Arizona unemployment benefits pay 1/25 of your high-quarter wages. — up to $320 per week for up to 8-24 (24 weeks only when the state unemployment rate is 5% or higher) weeks, for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation.
This guide gives the exact Arizona unemployment benefits figures with the date we verified them, shows how your own weekly amount is calculated with a worked example, and explains when the first payment arrives and how it is taxed.
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) before you rely on it.
Arizona Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | $320 (January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $229 |
| How the amount is set | 1/25 of your high-quarter wages. |
| Duration | up to 8-24 (24 weeks only when the state unemployment rate is 5% or higher) weeks |
| Waiting week | Yes — first eligible week unpaid |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Statute | A.R.S. 23-601 et seq. |
In This Arizona Unemployment Benefits Guide:
How Much Are Arizona Unemployment Benefits?
1/25 of your high-quarter wages. The minimum weekly payment is $229 and the maximum is $320. Those are the numbers that matter: most claimants land between them, and nobody is paid above the cap no matter how much they earned.
Want an estimate for your own wages in Arizona?
Arizona Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) before you rely on it. The statute column is where to check it yourself.
| Maximum weekly benefit | $320 |
| Effective period | January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $229 |
| Formula | 1/25 of your high-quarter wages. |
| Duration (weeks) | 8-24 (24 weeks only when the state unemployment rate is 5% or higher) |
| Waiting week | Yes |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Alternate base period | No |
| To qualify | 1.5 times high-quarter wages and 390 times the minimum wage in one quarter, or wages in two quarters with one quarter high enough for the maximum amount. |
| Partial-week earnings | $160.49 |
| Agency | Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) |
| File online | https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual |
| Statute | A.R.S. 23-601 et seq. |
How Arizona Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated
Arizona generally sets the weekly benefit at 4% (one twenty-fifth) of the wages paid in the single highest-earning quarter of the base period, subject to the state maximum (A.R.S. § 23-779). Amounts that aren’t a whole dollar round to the nearest dollar, and an exact half dollar rounds up. Arizona does not add a dependents’ allowance.
Once set, the amount is not recalculated during the benefit year if the maximum or minimum changes later.
1.5 times high-quarter wages and 390 times the minimum wage in one quarter, or wages in two quarters with one quarter high enough for the maximum amount.
Arizona Unemployment Benefits: A Worked Example
Suppose a worker’s best base-period quarter paid 6000 in wages. Under Arizona’s formula, 4% of 6000 is 240, so the weekly amount would be about 240 before any cap or deductions. This only shows how the math works. It is not anyone’s actual award, so confirm your figure on your DES monetary determination.
The estimate is illustrative; Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) computes the official amount from your wage records.
How Long Arizona Unemployment Benefits Last
Regular Arizona unemployment benefits run up to 8-24 (24 weeks only when the state unemployment rate is 5% or higher) weeks in a benefit year. Extended benefits only switch on when the state unemployment rate crosses a federal trigger; otherwise regular state benefits are the whole program. The first eligible week is a waiting week: you file for it but it is not paid.
Working Part-Time While Claiming Arizona Unemployment Benefits
In Arizona, you can earn a set amount in a week of part-time work without any reduction (the income disregard, which was raised in July 2022). Earnings above that amount are subtracted from that week’s benefit, so earning enough can reduce the payment to zero.
Confirm the current rule with DES (A.R.S. § 23-779). $160.49 Report every dollar on the weekly claim — unreported earnings are the most common route to an overpayment.
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Under A.R.S. § 23-621, a person who receives wages in lieu of notice or severance is not considered unemployed for the workdays the payment covers at the regular pay rate. Benefits are delayed for those days. DES asks for the gross amount and date of any severance, vacation, holiday or unused sick pay, and that pay can affect the weeks it is assigned to.
A pension from a base-period employer can reduce weekly benefits under A.R.S. § 23-791. The reduction is the full weekly share if you paid less than 45% of the pension, 45% of it if you paid 45% or more, and nothing if you paid the entire cost.
When and How Arizona Unemployment Benefits Are Paid
DES says the first weekly claim can be filed starting the Sunday after you apply, even if the application hasn’t been processed yet. The first eligible week is an unpaid waiting week. If nothing needs review, most claimants get their first payment within about 10 business days, usually after filing the second weekly claim.
If DES has an eligibility question, such as severance or unused vacation pay, it can take about 15 business days or longer. Most claimants who qualify are automatically enrolled in DES’s Electronic Payment Card program. Payments go to a Way2Go Card Prepaid Mastercard issued by Comerica, which is mailed after a new claim is filed.
To have benefits deposited into a personal checking or savings account instead, complete the DES Agreement for Direct Deposit form, which is available through azui.com. Each weekly claim covers a Sunday-to-Saturday week. It can be filed online starting Sunday and must be filed by 6 p.m. MST on Friday, or by Thursday at 6 p.m. if a state holiday falls on Friday.
DES says late weeks are deleted from the system and you must call the AZ Unemployment Insurance Call Center to resume filing. Missing more than two consecutive weeks can make the claim inactive.
Taxes on Arizona Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits are taxable federal income and are also taxed by Arizona. You can choose federal withholding of 10% of the gross weekly benefit, and you can add Arizona withholding (about 1% of the gross benefit) only if you also choose federal withholding. You can change the choice online or with DES form UB-433. DES mails a Form 1099-G each January showing the benefits paid in the prior calendar year.
Arizona bases the weekly amount on one highest quarter only, and does not add an allowance for dependents. If Arizona changes its maximum during your benefit year, your weekly amount stays the same (A.R.S. § 23-779(B)). A pension paid by a base-period employer can reduce your weekly amount (A.R.S. § 23-791).
Next step: the amount only matters if you qualify. Our Arizona eligibility guide covers the fired-vs-quit rules and the work-search count, and the application guide walks through filing.
Arizona — the bottom line
- The Arizona unemployment benefits amount is a share of your base-period wages up to a dated cap — check the period on the figure before you trust it.
- Arizona unemployment benefits are paid weekly for a set number of weeks; a missed weekly claim is a lost week.
- Part-time earnings reduce Arizona unemployment benefits but rarely erase them — report everything and keep claiming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Arizona?
The weekly amount is 1/25 of your high-quarter wages. The current maximum is $320 for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation.
How long does unemployment last in Arizona?
Regular benefits run up to 8-24 (24 weeks only when the state unemployment rate is 5% or higher) weeks in a benefit year, depending on your base-period wages. Extended benefits only switch on when the state unemployment rate crosses a trigger.
Does Arizona have a waiting week?
Yes — the first eligible week is not paid, but you must still file for it.
Are Arizona unemployment benefits taxable?
Unemployment benefits are taxable federal income and are also taxed by Arizona. You can choose federal withholding of 10% of the gross weekly benefit, and you can add Arizona withholding (about 1% of the gross benefit) only if you also choose federal withholding. You can change the choice online or with DES form UB-433. DES mails a Form 1099-G each January showing the benefits paid in the prior calendar year.
Official Arizona Sources & Resources
- Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES): https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual
- Arizona unemployment statute: A.R.S. 23-601 et seq.
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
- DOL Significant Provisions of State UI Laws (Jan 2026): https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Appeals: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2023/appeals.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Monetary Entitlement: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2021/monetary.pdf
- CareerOneStop (DOL) — state benefit finder: careeronestop.org
- IRS — Form 1099-G: irs.gov
This Arizona unemployment benefits guide was last verified against official Arizona sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Arizona Unemployment Guides
- Arizona Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
- How to Apply for Unemployment in Arizona
- Arizona Unemployment Appeal: Deadline and Hearing
- Unemployment Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Unemployment benefit amounts, deadlines and rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current figure and any deadline with your state unemployment agency before you act.