s worth of work by a large group of elected officials and real estate professionals with the support of Maricopa County Assessor Eddie Cook.

The free voluntary service will require property owners to register online at the county assessor’s website, Cook said. The law requires the system to be up and running statewide by January 2027. Cook said the service is expected to be available in Maricopa County before it is rolled out statewide.

Once a property is registered with the Assessor Alert system, the property owner will be notified if any filings are made involving the address or parcel number, Cook said. The Assessor Alert system will be a second notification service that property owners can use to protect themselves, Cook said. The Maricopa County Recorder offers the “Maricopa Title Alert” which is keyed to the name of the property owner. It is triggered by any filings involving the registered name.

The programs seem to complement each other. A property owner could receive two notifications if registered with both services, providing an extra level of security. Both services are free and voluntary.

Additional changes have been made to help fight title fraud. The following is excerpted from a Maricopa County Assessor’s Office press release:

Mandatory Photo ID for In-Person Recording

Anyone recording a document in person at a county recorder’s office must present valid photo identification, with limited exceptions for trusted industry professionals such as escrow officers, attorneys, and financial institutions.

Strengthening the Affidavit of Legal Value

Buyers and sellers must now provide mailing addresses and phone numbers, with an option to include email addresses, on an Affidavit of Legal Value, giving officials and owners better tools to confirm legitimate transfers.

Higher Penalties for Filing False Real Estate Documents

Submitting false property documents will now be a Class 5 felony, upgraded from a Class 1 misdemeanor, reflecting the severity and financial harm caused by deed fraud.

Repeal of A.R.S. § 12-524

SB 1479 repeals the law at the center of the recent Arizona Supreme Court Case, Dominguez v. Dominguez, which could allow a forged deed to stand as valid if it went uncontested for five years. This fixes that issue and helps ensure forged documents cannot gain legitimacy through legal loopholes.

New Notary Thumbprint Requirement

Notaries must now obtain a thumbprint in their journal for most deeds and other real estate documents. Remote notarizations are exempt only if a video recording verifies the signer’s identity and is retained for at least seven years.

“Together, we created practical, meaningful solutions that will have an immediate impact in preventing fraud and strengthening public trust,” said Cook. “This legislation provides the early alerts, verification safeguards, and legal teeth we need to stop criminals before harm is done.”

 Drew Williamson is a freelance writer in Arizona. His professional expertise includes newspaper reporting and editing, advertising sales and management, and investment advising and retirement planning. He has a BA in Journalism/Political Science from the UA in Tucson and a MBA in Strategic Management from ASU in Tempe. He is a proud member of the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).