Maricopa County zoning limits households in unincorporated areas to a small number of dogs and cats absent a kennel permit. Inside incorporated cities like Phoenix, Mesa, or Scottsdale, each city's own pet-limit ordinance applies instead of the county rule.
Maricopa County zoning ordinances cap household pets in unincorporated residential areas, typically allowing up to four or five dogs and cats older than three months without a kennel or cattery permit. Larger numbers require Planning and Development review, neighborhood notice, and inspections covering sanitation, noise, odor, and waste disposal. The limit applies only in unincorporated county territory; once a parcel is annexed by Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, or another city, that city's pet-limit ordinance takes over. Foster homes working with licensed rescues may exceed limits temporarily under MCACC partnership agreements. Service-animal exemptions apply only to actual ADA-covered working dogs.
Exceeding the unincorporated pet limit without a kennel permit can prompt a code-enforcement notice giving roughly thirty days to comply, followed by civil citations, daily fines, and MCACC inspection. Hoarding findings trigger ARS §13-2910 prosecution.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Maricopa County.
See how other cities in Maricopa County handle pet limits.
See how Scottsdale's pet limits rules stack up against other locations.
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