Phoenix, AZ Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code Sec. 39-7
- Trigger for securing lot
- More than one dumping incident
- Securing methods
- Fencing, ditch/berm, or 4-ft posts
- Minimum first-violation fine
- $100
- Enforcement
- Phoenix Code Enforcement / Municipal Court
Summary
Phoenix requires every vacant lot to stay free of debris, blight and dumping, and lots hit by repeat dumping must be fenced or secured.
E. Dumping. Vacant lots or lands which have been subject to dumping on more than one occasion shall be secured to prevent future occurrences of dumping. Methods of securing vacant lots or lands may include the following: permanent fencing; ditch and berm; placing four-foot-high posts at four-foot intervals; and other equally effective methods. Signs stating "no dumping" shall be erected in accordance with applicable laws on vacant lots or lands which have been subject to dumping on more than one occasion.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. 39-7 covers all land in Phoenix, vacant or improved. Subsection A bars accumulations of garbage, debris, inoperable vehicles, discarded appliances, furniture, scrap metal and similar blight on any lot. Subsection E specifically targets vacant lots: once a vacant lot has been dumped on more than once, the owner must secure it with permanent fencing, a ditch-and-berm, four-foot posts at four-foot intervals, or an equally effective method, and post "no dumping" signs. Code Enforcement inspects and cites owners under Sec. 39-16.
Violations & Fines
Civil sanction of $100-$2,500 per violation; a second violation within 36 months carries a minimum $250 sanction, a third minimum $500. Each day of noncompliance is a separate violation, and the City may also pursue a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to fence a vacant lot in Phoenix even if nothing has happened yet?
What counts as blight on a vacant lot under Phoenix's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
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