Tempe's Sign Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles sign regulations a little differently. In Tempe, Arizona, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Digital Billboards

Tempe prohibits freestanding changeable-copy signs and flashing, animated, or intermittently illuminated signs citywide, except for the narrow list of permitted sign types spelled out in the sign code's table of permitted signs.

Key details: Freestanding changeable-copy signs: banned except Types C, E, F, I. Flashing/animated illumination: banned except Types C, F. Type F changeable-copy sign area: 24-40 sq ft depending on lot size. Unauthorized sign removal hold: 30 days before disposal. Enforcing department: Community Development Department.

A freestanding digital or changeable-copy sign installed outside Sign Types C, E, F, or I is a prohibited sign under Section 4-902(B)(5) and is treated as an unauthorized sign under Section 4-902(C). City staff can remove it, hold it 30 days with notice to the identified business, and dispose of it if unclaimed.

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.

Freeway-Facing Signs

Tempe only allows a freeway-facing freestanding sign, Sign Type E, on parcels within 300 feet of freeway right-of-way and at least 500 feet from any single-family use, and only under a City Council development agreement that sets its size and design.

Key details: Freeway right-of-way distance: within 300 feet. Distance from single-family use: at least 500 feet. Size/height limit: set by Council development agreement, no fixed cap. Tradeoff required: remove a 600+ sq ft nonconforming Type D sign. Additional permit needed: structural permit.

Installing a freestanding freeway-facing sign without an approved City Council development agreement, or without retiring the required 600-square-foot legal non-conforming Type D sign elsewhere in the city, does not meet Section 4-903's Type E requirements and cannot be permitted. Erecting one anyway exposes the structure to removal as an unauthorized sign under Section 4-902(C).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Tempe actively enforces its freeway-facing signs requirements.

Window Signs

Tempe caps window signs, Sign Type M, at 25% of a window's total area in commercial, industrial, and mixed-use districts, requires no permit, but bars placement above the ground floor without Development Plan approval.

Key details: Window sign area cap: 25% of window's total area. Permit required: no. Above ground floor placement: needs Development Plan approval. Glass doors: count as windows. Illumination: not permitted (temporary sign type).

A window sign covering more than 25% of the window area, placed above the ground floor without Development Plan approval, or illuminated in violation of the temporary-sign lighting ban, does not meet Sign Type M's standards under Table 4-903B. The Community Development Department can require the sign reduced, relocated, or de-illuminated, and a non-compliant sign can be treated as unauthorized under Section 4-902(C).

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Tempe gives residents more flexibility on window signs.

Political Signs

Arizona law (ARS 16-1019) protects the right to display political signs on residential property. Tempe cannot prohibit political signs on private property within reasonable size limits. Signs may generally be placed 60 days before an election and must be removed 15 days after. HOAs cannot prohibit political signs within the statutory time period.

Key details: State Law: ARS 16-1019 protects political sign rights. Display Period: 71 days before primary through 15 days after general. Size: Reasonable size limits, typically 4x4 ft residential. HOA: ARS 33-1808 prevents HOA bans during display period. Public Property: Prohibited on public land, right-of-way, utility poles.

Signs on public property may be removed. Signs remaining beyond the 15-day post-election deadline may be cited.

The rules around political signs in Tempe lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Tempe's sign regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Tempe is broadly strict or permissive.

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.