Government Relations

The mission of Government Relations is to provide a proactive and effective process through which ADOT communicates with and serves the legislature and the people of Arizona.

Statutes and Rules

Arizona Administrative Rules

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 28 - Transportation

Making of a Law (Arizona PBS Video)

Substantive Policies

Ramp Restrictions at Freeway/Interstate Interchanges Outside Municipal Limits, Policy Number 1

Administrative Rules FAQ

Government Relations and Rules is responsible for amending existing rules, repealing outdated rules and creating new rules. This page is maintained to keep the public informed about the rulemaking activities of ADOT.

What are administrative rules?

An administrative rule is an agency statement of general applicability that implements, interprets or prescribes law or policy, or describes the procedure or practice requirements of an agency. State agencies are required to make rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act under A.R.S. Title 41, Chapter 6.

The authority for state agencies to create rules comes from Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.). ADOT has general authority to make rules as provided under A.R.S. § 28-366. Generally, legislation is passed establishing broad guidelines and general standards for the operation of a program. It is then up to the affected state agency to create rules, as authorized, for the specific processes and procedures needed to implement the statute effectively.

What are the Arizona Administrative Code and the Arizona Administrative Register?

The Arizona Administrative Register is the public record of all rulemaking activity by state agencies. The register contains the text of proposed and final rules and a variety of other official notices, such as a notice of public information, a notice of agency guidance, a notice of substantive policy or a governor’s executive order.

The Arizona Administrative Code is where the official rules of the state of Arizona are codified and published. The code is the official compilation of rules that govern state agencies, boards and commissions. ADOT rules are located under Title 17 of the code.

The Arizona Administrative Code and the Arizona Administrative Register are published by the Office of the Secretary of State.

How do agencies make rules?

Each rulemaking has a number of steps, most of which are intended to provide notice to the public that the agency is making rules and to give the public a chance to comment and be involved.

These are some of the basic steps in the regular rulemaking process:

Prior approval from the Governor: Prior to conducting any rulemaking, the agency submits a memorandum detailing how the rulemaking meets any of the justifications under A.R.S. § 41-1039 and if necessary three rules recommended for elimination to the Governor for prior written approval.
Notice of Rulemaking Docket Opening: A notice of rulemaking docket opening is published in the Arizona Administrative Register to notify the public that the agency is considering changes to the referenced rules.
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: A notice of proposed rulemaking is published in the Arizona Administrative Register to notify the public of the proposed additions, deletions or changes to agency rules.
Comment Period: Once a rule is proposed, the public has at least 30 days in which to submit comments regarding the rule to the agency. Comments are limited to the scope of the rule. The closing date for the public comment period is published in the Arizona Administrative Register.

NOTE: Comments are statements, suggested rule language, data, views or other observations submitted to an agency regarding an existing or proposed rule. Formal written comments may be submitted during the official public comment period for a particular rulemaking and will become part of the official record of the proposed rulemaking. However, the public may comment on an agency’s existing rules at any time. The most effective way to comment on existing rules is in writing. Identify the rule or rules at issue and address your comment to the specific program, office or contact person within the agency that administers the rule.

Oral Proceeding: When a formal oral proceeding on a proposed rule is scheduled it is published in a notice in the Arizona Administrative Register.

NOTE: Although an oral proceeding may not be scheduled for every rulemaking, a state agency will always provide the public with an opportunity to request an oral proceeding.

Final approval from the Governor: After the comment period and the close of the rulemaking record, the agency submits the notice of final rulemaking to the Governor for review and final written approval.
Submittal to the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council (GRRC): The agency submits the final rulemaking package to GRRC for approval. GRRC will review the final rule package to ensure that the rules are necessary, consistent with legislative intent, within the agency’s statutory authority, and has obtained both approvals from the Governor. The public may submit written comments to GRRC regarding the rulemaking package at any time during the 30-day public comment period following receipt of the rulemaking package.
Approval by GRRC: Within 120 days after receipt of the rulemaking package, if GRRC has completed its review and finds that the rulemaking meets the criteria identified above, GRRC will approve the rulemaking.
Effective Date: The approved rulemaking package is filed with the Office of the Secretary of State. The effective date of the rule is usually 60 days from the date of filing or immediately effective if authorized by statute and specified in the rulemaking.

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 41-1033, you may petition GRRC to request a review of a final rule if you believe that the final rule does not meet the requirements prescribed in A.R.S. § 41-1030.

Current ADOT Rulemaking Activities

Current Rulemaking Activity is provided to allow the public to view all proposed rule packages, final rule packages that have not yet been published in the Arizona Administrative Code, and the status of ADOT’s review of its existing rules.

Current ADOT Administrative Rules

Below are links to the ADOT administrative rules published in the Arizona Administrative Code. The official text is published by the Office of the Secretary of State.