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.
Tempe, AZ
Tempe regulates industrial noise through Chapter 20 (Noise) of the City Code and the Zoning and Development Code. Industrial uses must not generate noise exc...
Tempe, AZ
Tempe addresses barking dogs under both the noise ordinance (Chapter 20) and animal control regulations. Dogs that bark persistently and disturb neighbors ca...
Tempe, AZ
Tempe requires vehicles to park on approved hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt driveways. Parking on dirt, gravel, or landscaped areas is prohibited. ...
Tempe, AZ
Tempe generally does not require a building permit for standard residential fences up to 6 feet in height. Fences exceeding 6 feet, masonry walls, and fences...
Tempe, AZ
Tempe's Zoning and Development Code regulates fence materials in residential zones. Common permitted materials include block, stucco, wrought iron, wood, vin...
Tempe, AZ
Tempe's zoning code limits residential fence heights to 6 feet in side and rear yards and 3 feet in front yards. Corner lots may have additional visibility t...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Maricopa County.
See how other cities in Maricopa County handle pet limits.
See how Tempe's pet limits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.