SWAP MEETS

Tucson Code ch. 7, art. IX

in effect

Tucson Code § 7-201 Definitions.

Sec. 7-201. Definitions. In this article, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) Advertisement means the attempt by publication, dissemination, solicitation or circulation, oral or written, to induce directly or indirectly any person to enter into any obligation or acquire any title or interest in any merchandise, or engage in any sale at a swap meet. (2) Director means the city finance director or his designated agents. (3) Employee means a person employed by a proprietor, from whose wages the proprietor withholds amounts pursuant to the withholding provisions of state or federal income tax laws, or a person or an employee of a firm with whom the proprietor has entered into a written contract of more than thirty (30) days' duration for the provision of maintenance, cleaning or security services. (4) Merchandise means any new or used objects, wares, goods, commodities, personalty, and intangibles, real estate, amusements, food concessions, or services. (5) Person means any natural person or his legal representative, partnership, domestic or foreign corporation, any company, trust, business entity, or association, any agent, employee, salesperson, partner, officer, director, member, stockholder, associate or trustee. (6) Premises means any building, structure, lot or other area at which a swap meet sale is conducted. (7) Proprietor means any person who rents, sells, donates or otherwise makes available to swap meet vendors any space within premises owned or controlled by the proprietor for the purpose of a swap meet sale. (8) Proprietor license means a current and valid license issued by the city to the proprietor authorizing the use of the premises owned or controlled by the proprietor, as specified on the proprietor license, for the purpose of a swap meet sale. (9) Proprietor occupational license tax means those monthly sums payable to the city by the proprietor, pursuant to chapter 19 of the Tucson Code. (10) Sale means any sale, offer for sale, or attempt to sell any merchandise, including any exchange, offer for exchange, or attempt to exchange or barter any merchandise at a swap meet. (11) Swap meet means a place of commercial activity, popularly known as a swap meet, flea market, park-and-swap, which is: (a) Open to the general public for the purchase of merchandise on the premises; (b) Available to the general public who wish to sell merchandise on the premises, whether such sellers or vendors are in the business of vending or are making causal sales or some combination thereof; (c) Composed of stalls, stands or spaces allotted to vendors, at least one (1) of whom does not occupy the same allotted space or spaces on an uninterrupted continuous daily basis. (12) Vendor means any person upon the premises for the purpose of causing the advertisement of or making a sale at a swap meet. (Ord. No. 5380, § 2, 6-1-81; Ord. No. 5840, § 1, 8-1-83)

Tucson Code § 7-202 Unlawful practices of swap meet proprietor.

Sec. 7-202. Unlawful practices of swap meet proprietor. It shall be unlawful for a swap meet proprietor to fail to comply with the requirements of this article, and in particular: (1) To permit a swap meet upon premises owned or controlled by the proprietor without being in possession of a proprietor license; (2) To permit any person to engage in the sale of merchandise upon parking or other areas owned or controlled by the proprietor, whenever such areas or sites are not specified on the proprietor license; (3) To fail to control the entrance to and exit from the premises of all vendors and merchandise, by the physical presence and personal supervision on the premises of the proprietor or his designated agents during the hours of operation of the swap meet; (4) To fail to pay to the city the proprietor occupational license tax when due; (5) To fail to comply with the director's rules and regulations implementing this article; (6) To fail to post on the premises, in a conspicuous place so as to be clearly seen by the public and the director, a proprietor license; (7) To allow any person other than the proprietor or swap meet employees to remain on the premises of a swap meet located within six hundred (600) feet of the boundary of property developed or used for residential purposes between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m.; (8) To permit any person to display, offer for sale or trade or to give away or to make a sale, trade or gift of any animal or fowl on the premises of a swap meet or adjacent property controlled by a proprietor. (Ord. No. 5380, § 2, 6-1-81; Ord. No. 5840, § 2, 8-1-83; Ord. No. 6160, § 1, 1-21-85) Editors Note: Section 3 of Ord. No. 6160 reads as follows: "The violation of any provision of Sections 7-202 or 7-203 of the Tucson Code as amended in Sections 1 and 2, respectively, of this ordinance is a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00) for any person. Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. Absence, revocation or suspension of a proprietor license as defined in Sec. 7-201(a) of the Tucson Code shall not be a defense against prosecution."

Tucson Code § 7-202.1 Swap meet proprietor license application.

Sec. 7-202.1. Swap meet proprietor license application. A proprietor license may be issued by the city upon the prior city approval of the application of the proprietor on forms supplied by the city for such a proprietor license and upon prior payment by the proprietor to the city of a one-time twenty-four dollar ($24.00) proprietor occupational license tax application fee. (Ord. No. 7885, § 3, 8-3-92)

Tucson Code § 7-203 Unlawful practices of swap meet vendor.

Sec. 7-203. Unlawful practices of swap meet vendor. It shall be unlawful for a swap meet vendor to fail to comply with the requirements of this article, and in particular: (1) To fail to post at the vendor's assigned sales location on the premises, in a conspicuous place so as to be clearly seen by the public and the director, any current, valid license issued by the city to the vendor pursuant to chapter 19 of the Tucson Code; (2) To engage in sales at locations other than the vendor's sales location assigned that day by the proprietor; (3) To engage in sales of tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and spirituous liquor, all as defined in the Arizona Revised Statutes; (4) To display, offer for sale or trade or to give away, or make a sale, trade or gift of any animal or fowl; (5) To display or offer for sale any firearms, as defined in the Arizona Revised Statutes, without holding a federal firearms license. (Ord. No. 5380, § 2, 6-1-81; Ord. No. 6160, § 2, 1-21-85) Note: See the editor's note to § 7-202.

Tucson Code § 7-204 Regulations.

Sec. 7-204. Regulations. For the purpose of this article: (1) Nothing in this article shall exempt a sale made at a swap meet from taxes payable pursuant to chapter 19 of the Tucson Code. (2) The director shall, by rules and regulations, establish the forms and records to be maintained by the swap meet proprietor. The forms and records to be kept and used by the swap meet proprietor shall be preserved by the proprietor for three (3) years and shall be made available for inspection by the director and the city police department. (Ord. No. 5380, § 2, 6-1-81)

Tucson Code § 7-205 Administration.

Sec. 7-205. Administration. (a) A proprietor license is not transferable and not assignable. (b) The director may refuse to issue a proprietor license for good cause stated. (c) The director may suspend a proprietor license upon the proprietor's conviction of any violation of this article, or upon the proprietor's failure to maintain forms and records as required by the director's rules and regulations, or upon the director's determination that the proprietor's swap meet activities are causing: (1) Traffic congestion on the abutting public streets; (2) The accumulation of debris or litter upon the premises; (3) Loud noises, nuisances or disturbances whereby the quiet and good order of the premises or of the neighborhood is disturbed; or (4) Persons other than the proprietor or swap meet employees are on the premises of a swap meet located within six hundred (600) feet of the boundary of property developed or used for residential purposes between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. (d) The director may revoke a proprietor license upon the proprietor's conviction of any violation of this article within three (3) years of the proprietor's prior conviction under this article. (e) Before suspending or revoking a proprietor license, the director shall give the proprietor prior notice, by certified mail addressed to the licensee at the address of the licensed business or by personal service, that a hearing to suspend or revoke the license will be held at a specified place, and at a time not sooner than five (5) days from the date of such notice. This notice shall clearly and concisely state the grounds and reasons relied upon for revocation or suspension. The director shall hold the hearing at the time and place specified, unless adjourned by consent of all parties; and the licensee shall be allowed to appear in person and by counsel, and offer proof and evidence. A record shall be kept of all the proceedings at such hearing, and a transcript of all evidence offered shall be made and filed. No license shall be suspended or revoked except when grounds therefor, as provided in this section, are satisfactorily established by the proof offered as shown by the record of proceedings and transcript of the hearing. The decision of the director spending or revoking any license shall be final. (f) Proprietor occupational license taxes shall be required pursuant to chapter 19 of the Tucson Code. (Ord. No. 5380, § 2, 6-1-81; Ord. No. 5840, § 3, 8-1-83)

Tucson Code § 7-205.1 Penalty.

Sec. 7-205.1. Penalty. Wherever in this article any act is prohibited or declared to be unlawful, or the doing of any act is required or the failure to do any act is declared to be unlawful, the violation of any such provision of this article is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00) for any person. Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. Revocation or suspension of a proprietor license shall not be a defense against prosecution. (Ord. No. 5380, § 2, 6-1-81) Sec. 7-205.1(1). Any other provision of this section notwithstanding, the violation of section 7-202(7) shall be punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100.00), which fine shall not be suspended. (Ord. No. 5840, § 4, 8-1-83)

Source: City of Tucson, Tucson Code (Charter and General Ordinances) and Unified Development Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tucson/latest/tucson_az/0-0-0-5301Fetched: 10/28/2026