Tempe, AZ Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Vending Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 24-29
- Arterial streets
- Vehicle sales banned outright
- Downtown core
- Farmer/College/University/Town Lake block banned
- Parks/city property
- Banned except by competitive bid
- Parking limit
- 4 hours per 8-hour period, same spot
- School buffer
- 500 feet, half hour before/after school
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under Sec. 1-7
Summary
Tempe bans mobile food vending from vehicles on arterial streets and inside the downtown core bounded by Farmer, College, University and Tempe Town Lake, and bars sales in public parks or on city property except through a City-run bid process, per Sec. 24-29 of the City Code.
(a)It shall be unlawful to sell any type of tangible personal property from a vehicle upon any arterial street as defined by ordinance, and it shall be unlawful to sell any type of tangible personal property from a vehicle upon any street within an area bounded by, and including, the streets of Farmer Avenue on the west, College Avenue on the east, University Drive on the south, and Tempe Town Lake on the north, unless otherwise authorized by a special event permit. ... (f)No person shall sell any tangible personal property, including, but not limited to, food or drink, from any vehicle, stand or other movable or temporary contrivance on or within public parks, city property or the public right of way. Provided, however, that the City Council may authorize the calling of competitive bids to provide food sales in one (1) or more public parks or on city property and may grant use of space to one (1) or more persons submitting the best bids.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Code: Supplement 33 Update 4 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 11 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 24, Article II, Division 2 (mobile merchants) draws Tempe's vending map in Sec. 24-29, Prohibited Activities. Subsection (a) bars selling any tangible personal property from a vehicle on any arterial street, and separately bars vehicle sales on any street inside the downtown block bounded by Farmer Avenue on the west, College Avenue on the east, University Drive on the south and Tempe Town Lake on the north, unless the vendor holds a special event permit for that specific activity. Subsection (f) closes public parks, city property and the public right-of-way to sales from any vehicle, stand or movable contrivance, including food and drink, unless the City Council calls competitive bids and awards space to the winning bidder, or the Financial Services Director, on the Community Services Director's recommendation, authorizes a mobile merchant to sell in a park without a permanent concession facility at the request of a private group hosting an event there.
Even where vending is allowed, subsection (d) prohibits a mobile merchant from claiming an exclusive right to any street location and caps a vendor's stay at four hours within any eight-hour period within five hundred feet of the same spot. windows.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Sec. 24-29's location, timing or noise restrictions is a misdemeanor punishable under Sec. 1-7 of the Tempe City Code, per subsection (h). The Financial Services Director can also revoke a mobile merchant permit for a violation of this article under Sec. 24-28, ending the vendor's authorization to operate anywhere in the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a food truck park on an arterial street in Tempe?
Is mobile food vending allowed in downtown Tempe?
Can a food truck sell in a Tempe city park?
How long can a mobile vendor stay at one spot in Tempe?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tempe
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