Tempe, AZ Noise Ordinances: Barking Dogs (2026)
Barking dog rules in Tempe, 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 section
- Tempe City Code § 21-3(b)(19)
- Petition threshold
- 2 witnesses, separate households
- Waiver
- Available if evidence supports enforcement
- Enforcement
- Community Development, § 21-41 to § 21-43
- Max civil sanction
- $2,000/day per property
Summary
Tempe treats a dog's frequent or habitual howling, yelping or barking as a nuisance violation, but City Code § 21-3(b)(19) requires a signed petition from at least two witnesses in separate households before the City can act, unless other evidence already supports enforcement.
The keeping or harboring of any dog or other animal that by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, crowing or the making of other noises, annoys or disturbs a neighborhood or any number of persons; provided, that an action for a violation of this subsection shall not be initiated, unless a petition is received signed by at least two (2) witnesses in separate households with independent knowledge of the nuisance. The petition requirements may be waived if the circumstances and evidence otherwise support grounds for enforcement;
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
Section 21-3(b)(19) is one of Chapter 21's enumerated nuisance violations and covers "any dog or other animal" whose "frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, crowing or the making of other noises" annoys or disturbs a neighborhood or any number of people. Unlike most Chapter 21 violations, this one carries a built-in evidentiary gate: the City cannot initiate an action unless it first receives a petition signed by at least two witnesses from separate households who have independent knowledge of the nuisance, a threshold meant to screen out single-neighbor disputes.
The subsection does give Community Development an escape valve: the petition requirement "may be waived if the circumstances and evidence otherwise support grounds for enforcement," so an inspector who independently documents the barking, through direct observation or a sound log, can proceed without collecting two witness signatures. The provision sits inside the same "Other enumerated violations" list as commercial-vehicle parking and garage-sale limits, and once a valid complaint or waiver is in hand it is enforced through the same Article III process as any other Chapter 21 nuisance: a notice to comply under Section 21-43 for a first offense, followed by a citation if the barking continues past the compliance date.
Violations & Fines
A sustained barking-dog complaint is enforced as a civil sanction under Section 21-42, capped at $2,000 per day per property under the Council's fine schedule, plus a $50 default fee for a missed court date, or the City can pursue a Class 1 misdemeanor instead. Owners get a notice to comply first unless already classified as habitual offenders, and every day the noise continues after the deadline is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one neighbor's complaint get a barking dog cited in Tempe?
Does the rule cover animals besides dogs?
What's the penalty for a confirmed barking-dog nuisance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tempe
Compare Tempe to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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Barking Dogs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle barking dogs.