Building Setbacks & Zoning in Tempe, AZ (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Tempe, Arizona, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Tempe's Table 4-202A sets minimum front, side and rear yard setbacks for every agricultural and single-family district. Front building setbacks run from 40 feet in the AG district down to 15 feet in R1-PAD, side setbacks shrink from 20 feet to as little as 5 feet, and rear setbacks range from 35 feet to 15 feet, with a use permit able to reduce any of them by 20%.
Tempe Residential Yard Setback Minimums
Some RestrictionsTempe Zoning and Development Code § 4-202, Table 4-202A
Setback (feet) (c): [Exceptions, see Section 4-205(B)]. Front - Building: 40 ft, 35 ft, 30 ft, 20 ft, 20 ft, 20 ft, 20 ft, 15 ft except 20 ft for garage, NS, 20%. Side (f): 20 ft, 15 ft, 10 ft, 7 ft, 7 ft, 5 ft (d), 5 ft (d), 5 ft (a)(d), NS, 20%. Rear (f): 35 ft, 30 ft, 25 ft, 20 ft, 15 ft, 15 ft, 15 ft, 15 ft, NS, 20%. (b) Street side yard setback for corner lots adjacent to keylots shall be ...
Structure Height Limits
Tempe caps single-family and agricultural building height at 30 feet across the AG, R1-15, R1-10, R1-8, R1-7, R1-6 and R1-5 districts, rising to 35 feet in R1-4, under Table 4-202A of Section 4-202. A use permit can add another 10% on top of the table figure, and Section 4-205(A) lists specific exceptions to the flat cap.
Tempe Residential Building Height Limits
Some RestrictionsTempe Zoning and Development Code § 4-202, Table 4-202A
Table 4-202A - Development Standards in Agricultural and Single-Family Districts(1). Standard AG R1-15 R1-10 R1-8 R1-7 R1-6 R1-5 R1-4 R1-PAD Use Permit Standard. Maximum Height (feet) (E) [Exceptions, see Section 4-205(A)] 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 30 ft 35 ft NS 10%. NS = No Standard.
Lot Coverage Limits
Tempe caps how much of a single-family or agricultural lot a building can cover under Table 4-202A of Section 4-202. The AG district holds development to 25% of net site area, while every R1 district from R1-15 down to R1-6 allows up to 45% lot coverage; a use permit can raise that cap by another 10 percentage points, per the table's Use Permit Standard column.
Tempe Residential Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsTempe Zoning and Development Code § 4-202, Table 4-202A
Table 4-202A - Development Standards in Agricultural and Single-Family Districts(1). Standard AG R1-15 R1-10 R1-8 R1-7 R1-6 R1-5 R1-4 R1-PAD Use Permit Standard. Maximum Lot Coverage (% of net site area) 25% 45% 45% 45% 45% 45% NS NS NS 10%. NS = No Standard.
Looking for Maricopa County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tempe city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Maricopa County →