Rule 34.Producing documents, electronically stored information, and tangible things, or entering onto land, for inspection and other purposes.

Last amended July 1, 2018 · Last verified July 1, 2026

In one sentenceRule 34 lets a party request documents, electronically stored information, and tangible things from another party for inspection, copying, or testing, and to enter land for inspection.

Full Text of Rule 34

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c)

(a) Generally. A party may serve on any other party a request within the scope of Rule 26(b):

(1) to produce and permit the requesting party or its representative to inspect, copy, test, or sample the following items in the responding party’s possession, custody, or control:

(A) any designated documents or electronically stored information—including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, sound recordings, images, and other data or data compilations— stored in any medium from which information can be obtained either directly or, if necessary, after translation by the responding party into a reasonably usable form; or

(B) any designated tangible things; or

(2) to permit entry onto designated land or other property possessed or controlled by the responding party, so that the requesting party may inspect, measure, survey, photograph, test, or sample the property or any designated object or operation on it.

(b) Procedure.

(1) Number. Any party may serve on any other party requests for items or distinct categories of items, subject to the numeric limits in Rule 26.2 (f) and the procedures in Rule 26.2 (g) and (h) for obtaining permission to exceed those limits.

(2) Contents of the request. The request:

(A) must describe with reasonable particularity each item or distinct category of items to be inspected;

(B) must specify a reasonable time, place, and manner for the inspection and for performing the related acts; and

(3) Responses and objections.

(A) Time to respond. Unless the parties agree or the court orders otherwise, the party to whom the request is directed must respond in writing within 30 days after being served. Subject to compliance with Rule 26(f)(1) by the party serving discovery, a defendant may serve its responses and any objections within 60 days after service-or execution of a waiver of service—of the summons and complaint on that defendant.

(B) Responding to each item. For each item or distinct category of items, the response must either state that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested or state the grounds for objecting with specificity, including the reasons.

(C) Objections. An objection must state whether any responsive materials are being withheld on the basis of that objection. A party objecting to part of a request must specify the objectionable part and permit inspection of the other requested materials. inspection and other purposes.

(D) Responding to a request for production of electronically stored information. The response may state an objection to a requested form for producing electronically stored information. If the responding party objects to a requested form—or if no form was specified in the request—the party must state the form or forms it intends to use, which must be native form or another reasonably usable form that will enable the requesting party to have the same ability to access, search, and display the information as the responding party.

(E) Producing the documents or electronically stored information. Unless the parties agree or the court orders otherwise, these procedures apply to producing documents or electronically stored information:

(i) a party must produce documents as they are kept in the usual course of business or must organize and label them to correspond to the categories in the request;

(ii) if a request does not specify a form for producing electronically stored information, a party must produce it in native form or in another reasonably usable form that will enable the requesting party to have the same ability to access, search, and display the information as the responding party; and

(iii) absent good cause, a party need not produce the same electronically stored information in more than one form.

(c) Nonparties. As provided in Rule 45, a nonparty may be compelled to produce documents and tangible things or to permit an inspection.

End

Amendment History

Promulgated by R-16-0010, effective January 1, 2017; amended by R-17-0010, effective July 1, 2018.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 34 covers the two most common document-focused discovery tools: requests to produce documents or electronically stored information, and requests to enter land or other property to inspect, measure, or photograph it. A request must describe with reasonable particularity what it is after, propose a reasonable time and manner for the inspection, and may specify the form in which electronic information should be produced.

The responding party has 30 days to respond — 60 days for a defendant, if the party serving the request has complied with Rule 26(f)(1) by serving its own initial disclosure statement first — and must either agree to produce what is asked for or object with enough specificity to explain why, while still producing anything not covered by the objection. For electronically stored information, the rule sets a default: produce it in native form or another reasonably usable form that lets the requesting party search and view it about as well as the responding party can, and a party generally need not produce the same information in more than one form.

Rule 34 by its own terms reaches only parties. To get documents or access to property from someone outside the case, a party turns to the subpoena power in Rule 45, which extends similar production and inspection tools to nonparties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rule 34 apply to people who are not parties to the case?

No. Rule 34 requests go to parties. Getting documents or access to property from a nonparty requires a subpoena under Rule 45.

Can a party choose the format for producing electronic records?

The requesting party may specify a form. If it does not, or if the responding party objects to the form requested, the responding party must produce the information in native form or another form that preserves the requesting party's ability to search and view it as the responding party could.

How much time does a party have to respond to a document request?

Generally 30 days after being served. A defendant may instead respond within 60 days after being served with, or waiving service of, the summons and complaint, so long as the party serving the request has complied with Rule 26(f)(1), which bars seeking discovery before serving an initial disclosure statement.

Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the official Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure (Ariz. R. Civ. P. 34). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: requests for productionRFPRFPsdocument production requests