Parking Rules in Tempe, AZ

Tempe maintains 149 local ordinances across all categories, and 10 of those deal specifically with parking rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Tempe falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Loading Zones

Tempe curb loading zones exist only for the expeditious loading, unloading, pickup or delivery of goods or passengers, and Section 19-122 caps a stop there at 30 minutes, or 15 minutes for a vehicle using a disability placard to load a passenger.

Key details: Governing sections: Tempe City Code §§ 19-121(a), 19-122. General loading time limit: 30 minutes maximum. Disability-placard passenger stop: 15 minutes maximum. Who designates zones: City Traffic Engineer, by sign or painted curb. Enacted: Ord. No. 86.45 (1986); amended 2009, 2019.

Exceeding the 30-minute loading window, or the 15-minute passenger stop for placard holders, or using a marked curb loading zone for any purpose other than active loading or unloading, draws a standard parking citation enforceable by Tempe Police and City parking enforcement; a vehicle that blocks the zone entirely can also be cited for obstructing designated curb space.

Curb Color Rules

Painting a curb, sidewalk or any street surface anywhere in Tempe is flatly illegal unless the City Council itself designated that specific painting purpose. Section 19-121(b) also bars anyone but the City from marking a street as parking-restricted in any manner, so a resident's own red-curb paint job is a straight code violation.

Key details: Governing section: Tempe City Code § 19-121(b). Who may authorize curb painting: City Council only. Applies to: Curbs, sidewalks, any street surface citywide. Companion provision: § 19-121(a), Traffic Engineer's designation authority. Enacted: Ord. No. 86.45, 7-10-86.

Unauthorized curb painting is a Code violation enforceable by Tempe Police and Code Compliance, and the City can also require the property owner or painter to repaint or remove the unauthorized marking at their own expense; a homeowner who paints a curb red without City Council designation has no defense that the paint matches an official color scheme.

Compared to other cities, Tempe takes a harder line on curb color rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Abandoned Vehicles

Inoperable and abandoned vehicles are code enforcement violations in Tempe. ARS §28-871+ governs on public property.

Key details: State Law: ARS §28-871+: 72 hours on highway/public property. Private Property: Code Compliance may order removal. Enforcement: Code Compliance: (480) 350-4311. Topic: Abandoned Vehicles.

Street: towing after 48 hours. Private property: code compliance citation and potential abatement. Storage fees at impound lot.

RV & Boat Parking

Parking an RV over 21 feet, a boat, or a trailer on any Tempe street between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. is banned under Section 19-139, unless the owner holds a Police Chief-issued permit good for just seven days a year, and none of it may ever be used as a dwelling on the street.

Key details: Governing section: Tempe City Code § 19-139. Restricted hours: 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Size trigger: RV over 21 feet; any trailer or boat. Permit exception: 7 consecutive days/year, out-of-city registration required. Dwelling use: Never permitted, permit or no permit.

Parking a covered RV, trailer or boat on a Tempe street between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. without a valid Police Chief permit is a citable parking violation, and using any such vehicle as a street-side dwelling violates Section 19-139(d) regardless of the time of day or permit status, exposing the owner to citation and possible vehicle removal.

This is one of the stricter rules in Tempe's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Tempe bans parking a commercial vehicle or trailer over one ton capacity or longer than 21 feet in a residential district, and bans two or more commercial vehicles of any size at the same residential property. City Code § 21-4(a)(1) makes either condition an enumerated nuisance violation.

Key details: Governing section: Tempe City Code § 21-4(a)(1). Size trigger: Over 1-ton capacity or 21+ feet long. Quantity trigger: 2 or more commercial vehicles, any size. Zone affected: Residential districts. Max civil sanction: $2,000/day per property.

A commercial-vehicle violation under Section 21-4(a)(1) is a civil sanction enforced under Section 21-42, with fines set by the City Council's schedule and capped at $2,000 per day per property, plus a $50 default fee for missing a court date; the City can instead pursue a Class 1 misdemeanor. Each day the oversized or extra commercial vehicle remains is a separate offense.

Street Parking Limits

Tempe regulates on-street parking through posted signs and citywide rules. Vehicles may not park on unpaved surfaces or landscaped areas. Most residential streets allow parking but may have time limits, permit requirements, or restrictions near ASU campus.

Key details: General Rule: Follow posted signs; no parking on landscaping. Time Limit: 72 hours max in same spot. ASU Area: Special permit zones apply. Enforcement: Tempe Police / Parking Enforcement.

Parking violations result in citations with fines varying by offense. Vehicles parked illegally may be towed at the owner's expense. Abandoned vehicles are subject to removal after 72 hours.

Preferential Parking Districts

Tempe creates residential-only parking blocks under City Code Sections 19-111 and 19-112 when the Traffic Engineer finds a street is significantly impacted by nonresident vehicles. Once the City Council approves a designated area, only vehicles displaying a valid parking permit issued to an adjacent resident may park there during posted hours.

Key details: Governing sections: Tempe City Code §§ 19-111 to 19-116. Eligibility test: Significant nonresident parking impact, per Traffic Engineer. Who approves districts: City Manager, subject to City Council approval. Permit fee: Annual fee set by City Manager/Council. Exempt vehicles: Marked service and delivery vehicles while working.

Parking without a displayed, correctly placed permit on a posted residential permit street is treated the same as any posted-sign parking violation under this chapter: a citation from Tempe Police or a parking enforcement officer. Reselling, transferring or reassigning a permit violates Section 19-113 directly, since permits remain City property tied to one vehicle and one address.

EV Charging

Tempe City Code Section 19-101 bars parking in a marked electric vehicle charging space unless a vehicle is actually charging, and caps that use at six hours or any shorter posted limit. A violation is a civil traffic citation carrying a minimum $350 sanction, one of the steepest parking fines in the general code.

Key details: Governing section: Tempe City Code § 19-101. Max charging stay: 6 hours or posted limit, whichever less. Minimum fine: $350 civil sanction. Violation type: Civil traffic citation. Latest penalty update: Ord. No. O2025.49, 11-6-25.

Parking in an EV charging space without charging, or overstaying the six-hour cap (or a shorter posted limit), is a civil traffic violation under Section 19-101(b) carrying a civil sanction of at least $350, payable to the City or contestable in Tempe's civil traffic court. Repeat citations accrue independently for each occurrence; the vehicle is not subject to towing under this section alone unless another parking violation, such as blocking a fire lane, applies.

Overnight Parking

Tempe has no blanket overnight parking curfew, but Section 19-137 bars leaving any vehicle, including a disabled one, on a public street or right-of-way for more than 120 consecutive hours, roughly five days, after which the Police Department can tag and tow it.

Key details: Governing section: Tempe City Code § 19-137. Time limit: 120 consecutive hours (5 days). Signage required: None; applies citywide without posted signs. Towing notice: 48-hour notice posted on vehicle. Repeat offense: Each 24-hour period is a separate offense.

Each 24-hour block a vehicle remains parked past the 120-hour limit is charged as a separate offense under Section 19-137(b), and after posting a 48-hour removal notice on the vehicle, Tempe Police may tow and impound it with the owner billed for all towing and storage costs incurred.

Driveway Rules

Tempe bans parking a camper, vehicle or trailer in the front or side yard, visible from the street, unless it sits on an "improved area" tied to the driveway. City Code § 21-3(b)(4) caps that surface at 35% of the visible yard, requires gravel or crushed rock at least 3 inches deep inside a permanent border, and bans weeds on it.

Key details: Governing section: Tempe City Code § 21-3(b)(4). Max surface coverage: 35% of visible front/side yard. Min gravel depth: 3 inches, permanent border required. Enforcement: Community Development, § 21-41. Civil sanction cap: Up to $2,000/day per property.

Violating Section 21-3(b)(4) is a civil sanction under Section 21-42, fined per the City Council's adopted schedule up to $2,000 per day per property, plus a $50 default penalty for failing to appear. The City may instead file a Class 1 misdemeanor charge. Each day the vehicle stays on an unimproved surface is a separate offense, and repeat violators lose the standard notice-to-comply grace period as habitual offenders.

The Bottom Line

Tempe is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 10 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Tempe, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Tempe's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.