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Driving in Arizona
The rules foreign visitors most often get wrong — with the official source for every fact. Always verify directly before you drive.
Arizona's rental geography is dominated by Phoenix (Sky Harbor airport) and the Grand Canyon corridor. Most visitors fly into Phoenix or Las Vegas and drive a circuit: Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley (which extends into Utah), Page (Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend). I-17 carries Phoenix to Flagstaff; I-40 carries east–west across the northern third (the modern alignment of the historic Route 66).
Arizona's defining driving constraint is summer heat. June–August temperatures in Phoenix routinely exceed 45°C; tyre pressure rises significantly, asphalt softens, and rental cars are often run hard by previous renters in summer. Always check tyre pressure before long summer drives.
The statewide handheld-phone ban took effect January 2021. Arizona is among the more recent states to enact a full handheld prohibition.
The headline rule
Right turn on red is permitted, including on freeway frontage roads — but watch for "NO TURN ON RED" plates
Right-on-red after a complete stop is standard Arizona rule. The trap is that many Phoenix-area intersections post NO TURN ON RED plates beneath the signal heads — easy to miss because the regulatory sign is small and the signal head is the dominant visual element. Read the plate before turning at any unfamiliar intersection.
Key rules
- Max rural interstate speed
- 75 mph[1]
- Right turn on red
- Permitted after full stop (unless signed otherwise)[1]
- Seatbelt enforcement (front)
- Secondary enforcement[2]
- Handheld phone
- Banned for all drivers[3](as of 2021-01-01)
- Texting while driving
- Banned[3]
- Min liability — bodily injury per person
- $25,000[4]
- Min liability — bodily injury per accident
- $50,000[4]
- Min liability — property damage
- $15,000[4]
- Motorcycle helmet
- Required for some riders (see notes)
Under 18 only per ARS §28-964 (verify direct at azleg.gov)
- Move-over law
- Yes — required to move over / slow for emergency vehicles[5]
- Studded tires
- Allowed seasonally (see notes)[6]
Allowed Oct 1 – May 1
- Marijuana in vehicle
- unverifiedSee notes — verify with the state authority.
Recreational illegal; medical only — verify direct with AZ DHS
Famous driving routes in Arizona
- I-17 + US-89A: Phoenix → Sedona → Grand Canyon South Rim
Standard Grand Canyon loop; 4 hours direct, 2 days with Sedona.
- US-89 / US-160: Page → Monument Valley → Four Corners
Iconic Southwest landscapes; long stretches with no fuel.
- AZ-67: Jacob Lake → Grand Canyon North Rim
Open mid-May to mid-October only.
- I-10: Tucson → Las Cruces (NM)
Sonoran Desert corridor; Saguaro National Park access.
- Historic Route 66 (I-40 frontage)
Seligman, Williams, Kingman — preserved Route 66 communities.
Tips for foreign visitors
- Summer driving: carry water (5+ litres per person), check tyre pressure cold, allow extra coolant capacity if towing.
- Grand Canyon South Rim: pay-and-display entry station ($35/vehicle for 7 days). North Rim is the same fee but only open seasonally.
- Border zone (south of I-10): CBP checkpoints on most highways within 100 miles of the border; have ID ready.
Tolls in Arizona
Arizona has no toll roads on the Interstate system. Phoenix and Tucson urban driving is toll-free.
Primary resources for Arizona
Driver handbook
Arizona MVDDepartment of Transportation
ADOTInsurance
AZ DIFI
Sources
Every claim above links to its numbered source here. If a link is broken, or you believe a fact is outdated, please let us know.
- [1]ADOT — Establishing Speed Limits FAQ — ADOT · accessed 2026-04-23
- [2]ADOT — Seatbelt Survey Report AZ-670 — ADOT · accessed 2026-04-23
- [3]ADOT — Distracted Driving Awareness — ADOT · accessed 2026-04-23
ARS §28-914 (HB 2318) handheld ban eff. 2021-01-01
- [4]AZ DIFI — Automobile Insurance — AZ DIFI · accessed 2026-04-23
- [5]NHTSA — Move Over, It's the Law — NHTSA · accessed 2026-04-23
- [6]ARS §28-958 — Studded Tires — Arizona Legislature · accessed 2026-04-23