Phoenix — Ch. 22 Art. VI Property Maintenance § 22-409
Inspection and registration of real property that is not subject to a mortgage in foreclosure
Operative Text
(a) Any owner of vacant property located within the village shall within ten days after the property becomes vacant, register the real property with the village registry. (b) Initial registration pursuant to this section shall contain at a minimum the name of the owner, the mailing address of the owner, e-mail address, and telephone number of the owner, and if applicable, the name and telephone number of the property manager and said person's address, e-mail address, and telephone number. (c) At the time of initial registration each registrant shall pay a non-refundable semi-annual registration fee of $500.00 for each vacant property. Subsequent semi-annual registrations of vacant properties and fees in the amount of $500.00 are due within ten days of the expiration of the previous registration. Said fees shall be used to offset the costs of: (1) registration and registration enforcement, (2) code enforcement and mitigation related to vacant properties, and (3) for any related purposes as may be adopted in the policy set forth in this chapter. Said fees shall be deposited to a special account in the village's department dedicated to the cost of implementation and enforcement of this division, and fulfilling the purpose and intent of this chapter. (d) If the property is sold or transferred, the new owner is subject to all the terms of this chapter. Within ten days of the transfer, the new owner shall register the vacant property or update the existing registration. The previous owner(s) will not be released from the responsibility of paying all previous unpaid fees, fines, and penalties accrued during that owner's involvement with the vacant property. (e) If the vacant property is not registered, or either the registration fee or the semi-annual registration fee is not paid within 30 days of when the registration or semi-annual registration is required pursuant to this section, a late fee shall be equivalent to ten percent of the semi-annual registration fee shall be charged for every 30-day period, or portion thereof, the property is not registered and shall be due and payable with the registration. This section shall apply to the initial registration and registrations required by subsequent owners of the vacant property. (f) Properties subject to this section shall remain subject to the semi-annual registration requirement, and the inspection, security, and maintenance standards of this section as long as the property is vacant. (g) Failure of the owner to properly register or to modify the registration to reflect a change of circumstances as required by this division is a violation of this chapter and shall be subject to enforcement by any of the enforcement means available to the village. (h) If any property is in violation of this chapter the village may take the necessary action to ensure compliance with and place a lien on the property for the cost of the outstanding obligation and any additional cost incurred to the property into compliance. (i) Properties registered as a result of this section are not required to be registered again pursuant to the foreclosure mortgage property section or rental property section.
Phoenix City Code Ch. 22 Art. VI § 22-409 establishes a registration and fee system for vacant properties that are not under a foreclosure mortgage. Under this rule, vacant properties must be registered with the city within ten days of becoming vacant, and owners must pay a non-refundable $500 semi-annual registration fee for each vacant property. If registration or payment is late by more than 30 days, a 10% late fee accrues for every 30-day period of non-compliance. When a property is sold, the new owner inherits registration obligations, while the prior owner remains liable for any unpaid fees or penalties accumulated during their ownership.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners operating under § 22-409 generally register each vacant property with the Phoenix village registry within ten days of vacancy, submitting owner contact information and, if applicable, property manager details. Compliant operators pay the $500 semi-annual registration fee on time and renew within ten days of each registration's expiration to avoid the 10% per-30-day late fee. When a property changes hands, diligent owners ensure the new owner updates the registration within ten days of transfer and address any outstanding fees before closing, since prior owners remain liable for unpaid obligations accrued during their period of ownership under § 22-409.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
While § 22-409 primarily governs owner obligations for vacant properties, tenants and neighbors in Phoenix may have an interest in knowing whether a nearby vacant property is properly registered and maintained under this provision. If a vacant property appears to be out of compliance—unregistered, unsecured, or poorly maintained—residents can report concerns to the city, which has authority under § 22-409 to pursue enforcement and place liens on non-compliant properties. Tenant-rights organizations and local housing advocacy groups can help individuals understand how vacant-property rules in Ch. 22 Art. VI interact with broader neighborhood safety and housing standards.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.