on September 10, 2026

Arizona Dog Poop Laws

Quick answer: Arizona has no statewide pooper scooper law. Picking up after your dog is regulated city by city, and all three of the largest cities we checked have an ordinance requiring it. None of them uses a set ticket amount. Fines are set by a judge within a range the code allows.

Why Arizona leaves it to cities

Arizona has no statewide law requiring people to pick up after their dogs. The relevant state statute, A.R.S. § 11-1012, deals with control rather than cleanup: it bars female dogs in heat and vicious dogs from running at large, requires confinement or a leash of no more than six feet in a declared rabies quarantine area, and prohibits dogs in public parks or on public school property unless leashed or otherwise restrained. Pick-up rules are written by each city. The three largest cities enforce them through civil sanctions or misdemeanor fines set in their own codes.

  • Dogs not permitted at large; leash in public parks and on school property; rabies quarantine confinement: A.R.S. § 11-1012 (read it)

Pooper scooper laws in Arizona's largest cities

Each row comes from the city's own municipal code. "Up to" is the most a court can impose, not a standard ticket. Where a city publishes no amount, we say so rather than estimate one.

City Ordinance Fine Must carry a bag
Phoenix Phoenix City Code § 27-12(D), Animal waste (penalty under § 27-35) $100 to $2,500 No
Tucson Tucson Code § 4-102, Dog waste removal; exceptions (penalty under § 4-73) $50 to $750 No
Mesa Mesa City Code § 8-6-30, Fecal Matter (penalty under §§ 8-6-35 and 8-6-9) $250 to $1,500 No

The rule people miss: carrying the bag

None of the cities we checked in Arizona spell out a separate duty to carry a bag, but the pickup duty applies the moment your dog goes, and "I did not have a bag" is not a defense in any of them.

A bag holder on the leash solves that for good. Ours is the Walk Dispenser, which clips on and holds a full roll.

Worth knowing about Arizona

  • Mesa has one of the highest minimum pick-up penalties we have found: a first civil finding costs at least $250 (up to $1,500), rising to $350 to $2,500 for a second finding within three years. A fourth violation within 36 months becomes a criminal misdemeanor with a $500 mandatory minimum fine.
  • Phoenix puts its pick-up rule in the Solid Waste chapter (§ 27-12), not the animal chapter, so it carries the same civil sanction as other solid waste violations: $100 to $2,500 per violation, with each day counting separately.
  • Tucson sets a $50 mandatory minimum fine that a judge cannot suspend, with a ceiling of $750.
  • Tucson and Mesa write their disability exemptions around the handler rather than the dog: Tucson exempts blind people and people with mobility disabilities, and Mesa exempts disabled people who cannot comply because of their disability. Phoenix has no exemption at all.

Common questions

Is it illegal to not pick up dog poop in Arizona?

There is no statewide law, but every one of the largest cities we checked has a pickup rule, and most smaller towns have similar ordinances. Check your own city or county code.

How much is the fine for not picking up dog poop in Arizona?

It depends on the city. Phoenix: $100 to $2,500. Tucson: $50 to $750. Mesa: $250 to $1,500.

Do I have to carry a poop bag in Arizona?

Not as a separate rule in the cities we checked. You still have to pick up, so in practice you need one.

Are service dog handlers exempt?

In Tucson and Mesa, the ordinance exempts handlers who have a disability and cannot physically pick up. The exemption covers the handler, not the dog.

Other states in the West

California · Washington · Colorado · Oregon · Utah · Nevada · New Mexico · Idaho

See all 50 states · How scoop laws work in general

Sources

Checked 2026-09-10. Ordinances change, so if you are dealing with an actual citation, read the current code at the link rather than relying on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice.