<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 11/30/96
000 C000000 0000869392
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM ARIZONA TAX EXEMPT INCOME FUND
001 B000000 811-6258
001 C000000 6172921000
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02019
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-7974
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
011 A000001 PUTNAM MUTUAL FUNDS CORP.
011 B000001 8-5088
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02109
012 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES
012 B000001 84-401299
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
013 A000001 COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02110
015 A000001 PUTNAM FIDUCIARY TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02109
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 98
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 PAIN WEBBER INC.
020 B000001 13-2638166
020 C000001 5
020 A000002 SMITH, BARNEY, HARIS, UPHAM & CO.
020 B000002 13-1912900
020 C000002 4
020 A000003 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES. INC.
020 B000003 13-3224016
020 C000003 3
020 A000004 BANK OF AMERICA NT & SA
020 B000004 94-1687665
020 C000004 1
020 A000005 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000005 13-3082694
020 C000005 1
020 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENER & SMITH, INC.
020 B000006 13-5674085
020 C000006 1
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 15
022 A000001 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
022 B000001 22-2347366
022 C000001 11537
022 D000001 8677
022 A000002 PAINE WEBBER INC.
022 B000002 13-2638166
022 C000002 9102
022 D000002 7333
022 A000003 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000003 13-2518466
022 C000003 8538
022 D000003 2867
022 A000004 MORGAN STANLEY INC.
022 B000004 13-2655998
022 C000004 5005
022 D000004 4707
022 A000005 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000005 13-3224016
022 C000005 0
022 D000005 9477
022 A000006 EVEREN SECURITIES
022 C000006 6051
022 D000006 1605
022 A000007 RAUSCHER PIERCE REFSNES, INC.
022 B000007 75-1828470
022 C000007 7431
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 EDWARDS (A.G.) & SONS INC.
022 B000008 43-0895477
022 C000008 4448
022 D000008 2289
022 A000009 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. IES
022 B000009 13-5108880
022 C000009 1500
022 D000009 3113
022 A000010 SMIGH, BARNEY, HARRIS, UPHAM & CO.
022 B000010 13-1912900
022 C000010 2281
022 D000010 1751
023 C000000 61290
023 D000000 50635
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 Y
026 G020000 Y
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 1592
028 A020000 271
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 2832
028 B010000 1314
028 B020000 310
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 2017
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 C010000 1203
028 C020000 290
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 3878
028 D010000 1229
028 D020000 306
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 1624
028 E010000 3811
028 E020000 288
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028 E040000 2275
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028 G010000 10333
028 G020000 1737
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028 H000000 10330
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 123
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030 C000000 3.25
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 500000
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048 B010000 500000
048 B020000 0.500
048 C010000 500000
048 C020000 0.450
048 D010000 5000000
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048 E020000 0.375
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048 G010000 5000000
048 G020000 0.340
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048 I010000 0
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048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 21500000
048 K020000 0.330
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
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054 D000000 N
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054 F000000 N
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054 K000000 N
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
061 000000 500
062 A000000 Y
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064 A000000 N
064 B000000 N
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068 A000000 N
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069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
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070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 Y
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
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070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
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071 B000000 49744
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072 A000000 6
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073 A010000 0.2313
<PAGE> PAGE 8
073 A020000 0.2016
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 665
074 B000000 0
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080 A000000 FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 50000
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
085 B000000 N
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SIGNATURE PAUL BUCUVALAS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
These schedule contains summary
of Financial information extracted
Putnam Arizona Tax Exempt Fund Class A
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000869392
<NAME> PUTNAM ARIZONA TAX EXEMPT FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> APR-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> NOV-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 150,906,769
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 157,876,469
<RECEIVABLES> 4,201,787
<ASSETS-OTHER> 664,928
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 162,743,184
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 8,204,024
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 650,081
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 8,854,105
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 150,390,965
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 13,827,844
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 14,341,110
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 118,048
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (3,552,759)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 6,932,825
<NET-ASSETS> 153,889,079
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 4,578,405
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 773,282
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3,805,123
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (726,337)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 6,185,585
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 9,318,371
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (3,245,205)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 803,161
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (1,476,398)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 159,971
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2,829,953
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 140,414
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (2,880,422)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 452,496
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 844,058
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 124,995,778
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.84
<PER-SHARE-NII> .23
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .32
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.23)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.16
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .51
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial
information extracted from Putnam Arizona
Tax Exempt Income Fund Class B
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> APR-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> NOV-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 150,906,769
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 157,876,469
<RECEIVABLES> 4,201,787
<ASSETS-OTHER> 664,928
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 162,743,184
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 8,204,024
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 650,081
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 8,854,105
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 150,390,965
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 2,929,884
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 2,725,682
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 118,048
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (3,552,759)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 6,932,825
<NET-ASSETS> 153,889,079
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 4,578,405
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 773,282
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3,805,123
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (726,337)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 6,185,585
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 9,318,371
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (573,575)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 332,687
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (161,594)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 33,109
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2,829,953
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 140,414
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (2,880,422)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 452,496
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 844,058
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 25,279,422
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.82
<PER-SHARE-NII> .20
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .33
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.20)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.15
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .83
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
These schedule contains summary
of Financial information extracted
Putnam Arizona Tax Exempt Fund Class M
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000869392
<NAME> PUTNAM ARIZONA TAX EXEMPT FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> APR-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> NOV-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 150,906,769
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 157,876,469
<RECEIVABLES> 4,201,787
<ASSETS-OTHER> 664,928
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 162,743,184
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 8,204,024
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 650,081
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 8,204,024
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 150,390,965
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 44,834
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 33,145
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 118,048
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (3,552,759)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 6,932,825
<NET-ASSETS> 153,889,079
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 4,578,405
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 773,282
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3,805,123
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (726,337)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 6,185,585
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 9,318,371
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (8,709)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 17,761
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (6,788)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 716
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 2,829,953
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 140,414
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (2,880,422)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 452,496
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 844,058
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 356,134
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.85
<PER-SHARE-NII> .22
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .32
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.22)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.17
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .65
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
