Tempe, AZ Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- No roadway blowing
- Can't blow debris into a public roadway
- Surface limit
- Only on stabilized surfaces (§13A-52(b))
- High pollution days
- No use at all during advisory (§13A-52(c))
- Enforcement split
- County under A.R.S. §49-457.01 plus city inspectors
- Correction window
- 10 working days after notice of violation
Summary
Tempe restricts leaf blowers under general code § 13A-52 rather than banning them outright: you can't blow debris into a public roadway, can't run a blower on unstabilized dirt or gravel, and can't operate one at all during a high pollution advisory for particulate matter, all enforced by county and city dust-control inspectors.
(a)No person may use a leaf blower to blow leaves, grass cuttings, other landscape debris, trash, soil or dust into a public roadway.(b)No person may operate a leaf blower except on surfaces that have been stabilized.(c)No person may operate a leaf blower during any high pollution advisory day forecast for particulate matter.(d)These restrictions are subject to enforcement by the county under A.R.S. § 49-457.01 and by the city's designated dust control inspectors in accordance with Section 13A-56 of this article.
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
Chapter 13A, Article III of the general code, the City's dust-control article, defines a 'leaf blower' in § 13A-51 as 'a device that generates a stream of air to move landscape debris' and folds it into the same PM-10 particulate-matter framework that governs unpaved lots and vehicle-use areas. Section 13A-52 sets three operating rules rather than a schedule of allowed hours: subsection (a) bars using a leaf blower to blow leaves, grass cuttings, other landscape debris, trash, soil, or dust into a public roadway, defined broadly enough to include roadways inside gated communities; subsection (b) limits operation to surfaces that have been 'stabilized,' meaning treated with asphalt, concrete, hardscape, brick, pavers, decomposed or crushed granite, gravel, grass, or another City-approved stabilization method; and subsection (c) bars operating a leaf blower at all during any high pollution advisory forecast for particulate matter.
01, and the City's own designated dust control inspectors operating under § 13A-56. § 49-513 in superior court for conduct likely to continue. The City can also recover its attorney's fees, court costs, and other enforcement expenses under § 13A-56(e).
Violations & Fines
Leaf blower violations are enforced under A.R.S. § 49-513 and by the City's own dust-control inspectors per § 13A-56. A written notice of violation gives the operator ten working days to submit a correction plan; an unresolved violation is deemed a public nuisance the City can abate at the owner's expense, and the county attorney can pursue court penalties for conduct likely to recur, with the City able to recover its attorney's fees and enforcement costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a leaf blower on gravel or dirt in Tempe?
Is there a curfew on leaf blowers in Tempe?
Who enforces Tempe's leaf blower rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tempe
How Tempe compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Tempe to another location·View the Arizona noise ordinances overview
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Leaf Blower Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle leaf blower rules.