A Resident's Guide to Scottsdale's Local Ordinances

Scottsdale is a mid-sized city in Maricopa County, Arizona, with about 241000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 134 ordinances across 40 categories that affect daily life in Scottsdale.

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Density Bonus Law: Scottsdale Zoning Ordinance § 6.1310 lets a property in the Planned Block Development (PBD) Overlay District request bonus density, building height and gross floor area ratio above the Sec. 6.1308 base standards.

Also covered: Downtown Design Guide (moderate). See the full zoning overlays & bonuses guide for Scottsdale for details.

Local Taxes & Fees

Business Tax Classification: Scottsdale Tax Code § 400 imposes a privilege tax measured by gross income on every business activity classified under Article IV, from retail and restaurants to construction contracting and advertising. Businesses must first obtain a Tax Collector-issued transaction privilege and use tax license under Sec.

Business Licensing & Operations

Auto Repair on Residential Property: Scottsdale flatly bars using a home carport or garage for any home occupation, which rules out running a paid auto-repair business from a residential garage. The same zoning definition also blocks material or mechanical equipment beyond normal household or hobby use, and licensed vehicle-repair shops elsewhere in the city must operate inside a fully enclosed commercial building..

Also covered: Towing Companies (moderate), Adult Entertainment (restrictive), Secondhand Dealers (restrictive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Scottsdale for details.

Trash & Recycling

Illegal Dumping: Scottsdale bans dumping outright: Sec. 18-6 makes it unlawful for anyone to throw, deposit or dump litter or debris on any land, public or private, and allows storage only in a lidded receptacle or inside a building.

Also covered: Dumpster Rules (moderate), Bin Placement Rules (moderate), Pickup Rules & Schedules (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Scottsdale for details.

Fire Regulations

Outdoor Burning: Scottsdale bans burning refuse anywhere in the city except in incinerators permitted by the county and the city, and any such burning must still comply with Arizona Department of Health Services and EPA rules. It's the one solid-waste offense the code escalates straight to a class one misdemeanor rather than a civil fine..

Also covered: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (moderate), Wildfire Zones (restrictive), Propane Storage (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Scottsdale for details.

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: Scottsdale enforces vector control, meaning rodents, flies and mosquitoes capable of spreading disease, in coordination with county and state rules, and requires every solid-waste user to bag materials so odors and pests can't escape. Noncompliant containers can be pulled from a property..

Also covered: Food Handler Certification (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for Scottsdale for details.

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Scottsdale requires anyone soliciting door to door or in public for a charitable purpose to get a permit from the Financial Services Department first. Applications go in at least ten days ahead, solicitation is capped to the hours of 9:00 a.m.

Building Safety

Green Building Code: Scottsdale adopted the 2021 International Green Construction Code by reference, applying sustainability, water, energy, and materials standards to commercial and multifamily construction. One- and two-family homes and townhouses up to three stories are exempt, and LEED or Green Globes certification satisfies the code automatically..

Also covered: Building Inspections (moderate), Childcare Center Rules (moderate), Electrical Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Scottsdale for details.

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Permits: Scottsdale Ordinance 4566 (Article IX, Chapter 18 - SRC 18-175) requires every short-term/vacation rental property to obtain an annual city license at $250 per property, plus an Arizona Department of Revenue TPT license and Maricopa County Assessor registration under ARS 33-1902. Owners must designate a 24-hour emergency contact and notify adjacent neighbors within 30 days of licensing..

Also covered: Occupancy Limits (moderate), Repeat Violator Strikes (restrictive), Night Caps (permissive). See the full short-term rentals guide for Scottsdale for details.

Noise Ordinances

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound: Scottsdale bars operating a mobile sound amplification system, essentially any vehicle-mounted radio, stereo or speaker rig, between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Also covered: Vehicle Noise (moderate), Quiet Hours (moderate), Leaf Blower Rules (limited). See the full noise ordinances guide for Scottsdale for details.

Parking Rules

Abandoned Vehicles: Scottsdale bans abandoning a vehicle on any street, highway, road or public property, and treats a vehicle left unmoved for 72 hours in the right-of-way as prima facie abandoned. Police tag the vehicle with written notice giving 3 days to move it or face a violation, and 6 days before towing and storage under City Code Section 17-108..

Also covered: Curb Color Rules (moderate), Loading Zones (moderate), EV Charging (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Scottsdale for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Sidewalk & Mobile Vending: Scottsdale mobile food vendors must keep a four-foot sidewalk clearance in every direction at their vending spot, stay in a legal parking space at least 50 feet from any intersection, and cap a single spot's use at six hours in any 24-hour period under the city's mobile food vendor article..

Also covered: Vending Zones (moderate), Food Truck Permits (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Scottsdale for details.

Public Conduct

Public Marijuana Use: Scottsdale prohibits smoking or consuming marijuana anywhere in public. City Code § 25-3 makes it a class one misdemeanor to use marijuana on any city, state or school-district property, and a petty offense to smoke or consume it in a public park, sidewalk, walkway or any other public place citywide..

Also covered: Skateboarding Rules (moderate), Jaywalking (moderate), Public Urination (moderate). See the full public conduct guide for Scottsdale for details.

Mobility & Curb Rules

E-Bike Classes: Scottsdale Code Section 17-76 splits e-bikes into Class 1 (pedal-assist, cuts off at 20 mph), Class 2 (throttle-assist, cuts off at 20 mph), and Class 3 (pedal-assist, cuts off at 28 mph). Section 17-77.1 bars anyone under 16 from riding a Class 3 on city property, and Section 17-86 bans Class 3 bikes from every city sidewalk..

Also covered: Bike Lane Rules (moderate). See the full mobility & curb rules guide for Scottsdale for details.

Water Use Rules

Leak Reporting Duty: Scottsdale account holders own every leak past their meter and must report unexplained usage to the Utility Billing Department within six months to qualify for a reduced-rate credit under City Code Sec. 49-46..

Also covered: Turf Replacement Rebates (limited). See the full water use rules guide for Scottsdale for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Scottsdale requires a permit for private improvements in the right-of-way (PIR) before anyone builds or installs anything private in a public street, sidewalk or easement area. The Right-of-Way Supervisor decides whether a PIR or a work permit (PWR) applies, and that call is final..

Also covered: Sidewalk Repair (moderate), Obstruction Rules (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Scottsdale for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Scottsdale code inspectors can designate rental housing as slum property under Sec. 18-100 after an inspection finds structurally unsound conditions, missing sanitation, or hazardous wiring, giving the owner 30 days to correct the violation before the designation is recorded against the land.

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Scottsdale for details.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Scottsdale outlaws barbed wire, razor wire, razor ribbon, concertina wire and electrified fencing on residential land citywide under Sec. 18-14(a).

Also covered: Fence Permit Requirements (moderate), Retaining Walls (moderate), Height Limits (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Scottsdale for details.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Scottsdale makes it a class 3 misdemeanor under Sec. 19-21 to camp in any public park, on public streets or in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve without a city permit, defining camping broadly to include tents, bedding, cooking or living in a parked vehicle.

Special Events & Permits

Park Event Permits: Reserving a Scottsdale park facility for a gathering requires a permit under Sec. 20-33, which must state the facility, any maximum capacity, and required insurance and indemnification terms.

Also covered: Block Party Permits (moderate), Street Fair Rules (moderate), Parade Permits (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Scottsdale for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Structure Height Limits: Scottsdale caps single-family building height at thirty (30) feet in the R1-43, R1-35, and R1-18 districts under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 5.104.D, 5.204.D, and 5.304.D.

Also covered: Lot Coverage Limits (moderate), Setback Rules (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Scottsdale for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Scottsdale adopts FEMA's flood insurance study and rate maps by reference to draw its Special Flood Hazard Areas, with the City Council sitting as the Floodplain Board over them. Inside a mapped floodway, new fill, construction, or other development is flatly prohibited unless a registered engineer certifies it will not raise flood levels during a base flood..

Also covered: Stormwater Management (moderate), Defensible Space (limited), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Scottsdale for details.

Outdoor Cooking

BBQ & Propane Rules: Scottsdale bans charcoal burners, chimineas, barbecues and other open-flame cooking devices from combustible balconies and from within 10 feet of combustible construction. One- and two-family homes are exempt, and a narrow exception allows gas grills on sprinklered multifamily balconies with a small LP-gas tank..

Also covered: Smoker Rules (moderate), Outdoor Kitchen Permits (moderate). See the full outdoor cooking guide for Scottsdale for details.

Landscaping Rules

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees: Scottsdale's Native Plant Ordinance (Chapter 46, Article V) protects indigenous desert plants citywide. Removal or relocation of protected native plants requires a Native Plant program submission.

Also covered: Rainwater Harvesting (moderate), Tree Trimming (moderate), Composting (limited). See the full landscaping rules guide for Scottsdale for details.

Sign Regulations

Freeway-Facing Signs: Scottsdale doubles the height and area allowed for on-premise commercial post-and-panel signs sitting behind a dedicated scenic corridor easement or against the Loop 101 Pima Freeway frontage road: 10 feet and 32 square feet instead of the standard 5 feet and 16 square feet, under Sec. 8.600..

Also covered: Window Signs (limited), Political Signs (permissive). See the full sign regulations guide for Scottsdale for details.

Accessory Structures

ADU Rules: Scottsdale allows up to two Accessory Dwelling Units on lots under an acre and three, including one Restricted-Affordable unit, on acre-plus lots. Sizes top out at 1,000 square feet or 75 percent of the main home, and the Zoning Administrator's approval decision on the required development application cannot be appealed..

Also covered: ADU Rental Restrictions (moderate), Garage Conversions (moderate), Shed & Carport Rules (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Scottsdale for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Scottsdale taxes hotel and lodging revenue at 1.70% of gross income under City Code § 444, plus an additional 5% transient lodging tax under § 447, for a combined 6.70% local rate. The Tax Collector, meaning the Financial Services General Manager, administers the tax and requires an annual transaction privilege tax license..

Animal Ordinances

Breed Restrictions: Scottsdale does not ban dogs by breed. Instead, § 4-31 of the Code of Ordinances defines a vicious animal as any carnivore that has a propensity to bite human beings without provocation, and that label only attaches after a hearing before a justice of the peace or city magistrate.

Also covered: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (moderate), Pet Limits (moderate), Dog Leash Laws (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Scottsdale for details.

Invasive Plant Rules

Prohibited Species: Scottsdale's Natural Area Open Space (NAOS) is otherwise kept in permanent natural condition, but Sec. 6.1100.B.5 permits removal of man-made dumping piles and specified invasive, non-indigenous plants and weeds within NAOS, subject to the City's specific approval before any clearing begins..

Home Business

Home Daycare: Scottsdale's Zoning Ordinance lets a resident run a small in-home day care by right: a 'Day care home' watching no more than four unrelated people needs no conditional use permit and shows up as a flat 'Permitted' use on the residential zoning tables. Cross the four-person line and the operation shifts into a different, more heavily regulated use category..

Also covered: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (moderate). See the full home business guide for Scottsdale for details.

Curfew Laws

Juvenile Curfew: Scottsdale bars minors under sixteen from public places away from home between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., and bars sixteen and seventeen year olds between midnight and 5:00 a.m.

Also covered: Park Curfew (moderate). See the full curfew laws guide for Scottsdale for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Bar & Nightclub Noise: Scottsdale Code § 19-26 makes it a civil offense for any business serving alcohol or hosting live entertainment to create unreasonable noise that disturbs a residential district containing dwellings. Noise measured at or above 68 dB(A) is presumed unreasonable.

Rental Property Rules

Repairs & Habitability: Scottsdale's building code requires every habitable room, bathroom and toilet room to have heating capable of holding at least 68°F. City Code § 31-23 sets that floor as the City's minimum interior-environment standard, based on Phoenix's 34°F winter design temperature, and bars space heaters or the oven from being used to meet it..

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Scottsdale designates its most significant historic resources as a Landmark under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.118.I, a status that can attach to a property already inside a Historic Property (HP) District or in conjunction with HP District designation.

Cannabis Regulations

Dispensary Zoning: Scottsdale has opted out of allowing recreational marijuana businesses. City Code § 25-4 prohibits the operation of any marijuana establishment in the City, with one narrow exception for a dual licensee that jointly operates a licensed nonprofit medical dispensary and a marijuana establishment at the same shared location..

Also covered: Home Cultivation (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Scottsdale for details.

Single-Use Items

Plastic Bag Rules: Scottsdale cannot enforce a plastic bag ban or fee. A.R.S.

Tree Protection

Parkway Planting: Scottsdale requires every public and private street contiguous to a development to be landscaped under an approved landscape plan, with street-side plantings following Arizona Department of Water Resources criteria. Zoning-district tables add specific street tree requirements, and trees generally must meet a 15-gallon minimum size under Sec.

Filming & Production

Location Permits: Scottsdale requires a city permit before any motion picture or television production uses a public street, alley, right-of-way, facility or place, reviewed by fire, police, risk management and traffic engineering staff, with denial possible for undue traffic congestion or public risk..

Outdoor Lighting

Light Trespass & Shielding: Scottsdale measures light trespass at the property line, six feet above grade, with the meter facing the lit property. Non-residential or multi-family light spilling onto single-family land is capped at 0.3 foot candles, and single-family-to-single-family spillover is capped at 0.1 foot candles under Sec.

Also covered: Dark Sky Rules (moderate). See the full outdoor lighting guide for Scottsdale for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Pool barriers in Scottsdale must comply with Arizona's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act (ARS §36-1681), which requires a minimum 5-foot barrier around all residential pools. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching from the pool side.

Also covered: Pool Permits (moderate). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Scottsdale for details.

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to Scottsdale, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with Scottsdale's city hall or code enforcement office.