The Agricultural Land Use Application is the Maricopa County Assessor's form for reporting land used in a farm, ranch or other agricultural operation so the Assessor can test it against the Arizona definition of agricultural real property. It is one of the Maricopa County property tax forms in the Assessor's Agriculture forms category. Owners, owner-lessors and their representatives use it for a new unit, a lease, an ownership change or added land. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by the Maricopa County Assessor.
Last updated
What is Agricultural Land Use Application – Maricopa County, AZ?
The Agricultural Land Use Application is the Maricopa County Assessor's form on which a landowner, or a representative, lists agricultural land and parcels, describes the agricultural operation and affirms that the property meets the requirements for agricultural classification under Arizona law.
The form is built around the assessor's first question: whether the property meets the definition of agricultural real property in A.R.S. § 42-12151 for property tax purposes. That definition lists eleven agricultural property types and applies to the whole real property unit, meaning all the land used in one agricultural operation, such as a farm, ranch or agri-business. For that reason the form asks about the whole operation, not only the parcels on the application.
The form collects:
- parcels with Assessor's Parcel ID Number, acreage, parcel size, and the App, Den and PUC columns, plus a Homesite column;
- land in another county, land owned by someone else and leased or subleased to you, and public land leased from agencies such as the BLM, Forest Service or State Land Dept, with begin and end dates and carrying capacity;
- the farm or ranch name, total acreage and principal agricultural activity (livestock, crops or other);
- three affirmations, the signature block, and the property-unit scenario.
Owner-lessors also complete a block on the separate Agricultural Lease Abstract form. The form is an application, not an exemption claim or a valuation notice.
Who needs to file Agricultural Land Use Application – Maricopa County, AZ?
Landowners who want agricultural classification for land in a Maricopa County farm, ranch or agri-business operation use this application. The form names four situations, and you mark the one that applies:
- an owner-producer applying on a new agricultural property unit, meaning all the land in the operation;
- an owner-lessor applying on property used in a tenant's or subtenant's agricultural operation;
- an application prompted by an ownership change on an existing agricultural property, to maintain the agricultural classification (scenario 2 may also apply here);
- an owner-producer applying on newly added property in an existing agricultural operation.
An owner-producer is a landowner who is the agricultural producer using the land (also called owner-user or owner-operator). An owner-lessor leases the land to an end-user tenant or to a sandwich leaseholder who subleases to a subtenant.
An owner or a representative may sign. The form directs you to include a current Agency Authorization (82130AA) and has a line for a State Board of Appraisal number. If the land is only a portion of a larger agricultural unit, the information on the whole unit is required: the form warns that a portion is not approved if the assessor cannot learn enough about the whole.
When to file Agricultural Land Use Application – Maricopa County, AZ
Complete the application when one of the four situations printed on it occurs: a new agricultural property unit, land leased to a tenant or subtenant, an ownership change on an existing agricultural property, or newly added land in an existing operation. The form prints no filing deadline and no renewal period of its own. For an ownership change, it is the application used to maintain the agricultural classification. Check the Assessor's Agriculture forms page for related forms, such as the Agricultural Lease Abstract, that may need to be completed at the same time, and contact the Assessor about any timing question.
Documents you need
- Agency Authorization (82130AA): the form says to include a current one with the application.
- A separate sheet of paper explaining each affirmation box you leave unchecked; the form requires the explanation to be attached to the application.
- Agricultural Lease Abstract form: an owner-lessor completes the block on it, as the form directs, for property used in a tenant's or subtenant's operation.
How to fill out Agricultural Land Use Application – Maricopa County, AZ
Enter file date, county and unit number
At the top, enter File Date, County and Agricultural Unit Number, then print the name and address. Check the box if you are choosing the Quick File Option; the form refers you to its instructions.
Mark the application scenario
Check the box for the situation that applies: new property unit, owner-lessor, ownership change, or newly added property. Scenario 2 may also apply to an ownership change.
List parcels in Part A
For each item number, enter the Assessor's Parcel ID Number (use the codes the form refers to), the agricultural land acreage and the parcel size. Complete the App, Den and PUC columns and mark Homesite where it applies; for grazing land see the instructions on carrying capacity.
Add land in another county
If any land is located in a different county than the land in Part A, enter which county on the line provided.
Report leased or subleased land
For land owned by someone else, enter the owner's name, the Assessor's Parcel ID Number and the begin and end dates of the lease or sublease to you.
Report public land leases
For leased land from agencies such as the BLM, Forest Service or State Land Dept, enter the lease number, permit number or allotment name, the begin and end dates and the carrying capacity.
Describe the whole agricultural unit
Check whether the land is the whole property unit or a portion. Enter the farm or ranch name, approximate total acreage and the principal activity: livestock (approximate animal units and type), crops (type) or other (describe).
Read and check the affirmations
Check all three affirmations: true and complete statement, requirements of A.R.S. § 42-12152 met, and active production with an expectation of profit. Attach a separate sheet explaining any box you leave unchecked.
Sign and complete contact details
The owner or representative signs and dates, prints the name (and title, if applicable), and gives a telephone and email address. Enter the State Board of Appraisal number where it applies and include a current Agency Authorization (82130AA).
Complete continuation pages if needed
On additional pages, enter File Date, County and the Key Parcel, the first parcel listed on the first application page, then continue the parcel and lease lists.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check parcel numbers, acreage, dates and checkboxes. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and send it with the attachments described under How to submit.
How to submit Agricultural Land Use Application – Maricopa County, AZ
The application is directed to the Maricopa County Assessor. The form prints no mailing address, portal or appointment rule, so confirm the delivery channel with the Assessor.
- Assessor's forms page: the Assessor's Agriculture forms category offers the Agricultural Land Use Application as a PDF and as a DocuSign version, at https://mcassessor.maricopa.gov/forms/agriculture/.
- Contact: the Assessor's website has Contact Us and Schedule a Virtual Appointment links for questions about delivery.
Send the signed application with any attachments the form calls for: a current Agency Authorization (82130AA), a separate sheet explaining any unchecked affirmation box, and the Agricultural Lease Abstract for an owner-lessor. If the application runs past one page, the continuation pages carry the key parcel, the first parcel listed on the first application page. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the Assessor's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving any of the three affirmation boxes unchecked without attaching an explanation on a separate sheet of paper.
- Listing only a portion of the land and skipping the whole-unit information; the form says a portion is not approved if the assessor cannot learn enough about the whole.
- Not marking the scenario that fits (new unit, owner-lessor, ownership change or added property), or ignoring that scenario 2 may also apply to an ownership change.
- Signing without including a current Agency Authorization (82130AA) when a representative signs for the owner.
- Entering land in another county without answering which county it is in.
- Omitting the Key Parcel, the first parcel listed on the first application page, on continuation pages.
- Marking the checkboxes before reading the agricultural classification statutes in A.R.S. Title 42, Chapter 12, Article 4.
- Having an owner-lessor skip the whole-unit block on the Agricultural Lease Abstract form.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Agricultural Land Use Application?
It is the Maricopa County Assessor's form for applying for agricultural classification. You list parcels, leases and the agricultural operation, and affirm the property meets A.R.S. § 42-12152. The assessor then tests whether the property meets the definition of agricultural real property.
Who should file the Agricultural Land Use Application in Maricopa County?
Owner-producers (new unit or added land), owner-lessors whose land is used by a tenant or subtenant, and owners applying after an ownership change to maintain the classification. You mark the matching scenario on the form.
Do I need a signed Agency Authorization with this application?
The form says to include a current Agency Authorization (82130AA). It sits beside the signature block, where the owner or a representative signs, and also has a line for a State Board of Appraisal number.
What happens if I leave an affirmation box unchecked?
You must explain it on a separate sheet of paper and attach that sheet to the application. The three affirmations cover a true and complete statement, the A.R.S. § 42-12152 criteria, and active production with an expectation of profit.
Why does the form ask about the whole agricultural property unit?
The statutory definition applies to the whole unit, all land used in one operation. If your land is only a portion, the form warns that without enough information about the whole, the portion would not be approved for agricultural classification.
Can I fill out the Agricultural Land Use Application online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the form with the Maricopa County Assessor; you submit it through the Assessor's channels.
Is there a DocuSign version of the Agricultural Land Use Application?
Yes. The Assessor's Agriculture forms page lists a DocuSign version of the Agricultural Land Use Application and of the Agricultural Lease Abstract, alongside the PDFs. Ask the Assessor how it wants the signed application returned.
Ready to fill out Agricultural Land Use Application – Maricopa County, AZ?
Fill out Agricultural Land Use Application – Maricopa County, AZ now