Coconino County, AZ Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Coconino County, AZ, also called nuisance dog, dog noise, or excessive barking ordinances, define when a barking dog becomes a code violation and how complaints are handled.
Key Facts
- Governing law
- A.R.S. § 13-2904 (Disorderly Conduct)
- Unreasonable noise
- class 1 misdemeanor (subsection B)
- County ordinance
- no barking-dog-specific rule found
- Zoning code scope
- commercial kennels only (§3.16.C.2)
- Enforcing agency
- Coconino County Sheriff's Office
Summary
Coconino County has no separate barking-dog ordinance; persistent animal noise is handled under Arizona's disorderly conduct statute, A.R.S. § 13-2904, which criminalizes 'unreasonable noise' made to disturb the peace of a neighborhood, family or person. A conviction is a class 1 misdemeanor, enforced countywide by the Sheriff's Office.
A. A person commits disorderly conduct if, with intent to disturb the peace or quiet of a neighborhood, family or person, or with knowledge of doing so, such person: 1. Engages in fighting, violent or seriously disruptive behavior; or 2. Makes unreasonable noise; or 3. Uses abusive or offensive language or gestures to any person present in a manner likely to provoke immediate physical retaliation by such person... B. Disorderly conduct under subsection A, paragraph 6 is a class 6 felony. Disorderly conduct under subsection A, paragraph 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 is a class 1 misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
§ 13-2904(A) provides that 'a person commits disorderly conduct if, with intent to disturb the peace or quiet of a neighborhood, family or person, or with knowledge of doing so,' the person 'makes unreasonable noise' (paragraph 2), among five other listed acts: fighting or seriously disruptive behavior (paragraph 1), abusive language likely to provoke retaliation (paragraph 3), disrupting a lawful meeting (paragraph 4), refusing a lawful dispersal order near an emergency (paragraph 5), or recklessly handling a deadly weapon (paragraph 6). 2), which is a permitting standard for a business, not a remedy for an ordinary resident's noisy pet.
Subsection B classifies the offense: conduct under paragraphs 1 through 5, including unreasonable noise, is a class 1 misdemeanor, while reckless use of a deadly weapon under paragraph 6 is a class 6 felony. Because this is a state criminal statute rather than a civil county nuisance code, a complaint about a persistently barking dog is referred to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office for investigation and, if warranted, a criminal citation rather than to county code enforcement or animal control alone.
Violations & Fines
Unreasonable noise under A.R.S. § 13-2904(A)(2) is classified as a class 1 misdemeanor under subsection B, the same classification as fighting, abusive language, or disrupting a lawful meeting under paragraphs 1, 3, 4 and 5. Only reckless use of a deadly weapon under paragraph 6 is elevated to a class 6 felony. Because this is a state criminal statute, any citation or arrest runs through the Coconino County Sheriff's Office and the county or justice court, not through a civil zoning process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Coconino County ordinance specifically about barking dogs?
What happens if my neighbor reports my dog for barking?
Does the disorderly conduct law only cover barking dogs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coconino County
Compare Coconino County to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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