Scottsdale, AZ Parking Rules: Overnight Parking (2026)
Key Facts
- Storage time limit
- 72 consecutive hours
- First notice period
- 3 days to move vehicle
- Tow/impound trigger
- 6 days after notice posted
- Base penalty fee
- $15.00 ($30.00 if late)
- Covers
- vehicles, trailers, ATVs, watercraft
Summary
Scottsdale Code Section 17-129 bars storing any vehicle, trailer, or watercraft on a street, highway or other public property for more than 72 consecutive hours, and lets police tag and eventually tow a stored vehicle after a two-stage written notice.
Store means to park a vehicle for more than seventy-two (72) consecutive hours. ... Vehicle means any device in, upon or by which a person or property is or may be transported or drawn, including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer of a type subject to registration under title 28 of Arizona Revised Statutes, sections 28-101 et seq.; an off-road vehicle; an all-terrain vehicle; an off-road motorcycle; and watercraft of any kind. ... No person shall store a vehicle upon any street, highway, road, other public thoroughfare or other public property. This subsection shall not apply to vehicles owned by the city that are parked or stored on public property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Section 17-129, "Use of streets or public property for vehicle and trailer storage prohibited," defines "store" as parking a vehicle for more than seventy-two consecutive hours, and defines "vehicle" broadly to include a motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer registered under Arizona Title 28, an off-road vehicle, an all-terrain vehicle, an off-road motorcycle, and watercraft of any kind. No person may store such a vehicle upon any street, highway, road, other public thoroughfare, or other public property; the prohibition doesn't reach city-owned vehicles parked or stored on public property.
When a police officer or police aide has reasonable grounds to believe a vehicle has been stored past the 72-hour mark, the officer posts a written notice on the vehicle stating that it will be in violation if not moved within three days, and will be removed and impounded if not moved within six days. Within 48 hours after any removal, the police department must mail the registered owner notice of the reason, location, and recovery information, and advise of the right to a hearing requested in writing within 10 business days, held within 48 hours of the request, excluding weekends and holidays, by an officer who did not order the tow; if the city can't show reasonable grounds for removal, it covers the towing and storage cost.
The last registered owner is presumed responsible for the unlawful storage, a presumption rebuttable with proof the vehicle was reported stolen or its title had been transferred before the violation.
Violations & Fines
Storing a vehicle on a Scottsdale street or public property beyond 72 hours under Section 17-129(b) is a civil traffic offense subject to a civil sanction under Section 17-103, starting with a $15.00 base penalty fee that rises to $30.00 if unpaid or uncontested within 30 days. Continued nonpayment can result in towing, impoundment, and a summons to city court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I leave my car parked on a Scottsdale street without moving it?
What warning do I get before my stored vehicle is towed?
Can I get towing costs waived if my vehicle was wrongly impounded?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
How Scottsdale compares: Cities with the Strictest Overnight Parking Rules·Compare Scottsdale to another location·View the Arizona parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Overnight Parking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle overnight parking.