DeKalb County, GA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

2, "Residential Zoning Districts Dimensional Requirements," adopted under Sec. 1 of the DeKalb County zoning code, sets minimum lot dimensions and building setbacks for the county's eight single-family residential districts: SF, RLG, R-100, R-85, R-75, R-60, MHP and RNC. 5 feet in R-75 and R-60. The rear setback is 40 feet in SF, RLG, R-100, R-85 and R-75, dropping to 30 feet in R-60. Front setbacks are keyed to the street the lot fronts: on a major arterial they run from 30 feet (R-60) to 70 feet (RLG); on a minor arterial from 20 to 60 feet; and on a collector or other street from a low of 15 feet (RC/TC/NC character areas) to 55 feet in RLG.

Corner-lot side setbacks along the street must match the front setback for that street type, and lots on cul-de-sacs get a uniform 35-foot width-at-building-line allowance. For single lots in an existing developed street, Sec. C. The same table also fixes maximum lot coverage (25% in SF up to 35% in R-75/R-60), maximum building height of 35 feet, and minimum heated living area down to 1,200 square feet in R-60. These dimensional standards apply only to the unincorporated county; Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stonecrest, Decatur, Chamblee, Doraville, Clarkston, Avondale Estates, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain and the DeKalb sliver of Atlanta all administer their own zoning codes with their own setback tables.