State desk
Ranks 14th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Arizona stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 18 Arizona outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Arizona in red. Free to cite with attribution.
No permit required for concealed carry by adults 21 and older; optional permits available for reciprocity.
Arizona is 1 of 29 states with this rule
15 · Shall-Issue Permit6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Arizona taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 2.50 percent, the joint-lowest top rate in the country. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Arizona is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Arizona charges 19.00 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 47 of 50, which is among the lowest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 37.40 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 19.00 cents.
Arizona is 1 of 17 states with this rule
17 · Among the Highest16 · Near the Middle
Retains the death penalty.
Arizona is 1 of 23 states with this rule
4 · Retains it, executions paused23 · Abolished
Right-to-work protected in the state constitution since 1946.
Arizona is 1 of 26 states with this rule
24 · No Right-to-Work Law
State minimum wage is $15.15, above the federal $7.25 floor; adjusted annually for inflation.
Arizona is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
Voters must present an ID document that need not have a photo; without it, a provisional ballot requires later follow-up to count.
Arizona is 1 of 4 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested8 · ID Requested (No Photo)14 · No Document Required
Empowerment Scholarship Account ESA became the nation's first fully universal K-12 program in 2022.
Arizona is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Limited Program17 · No Private-Choice Program
NCSL lists Arizona among states recognizing, by statute or court case, that there is no duty to retreat in any place where a person is lawfully present. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Arizona is 1 of 31 states with this rule
7 · Recognized by Court Decision12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any voter may request a mail ballot; an active early voter list automatically mails ballots to enrollees.
Arizona is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Arizona's unemployment rate was 4.9% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, unchanged from August. It ranks 46th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), down from 45th. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.4%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Arizona is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court