In Maricopa County the permit to rent portable toilets belongs to the business that rents them, not to the renter. State rules license hauler vehicles of 750 gallons or more, and organizers of events with food register with County Environmental Services 30 days ahead. City permits are a separate question.
Key takeaways
- Under the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code, no person may provide portable chemical toilets or restroom units for rent or hire without a valid county permit, and fees depend on the number of toilets.
- Arizona's environmental quality agency licenses vehicles of 750 gallons or more that haul waste from chemical toilets, one licence per vehicle, valid one year, applied for online.
- An event where food is sold or given away must be registered with Maricopa County Environmental Services, requested 30 days before, and the application asks how many toilets there will be.
- Toilets at a food event must be 25 feet from food vendors, and temporary handwash set-ups have their own list of parts.
- City rules for street closures, parks and large events are separate from county and state rules, and we have not confirmed them for individual Valley cities.
Does a renter need a permit to rent a portable toilet?
Generally the county permit is held by the business that provides toilets for rent, not by the person renting them. The renter's responsibilities are different: event registrations, city permits and venue approvals where they apply. Ask the provider what it holds and ask the permit offices what you need.
The Maricopa County Environmental Health Code, Chapter 2 Section 6, says no person may provide for rent or hire, or install, portable chemical toilets, portable restroom units, portable waste holding tanks or underground sewage vaults without a valid permit. Permit fees depend on the number of toilets, and the fee schedule sits in Chapter I.
The copy we found is dated November 30, 2011, so it may have been amended. We have not confirmed current fee amounts and print none. For the renter, the point is simple: use a provider that works under the permits that apply, and ask it what it holds.
If you are unsure whether your event needs anything at all, call the county and describe it. A short conversation up front is much cheaper than a rejected registration a week before the date, and it gives you a name to refer to later.
What does Arizona ask of the trucks that haul the waste?
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality requires a septage hauler licence for a vehicle that stores, collects, transports or disposes of sewage or human waste from septic tanks, privies, sewage vaults or fixed or transportable chemical toilets. It applies to vehicles of 750 gallons or more.
The vehicle needs a leak-proof, fly-tight container. There is one licence per vehicle, it is not transferable, it is valid for one year, and it is applied for online through MyDEQ. An older fee schedule showed an initial fee and an annual fee, but it was a legacy page, so we do not print amounts.
Haulers must also dispose of waste at an approved facility. We do not name any facility, and we have not confirmed which ones Phoenix-area haulers use. ADEQ is the place to check the rules and any citation.
What does an event with food have to register?
Events where food is sold or given away must be registered with Maricopa County Environmental Services, requested 30 days before the event. The application asks the number of restrooms or portable toilets. Annual-event vendors email the department at least 7 days before each event.
The county's special event guidance also asks that toilets be 25 feet from food vendors, and it describes a temporary handwash set-up: an insulated potable water container of at least 5 gallons, a wastewater catch basin at least 15 percent larger, soap, paper towels, a free-flow spigot and warm water of about 100 F.
Two versions of the annual-event guidelines were in circulation when we looked, so we do not quote revision details. Ask the county for the current version. The registration is the organizer's task; the provider supplies the units and can give you the number of toilets and stations for the form.
Which permits sit with the city?
City rules cover street closures, park use, noise and large public events. We have not confirmed Phoenix's portable-toilet ratio or sanitation rules, or those of Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria, Avondale or Paradise Valley. Ask the city's special events office.
Phoenix's Fire Department has a public-assembly permit for some large outdoor events, and the thresholds depend on projected attendance and on fencing or barricades. We have not confirmed the current terms, so ask the city.
Keep a short list of the offices you contacted, the dates and what each said. If a rule turns out to be different from what you understood, the record shows that you asked.
| Question | Who decides | What to bring |
|---|---|---|
| Can a business rent portable toilets in the county? | Maricopa County Environmental Health | The provider's permit details |
| Do the trucks need a licence? | Arizona Department of Environmental Quality | The vehicle details, from the provider |
| Does my food event need registering? | Maricopa County Environmental Services | Event dates, vendors, number of toilets and stations |
| Can I close the street or use the park? | The city or the park operator | Dates, route, crowd and a site plan |
| Does my venue allow units? | The venue or lot owner | A layout from the provider |
What can an organizer do in practice?
Start the county registration first if food is involved, ask the city what applies, tell the provider the dates and the site, and keep the paperwork together. Do not promise attendees toilets until the venue or park has agreed to the units.
The line that connects you with a provider does not file permits and does not guarantee approvals. It passes your details on, and the provider quotes. Treat the agencies as the source for rules.
- Ask the county whether your event needs registering, and when
- Ask the city and the venue about closures, parks and units
- Tell the provider the number of toilets and stations you will list
- Keep copies of every approval with the written quote
- Allow time: the county asks for 30 days on food events
What do school and church groups, construction sites and private jobs need to know?
Small private events with no food sales usually have the fewest steps, but street closures, park use and large crowds bring city rules, and the county registration applies when food is sold or given away. Construction sites follow the county ratio of one toilet per 20 people. Ask the county and the city early.
A school carnival in a parking lot, a church festival and a neighborhood block party are all events where good intentions meet paperwork late. The usual mistakes are starting the county registration too close to the date and promising attendees services that the lot owner has not approved.
Write down what you plan to do: the date, the hours, the place, the crowd, whether food is served and how many toilets and handwash stations you expect. That one page answers most of the questions an office asks, and it is what a provider needs for a quote.
The provider holds the permit to rent the units, as above. The contractor is responsible for how many are on site and where. See the construction site guide.
On private property, check homeowner association rules before you order. A unit visible from the street can draw a complaint even where it is allowed.
How do I check that a provider is working under the right rules?
Ask. A provider can tell you what permits and licences apply to its business and its trucks, and the county and ADEQ can tell you what the rules are. Treat a provider that cannot or will not answer as a reason for a second quote.
The line cannot answer these on a provider's behalf. It passes your questions on, and the provider answers for itself.
- Does the business hold the county permit to rent portable toilets?
- Are its hauler vehicles licensed for the waste they carry?
- Where does it take the waste?
- Can it supply the number of toilets and stations for an event form?
- Will it put the answers in writing?
What does a sensible timeline look like for a food event?
Start with the county, since registration is requested 30 days before a food event. Ask the city about closures and the venue about units in the same week. Book the provider as soon as the date and site are firm. Providers fill up on peak weekends.
The first row is a suggestion. The second and fourth come from the county's guidance, which has been revised, so confirm the current wording with the county.
| When | Step | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Ten to twelve weeks out | Confirm the date, the site and the rough crowd; ask the city and the venue what they require | Organizer |
| At least 30 days before | Request county registration for food; state the number of toilets and stations | Organizer, with the provider's numbers |
| A few weeks out | Confirm units, accessible units, handwash stations and servicing in writing | Organizer and provider |
| At least 7 days before (annual-event vendors) | Annual-event vendors email the department | Vendor |
| Day before | Walk the site; confirm the placement and the truck route | Organizer and provider |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a county permit to rent one portable toilet for a party?
The permit in the code is held by the business that rents toilets, not the person who rents them. Whether your party needs anything else depends on where it is and whether food is sold.
How far ahead must I register an event with food?
The county asks for the request 30 days before the event, and annual-event vendors email the department at least 7 days before each event. Confirm with the county.
Are there fees?
There are county permit fees and possibly city and event fees. We have not confirmed current amounts and print none.
Does the line hold any permits?
Phoenix Porta Potty Rental is a call line and does not rent toilets. The provider that does is the one to ask about its permits.
Where do I check the rules?
With Maricopa County Environmental Health and Environmental Services, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and your city's special events office.
Sources
- Maricopa County Environmental Health Code, Chapter 2 Section 6 – Chemical Toilets, Portable Restroom Units, Portable Waste Holding Tanks (PDF)
- Wikipedia – Maricopa County, Arizona
This guide is general information for Maricopa County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.