Mesa, AZ Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback, RS-90 to RS-15
- 22 ft (livable area)
- Front setback, RS-7/RS-6
- 10 ft (livable area)
- Interior side, RS-90
- 20 ft each / 40 ft aggregate
- Rear setback (arterial-abutting)
- 30 ft minimum, all RS districts
- Governing table
- Table 11-5-3.A.1, § 11-5-3(A)
Summary
Mesa's residential zoning code fixes minimum front, side, and rear setbacks by district and by lot size, tightening as lots shrink. Table 11-5-3.A.1 requires a 22-foot front setback for livable space in RS-90 through RS-15, dropping to 10 feet in RS-7 and RS-6, with garages set back even further at 20-30 feet under Title 11, Chapter 5, § 11-5-3(A).
Minimum Setbacks (ft.) for RS-90, RS-43, RS-35, RS-15, RS-9, RS-7, RS-6: Front: Enclosed Livable Areas, Porches, Side Entry Garages, and Porte Cocheres 22 22 22 22 15 10 10. Front and Street-Facing Side: Garages and Carports 30 30 30 30 25 20 20. Interior Side: Minimum either side 20 10 10 7 7 5 5. Interior Side: Minimum Aggregate of 2 sides 40 30 30 20 17 15 15. Street-Facing Side 30 20 10 10 10 10 10. Rear 30 30 30 30 25 20 20. Rear: Abutting Arterial Street 30 30 30 30 30 30 30.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 22).
Full Breakdown
1. Front setbacks for enclosed livable areas, porches, side-entry garages, and porte cocheres run 22 feet in RS-90, RS-43, RS-35, and RS-15, dropping to 15 feet in RS-9 and 10 feet in RS-7 and RS-6; garages and carports facing the street need an extra buffer, 30 feet in the larger districts down to 20 feet in RS-7/RS-6. Interior side setbacks range from a 20-foot minimum (40-foot aggregate of both sides) in RS-90 down to 5 feet (15-foot aggregate) in RS-7 and RS-6, and street-facing side yards run from 30 feet in RS-90 to 10 feet in RS-15 through RS-6.
Rear yards are a flat 30 feet in RS-90 through RS-15, 25 feet in RS-9, and 20 feet in RS-7 and RS-6: except a rear yard abutting an arterial street, which must be at least 30 feet in every RS district regardless of the base rear setback. The Ordinance also allows limited encroachments into these setbacks: eaves and overhangs up to 3 feet, staircases up to 3 feet into a front yard and 10 feet into a rear yard, and open porches or patios up to 10 feet into a rear setback, but no closer than 15 feet to the rear line (10 feet in RS-6/RS-7).
Violations & Fines
Building inside a required front, side, or rear setback without qualifying for one of § 11-5-3(A)'s listed encroachment allowances is a zoning violation Mesa's Planning Division can flag at permit review or after inspection; correcting it means removing or relocating the encroaching structure or applying for a variance through the Board of Adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum front setback for a house in Mesa's RS-6 zoning district?
Do rear yards next to an arterial street have different setback rules in Mesa?
Can a covered patio or porch extend into Mesa's required rear setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mesa
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