Tempe, AZ Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)

Section 21-4(a)(4), part of the "Other enumerated violations" list in the general Tempe City Code, sets the rules for garage sales city-wide. It is unlawful to conduct garage sales from any property "in excess of five (5) days in any six (6) month period," so a household gets a five-day allotment every six months rather than five days per calendar sale. m. A third clause targets resale operations disguised as garage sales: selling "property acquired for resale and not for personal use in any residential district at any time" is banned outright, with no day or hour exception, closing off using the garage-sale allowance to run an ongoing retail business out of a home.

Chapter 21's definitions section, Section 21-1, defines "garage sale" broadly to include yard sales, carport sales or similar sales of used or secondhand personal property customarily found in and about the residence, which is the category the five-day and hours limits apply to; property bought specifically to resell falls outside that definition and is barred entirely in residential districts. Community Development enforces the limit the same way as other Section 21-4 violations, through a notice to comply followed by a citation if the sale continues past the allotted days or hours.