Phoenix, AZ zoning: where a drive-thru restaurant is allowed
Is a drive-thru allowed in Phoenix, AZ?
A drive-thru restaurant is allowed by right (no conditional use permit, special exception or rezoning) in these zoning districts: A-1, C-1, C-2, C-3.
It is not allowed in 19 districts: C-O, C-O/G-O, C-O/M-O, R1-6, R1-8, R1-10, R1-14, R1-18, R-2, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-4A, R-5, RE-24, RE-35, RE-43, RH, S-1.
23 districts are not confirmed yet.
Drive-thru restaurant rule by zoning district
| District | Drive-thru restaurant | What the code says | Section | Source | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 | By right | All other uses permitted in RE-24, R-3, R-4, R-5, C-1, C-2 and C-3 districts Drive-thru allowed as accessory to a restaurant if site access is from an arterial or collector street; needs a use permit if the queuing lane is less than 300 ft from a residential zoning line (inherited from C-1 to C-3) | 627.D.2 | phoenix.municipal.codes | 2026-11-11 |
| A-2 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| C-1 | By right | Securing a use permit if the queuing lane for the drive-through facility is less than 300 feet... Drive-thru allowed as accessory to a restaurant if site access is from an arterial or collector street; needs a use permit if the queuing lane is less than 300 ft from a residential zoning line | 622.D.150.e | phoenix.municipal.codes | 2026-11-11 |
| C-2 | By right | All non-residential uses permitted in the C-1 district; restaurant item 157, drive-through 157.d Drive-thru allowed as accessory to a restaurant if site access is from an arterial or collector street; needs a use permit if the queuing lane is less than 300 ft from a residential zoning line | 623.D.157.d | phoenix.municipal.codes | 2026-11-11 |
| C-3 | By right | All non-residential uses permitted in the C-2 district; drive-through 112.d Drive-thru allowed as accessory to a restaurant if site access is from an arterial or collector street; needs a use permit if the queuing lane is less than 300 ft from a residential zoning line | 624.D.112.d | phoenix.municipal.codes | 2026-11-11 |
| C-O | Not allowed | Restaurants only as an accessory use inside an office complex; shall not be a stand-alone building; drive-through not listed Rezoning needed | 621.B | phoenix.municipal.codes | 2026-11-11 |
| C-O/G-O | Not allowed | Restaurants only as an accessory use inside an office complex; shall not be a stand-alone building; drive-through not listed Rezoning needed | 621.B | phoenix.municipal.codes | 2026-11-11 |
| C-O/M-O | Not allowed | Restaurants only as an accessory use inside an office complex; shall not be a stand-alone building; drive-through not listed Rezoning needed | 621.B | phoenix.municipal.codes | 2026-11-11 |
| CP/BP | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| CP/GCP | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| DTC-BCORE | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| DTC-WARE | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| FH | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| GC | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| GCP | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| IND.PK. | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| MUA | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| P-1 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| P-2 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| PAD-10 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| PAD-14 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| PCD | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| PSC | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| PSCOD | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| PUD | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R1-6 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R1-8 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R1-10 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R1-14 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R1-18 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R-2 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R-3 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R-3A | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R-4 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R-4A | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R-5 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| R-O | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| RE-24 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| RE-35 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| RE-43 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| RH | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| RSC | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| S-1 | Not allowed | Residential district - restaurants are not a permitted use Rezoning needed | 2026-11-11 | ||
| S-2 | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| UR | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 | ||
| WU | Not confirmed | Not read closely enough to state a rule. | 2026-11-11 |
"By right" means permitted with site plan and building permit review only. Overlay districts, planned developments (PD/PUD) and conditions attached to a past rezoning can change the answer for a single parcel.
Official zoning map layer
To find the district for a parcel, query the jurisdiction's own GIS zoning layer: https://maps.phoenix.gov/pub/rest/services/Public/Fin_Landscape/MapServer/3 (district field: ZONING)
City of Phoenix zoning polygons (75 district values). PCD / PCD_NAME fields show planned community overlays.
Permit and impact fees
Worked out from the adopted fee schedules linked below for three sample buildings. "Not found" means the schedule did not give a figure, not that the fee is zero.
| One-time fee | 800 sf drive-thru coffee | 3,500 sf restaurant | 22,000 sf grocery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building permit and plan review | $9,647 | $18,966 | $50,658 |
| Impact / mobility fees | not found | not found | not found |
| Water and sewer impact / capacity | $15,969 | $34,813 | $46,470 |
| Tap and meter | $3,945 | $4,400 | $4,547 |
| Stormwater (one time) | not found | not found | not found |
| State road driveway permit | not found | not found | not found |
| Total found so far | $29,561 | $58,179 | $101,675 |
State road access: ADOT encroachment permit only on state routes: no fee found in A.A.C. R17-3; 30-day completeness review, 45-90 days total (assumed). City streets need a Phoenix ROW/driveway permit instead.
Assumptions: Infill (Balance of City) assumed. Sites in growth impact fee areas (Northwest, Deer Valley, Northeast, Paradise Ridge, Estrella, Laveen, Ahwatukee) pay much more: fire, police, parks, arterials, storm drainage, water transmission, wastewater collection. Trade permits not included.
Fee schedules: phoenix.gov · web-prod.phoenix.gov · phoenix.gov
Sources
How to confirm before you buy
- Look up the parcel on the official zoning map to get its district and any overlay.
- Open the code section linked in the table and read the use table and the drive-thru standards.
- Call the planning office and ask whether a drive-thru restaurant needs anything beyond site plan review at that address.
Why this library exists
I'm Luke Smith. I find land for drive-thru brands like 7 Brew, Ellianos Coffee and Starbucks, sign the tenant, build the shop and sell it as a net lease property. Every deal starts with the same question: is the use allowed here without a rezoning? Getting that answer takes too long, so we read the codes (with AI research help), and I publish what we find with a link back to every source so you can check it yourself.
If you have a site that fits a drive-thru, or you want to learn how these deals are put together, join the free Reverse Deal Finder community on Skool, see cap rates and land prices by brand, or call 1-760-392-1525. Brokers welcome: I pay commissions.