Phoenix, AZ Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Phoenix City Code § 36-128
- First offense
- Civil traffic offense
- Repeat offense
- Class 1 misdemeanor
- Crossing rule
- Shortest route, right angles to curb
- Median/lane stops
- Barred except waiting to cross
Summary
Outside a crosswalk, Phoenix pedestrians must cross by the shortest route straight across the roadway, not diagonally. A first violation is a civil offense; repeat violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor.
A. Except in a crosswalk, no pedestrian shall cross a roadway at any place other than by a route at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb. A pedestrian shall not cross a roadway where prohibited by appropriate signs, markings, devices or by law. ... C. The first violation of this section is a civil traffic offense and a second and all subsequent violations of this section are a Class 1 misdemeanor.
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
Phoenix City Code § 36-128 requires pedestrians crossing outside a marked crosswalk to take a route at right angles to the curb or the shortest path to the opposite curb, no diagonal jaywalking, and bars crossing anywhere signs, markings, or other law prohibit it. The same section bars pedestrians from stopping or lingering in a traffic lane, painted median, or raised island, except while waiting for a gap in traffic or a pedestrian signal. Enforcement escalates: a first violation is treated as a civil traffic offense, while a second or any later violation becomes a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
First offense: civil traffic citation. Second and later offenses: Class 1 misdemeanor, Arizona's top misdemeanor class, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is jaywalking illegal in Phoenix?
Can I stand in a median while crossing a busy Phoenix street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
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Jaywalking in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle jaywalking.