DeKalb County, GA Ordinances (2026)

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires anyone operating or working at a pawnshop to get an annual police department permit before starting business, per Code Section 15-139.

Inside the unincorporated Emory Village Overlay District near Emory University, DeKalb County Code § 27-3.22.5(D)(28) flatly bans smoke, tobacco, or vape shops, including cigar bars…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, no one may run a wrecker or towing car without first obtaining a nontransferable business license from the county. The police department enforces…

Operating a massage establishment in unincorporated DeKalb County requires a finance department license, and a separate license covers each massage therapist. Applicants face…

DeKalb County Code § 13-300 does not run its own tattoo ordinance: it adopts Georgia's body art rules, Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 511-3-8, wholesale for every tattoo and piercing…

DeKalb County requires a county license for adult entertainment establishments and keeps them at least 1,000 feet from other such businesses, schools, churches, parks and residential…

Unincorporated DeKalb County's home-occupation rules flatly exclude automobile repair shops and car washes from being run out of a house, no matter how small the operation.

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires an annual police department permit before anyone can buy precious metals or gems for resale, per Code Section 15-191.

DeKalb County bars open storage of inoperable vehicles, appliances, glass, or building trash on unincorporated property, and requires owners to remove abandoned weeds, dead trees…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, once code enforcement's dangerous-building complaint under Section 18-68 reaches a court hearing, Section 18-69 takes over: a finding that a structure…

Unincorporated DeKalb County bars anyone on roller skates or riding coasters, toy vehicles or similar devices from roadways except at a marked crosswalk, treating them as pedestrians…

Unincorporated DeKalb County bars drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol in any public area, with one narrow escape hatch: a parks and recreation permit for a group function…

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires pedestrians to use a crosswalk when crossing in a business district or on a designated street, and bars crossing anywhere else except at right…

It is a straight misdemeanor in unincorporated DeKalb County to urinate or defecate on or near any street or sidewalk, in a public building's halls, elevators or stairways, or anywhere…

DeKalb County's Smoke-Free Air Ordinance bans smoking in outdoor recreational public places and common areas, and also within 20 feet of any entrance, operable window, outdoor…

Unincorporated DeKalb bars loitering around churches, theaters, hotels, convenience stores and sidewalks after a police officer orders a person to move on.

DeKalb County's tree ordinance protects trees by size rather than species. Under § 14-1, any existing, healthy, living tree measuring eight inches DBH or greater is a 'significant…

New commercial, office and industrial developments in unincorporated DeKalb, plus denser residential projects, must plant street trees and a landscape strip along new or widened roads…

DeKalb protects large 'specimen' trees, hardwoods and pines 30 inches DBH or more, or historically significant smaller trees, which the county arborist must identify and clear before…

When a water shortage or potential shortage threatens DeKalb County's water system, County Code § 25-31(b) lets the chief executive restrict unessential uses such as lawn watering and…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, Code Section 18-38(c) bars owners and occupants from letting weeds or grass within 150 feet of any building or structure grow past 12 inches. The same…

Property owners in unincorporated DeKalb County may remove up to five non-specimen trees per calendar year on a single-family lot without county approval; removing more requires county…

Unincorporated DeKalb County bars dead or hazardous trees, shrubs and weeds that block sidewalks, streets, traffic signs or fire hydrants under the county's property maintenance code.

A DeKalb County investigation into a dwelling charged as dangerous and unfit for human habitation begins once a public authority files the charge, a homeowners association board votes…

DeKalb's chief of police may inspect unincorporated dwellings and rental properties for code violations with consent or a warrant, including inspections that are part of a formally…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, § 17-6 makes it unlawful to obstruct the right-of-way of any public road, street, or easement with shrubbery, signs, fences, or anything else that…

Before any driveway, sidewalk, curbing, or utility work touches a DeKalb County road right-of-way, DeKalb County Code § 23-87(a) requires an encroachment permit issued in advance by…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, keeping the sidewalk clean and keeping it repaired are two different jobs. Code § 18-38(d) makes owners and tenants of abutting property responsible…

DeKalb County Code § 14-40(b) pulls a project into stormwater management and water quality review the moment it crosses any one of three thresholds: 5,000 square feet of new impervious…

Any land-disturbing activity of one acre or more in unincorporated DeKalb County requires a land disturbance permit under Code § 14-38, along with an approved erosion, sedimentation…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, new construction and substantial improvements to a residential building inside the future-conditions floodplain must have the lowest floor, including…

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires a development permit before any construction begins in a mapped special flood hazard area, per County Code Section 14-420.

DeKalb County does not wait for a pattern of misconduct before acting against a short-term rental. Under Code § 4.2.15.C.4, the director of planning and sustainability shall suspend or…

Under Sec. 4.2.15.A of the DeKalb County zoning code, the operator of a bed and breakfast or home stay establishment in the unincorporated county must reside on site, and a home stay…

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires short-term rental permit applicants to state the number and location of on-site parking spaces, though the zoning code sets no fixed per-bedroom…

Unincorporated DeKalb County charges an 8 percent excise tax on every short-term rental stay of 30 days or less. Innkeepers collect the tax from occupants, register with the business…

No one may rent out a dwelling unit as a short-term rental in unincorporated DeKalb County without an annual permit from the county's business license division, and the permit is…

DeKalb County short-term rental owners must pledge to prevent the rental from disrupting the neighborhood, may not advertise the property for parties or special events, and remain…

DeKalb County amends the International Residential Code to require that roof framing on residential construction in the unincorporated county be tied securely to wall framing with…

DeKalb County's zoning ordinance allows exactly two temporary signs for a yard sale, both on private property with the owner's permission, never in the public right-of-way or on a…

DeKalb County limits digital and electronic signs to commercial and industrial zoning districts, bans them in historic residential districts, and sets strict timing and brightness…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, a window sign cannot cover more than 30% of the window area it is displayed on or through. Window signs are exempt from the sign permit itself but must…

DeKalb County bans political posters, signs and advertisements in public rights-of-way and on public property, and requires the property owner's written permission before placing them…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, seasonal holiday decorations are excluded from the sign code's definition of a 'sign,' so residents don't need a sign permit to put up lights, wreaths…

Anyone whose work takes them door to door in the residential areas of unincorporated DeKalb County, whether selling, soliciting, canvassing or survey-making, must first obtain a…

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires a solicitor's permit for door-to-door sales and bans the activity between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. Groups are capped at two solicitors per…

DeKalb County wrote motor vehicle sound out of its own noise ordinance: Sec. 16-303(c)(10) excludes sound projected, emitted or transmitted from motor vehicles from the county's 11…

In unincorporated DeKalb County's commercial areas, no source of sound, including outdoor or amplified live music, may exceed 70 dB(A) by day or 60 dB(A) between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

DeKalb County requires every aircraft using DeKalb-Peachtree Airport to keep takeoffs and landings over populated neighborhoods to a minimum and to climb out as quickly as its safe…

Unincorporated DeKalb County restricts landscaping power tools, including leaf blowers, to 7:01 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays and 9:01 a.m.-9 p.m. weekends, and requires mufflers on the…

Unincorporated DeKalb County caps sound at 70 dB(A) in commercial areas and 80 dB(A) in industrial areas, while mixed-use developments run on a clock: 70 dB(A) or 73 dB(C) from 7:01…

From 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., unincorporated DeKalb County bans any sound you own or control that is plainly audible inside a neighbor's sealed home. Code § 16-303 relies on an…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, a dog or other pet can't vocalize for more than 15 minutes straight, or 30 minutes with breaks, between 7:01 a.m. and 10:59 p.m. under Code §…

Unincorporated DeKalb County limits construction, demolition and deliveries to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, with none permitted on Sundays or six named holidays.

Animal hospitals and veterinary clinics in unincorporated DeKalb County must sit at least 100 feet from residential property, cannot board patients except for medical treatment, and…

DeKalb County has no ordinance labeled hoarding, but its general Neglect ban covers hoarding-type conditions: exposing animals to unsanitary conditions or failing to provide food…

DeKalb County requires a microchip only for animals classified as dangerous or vicious, or owned by someone convicted of animal abandonment, cruelty, or neglect, not for pets generally.

Dog and cat owners in unincorporated DeKalb County must keep animals restrained on their own property and leashed or controlled off it; letting a pet run loose on streets, in parks or…

DeKalb County requires sterilization of dogs and cats adopted from the county shelter and of any animal a court classifies as dangerous or vicious, with 30-day to six-month deadlines…

DeKalb County bars selling or advertising dogs, cats or rabbits at flea markets, roadsides, parking lots or other transient outdoor spots in the unincorporated county, though sales at…

Unincorporated DeKalb County exempts vaccinated, sterilized, ear-tipped community cats from licensing and stray rules, letting caretakers return TNR cats to where they were trapped…

Unincorporated DeKalb County permits backyard beekeeping under zoning code § 4.2.7(J), which caps hives at two apiary colonies per one-quarter (0.25) acre, requires a minimum 10-foot…

A designated zone of unincorporated DeKalb west of I-285 and near Wesley Chapel Road is a bird sanctuary where trapping, hunting or shooting any bird or nest is banned outright.

On a lot of at least 10,000 square feet in unincorporated DeKalb, residents can keep hens, no roosters, at one hen per 2,000 square feet of lot area.

Unincorporated DeKalb County bans owning, keeping or housing a hazardous animal, defined as one that can poison humans or, by size and feeding habits, prey on them, unless the police…

DeKalb County has no breed-specific ban; instead it classifies individual dogs as dangerous or vicious through a police-chief complaint and court hearing process, then imposes…

Residents in eligible unincorporated DeKalb neighborhoods can petition to create a residential permit parking area under Code § 17-154, letting permit-holders park beyond posted street…

Unincorporated DeKalb bars parking a trailer or RV in front of the house, and keeps them 10 feet off the side and rear lot lines.

DeKalb County caps how long heavy vehicles and recreational vehicles can sit on a public street in the unincorporated area. Code § 17-149 limits any truck, bus or other vehicle over…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, an inoperable vehicle can sit on private property for at most 72 hours unless it is parked inside an enclosed structure, and no inoperable vehicle may…

Unincorporated DeKalb County allows electric vehicle charging stations as accessory structures in any yard, capped at 15 feet from street rights-of-way and 10 feet tall, in all zones…

DeKalb County Code § 17-148 reserves an 80-foot no-parking zone at bus stops in unincorporated DeKalb County. Every zone must be marked by signs, and in congested areas the curb itself…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, trucks may stop in a marked freight curb loading zone only to load or unload materials during posted hours, under § 17-145.

Unincorporated DeKalb County bans parking 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. on dozens of specific streets under Code § 17-362, each marked by posted signs; incorporated cities like Decatur and Dunwoody…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, Code § 17-137 bars parking any vehicle on a street in a way that leaves less than ten feet of roadway open for traffic to pass. The rule works…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, unlicensed, unregistered, inoperable or junk boats, campers, travel trailers and motor homes kept on residential property must be stored inside an…

DeKalb County's dwelling code requires every rental to hold indoor heat to at least 68°F and hot water to 120°F, plus working toilets, sinks and bathing facilities, enforced countywide…

Owners of four or more multifamily rental units in unincorporated DeKalb County must file an annual code compliance certificate with their business occupation tax return, backed by…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, interior finish work -- painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and countertops -- needs no permit if the wholesale cost is $3,000 or less and…

DeKalb doesn't mandate green construction, but in the RSM zoning district, developers who certify buildings for LEED or EarthCraft accreditation earn a 50% density bonus above the base…

Before starting plumbing work on any building in unincorporated DeKalb County, the installer must pull a permit and build to the current International Plumbing Code, adopted…

DeKalb County Code § 12-24 requires every new multifamily dwelling property in the unincorporated county to be fully sprinklered under NFPA-13 or NFPA-13R, and requires existing…

Hotels, motels, and extended-stay hotels permitted for construction after March 16, 2018 in unincorporated DeKalb County must fit every public-facing entry point with a magnetic or…

Electrical work in unincorporated DeKalb County must conform to the National Electrical Code, adopted through County Code § 7-51(a)(6) with the Georgia amendments currently adopted by…

DeKalb County requires staged inspections for permitted work, including foundation, framing and final inspections for buildings plus rough-in inspections for electrical, plumbing…

DeKalb County food service establishments must employ a Certified Food Safety Manager; skipping that requirement can bring court action or suspension of the food service permit.

DeKalb County Code § 13-162 makes every business building owner in the unincorporated county ratproof their structure and keep it that way, under Chapter 13's rodent control article…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, a home business with any customer or client visits is a Type II home occupation and needs a special land use permit; visit-free operations only qualify…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, a family day care home serving up to six children can operate as a home occupation, but it must meet the county's home-occupation standards under the…

Unincorporated DeKalb County splits home businesses into no-contact Type I home occupations, approved administratively, and customer-contact Type II home occupations, which need a…

DeKalb County bans any exterior evidence of a home occupation, meaning no business signage, displays or visible business activity is permitted from outside the residence.

In unincorporated DeKalb County, it's illegal to ignite any fire, including a grill, within four feet of a combustible building, covering charcoal and propane BBQs used under balconies…

Unincorporated DeKalb County parks let Class I and Class II electric assisted bicycles, capped at 20 mph, use paved county bicycle and shared-use paths, but bar every electric bike…

Motor vehicles can't drive, stop or park in a bicycle lane or path anywhere in unincorporated DeKalb County. Code § 17-268 bars using a bike lane for parking, passing or turning…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, fences up to eight feet high need no building permit under § 7-30(d)(1)(A); taller fences and retaining walls over four feet still require one.

Unincorporated DeKalb County caps side and rear yard fences at eight feet and front-yard fences at four feet, with a possible administrative or zoning board variance to go higher.

DeKalb County bans fences and freestanding walls made of exposed common concrete block, tires, junk, pallets, railroad ties, loose stone or vinyl anywhere in the county, and front…

DeKalb County's zoning ordinance caps newly built retaining walls at 4 feet measured from finished grade, and any wall reaching 4 feet must be certified by a licensed engineer and…

Unincorporated DeKalb County lets restaurants and coffee shops set up outdoor seating on public or private sidewalks in commercial zones, as long as it's next to the building and…

Anyone holding or joining a parade in unincorporated DeKalb County needs a permit first. Code § 17-221 makes it unlawful to hold or participate in a parade there without one, and the…

Street fairs, carnivals and community festivals in unincorporated DeKalb County need a special administrative permit and must sit at least 100 feet from any residential district under…

Groups wanting a DeKalb County park area or picnic shelter must apply to the parks department and pay a board-set reservation fee, capped at one booking per shelter each month.

DeKalb County's film ordinance defines commercial still photography as filming, so a photo shoot on public property needs the same county permit as a movie or video production.

A film or photo shoot that closes a DeKalb County street, lane or sidewalk needs a planning department filming permit before work begins, whether the shoot is on public or private…

DeKalb County treats film-production sound as a permit element, requiring producers to disclose it and comply with the county's separate noise ordinance during shoots.

DeKalb County can designate a building, structure, site, object or work of art, including monuments, as a protected historic property through its Historic Preservation Commission.

Single-family homes in unincorporated DeKalb County are capped at 35 feet, dropping to 28 feet in Residential Infill Overlay Districts.

In unincorporated DeKalb County, no lot can exceed the maximum lot coverage set for its zoning district, as low as 25 percent in the SF district and up to 90 percent under certain…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, minimum front, side and rear yard setbacks are fixed by zoning district in Table 2.2 of the county zoning code, ranging from a 20-foot rear setback in…

DeKalb County's nighttime noise ordinance bars sound that's plainly audible inside a neighbor's sealed home between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., but Code § 16-303(c)(14) specifically excludes…

Unincorporated DeKalb County treats delivery-truck noise the same way it treats construction noise. Under DeKalb County Code § 16-304(d), deliveries may only be made between 7:00 a.m…

Unincorporated DeKalb County exempts car alarms from its nighttime noise curfew only if the alarm shuts off within 5 minutes of continuous sounding, or 10 minutes if it beeps…

DeKalb County's noise code explicitly defines bass reverberations as regulated sound, so thumping subwoofers and car stereos are covered by the same nighttime plainly-audible standard…

DeKalb County does not regulate home security cameras, but it forces convenience stores and police-designated "monitored businesses" to run a 24/7 video surveillance system meeting…

Unincorporated DeKalb limits sidewalk food-cart vending to noon-8 p.m., pre-packaged snacks and drinks only, a displayed state license, and 15-minute stops on public rights-of-way.

Unincorporated DeKalb County limits street-level mobile food vending: pushcarts and food vehicles may sell only between noon and 8:00 p.m., only pre-packaged snacks and drinks, and…

DeKalb County requires all food service operations, including mobile units, to hold an annual permit from the county Board of Health that expires every June 30.

Dumping, throwing or leaving litter on public or private property in unincorporated DeKalb is unlawful unless it's your own property, a designated disposal site, or a litter receptacle.

Construction dumpsters and other onsite waste-disposal equipment can't sit in the street in unincorporated DeKalb County unless the planning department director signs off and the…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, residents must move garbage carts off the curb into a storage spot closer to the house than the street by 7 p.m. on collection day.

Unincorporated DeKalb County residents get residential refuse collected twice a week by the county, except oversized limb piles that need extra time to load.

Unincorporated DeKalb County residents must keep yard trimmings separate from household trash and set them out in an approved yard-trimmings receptacle, not a plastic bag.

DeKalb County Code § 25-56 makes it unlawful to let water go to waste through leaks, breaks or malfunctions in any pipe or fixture on premises you own or occupy. Owners have 2 business…

DeKalb County's sign code bars any sign, including illuminated advertising signs, from casting light that glares or blinds or adversely affects traffic or neighbors, and forbids…

Outdoor lighting fixtures other than street and pedestrian lights must use dark-sky design with no spillover onto neighboring properties, but the rule applies only inside the…

DeKalb County's zoning code bars outdoor lighting fixtures from casting direct light onto or adversely affecting adjacent properties and roadways, and requires glare shields…

DeKalb County parks and recreation facilities open at 7:00 a.m. and close at sunset, or 11:00 p.m. only in lighted areas still in use, under unincorporated-county Code § 19-26.

In unincorporated DeKalb County, Code § 16-44 makes it unlawful for a minor under 17 to remain in a public place or establishment unsupervised by a parent or guardian during curfew…

Unincorporated DeKalb County lets developers in the RSM Small Lot Residential Mix district double their base density by stacking bonuses for public improvements, transit proximity…

Yard sales in unincorporated DeKalb County are capped at three consecutive days and no more than once every six months per Table 4.3, and unlike other temporary outdoor uses they need…

In unincorporated DeKalb County, the property owner must live in either the main house or the accessory dwelling unit and hold a homestead exemption before an ADU is allowed.

In unincorporated DeKalb County, a shed or accessory building maxes out at 900 square feet on lots under an acre, must sit at least 10 feet off the rear line, and can't top 24 feet in…

Unincorporated DeKalb allows attached, detached or converted accessory dwelling units by right on lots of at least 10,000 square feet, capped at 900 square feet and 24 feet tall.

Unincorporated DeKalb County classifies each business by its dominant line of activity to set the occupation tax rate on gross receipts, per Code Section 15-28(c).

Hotels in unincorporated DeKalb County must collect an 8 percent excise tax on the rent for every guestroom and remit it to the county finance department under Code section 24-84, with…

Unincorporated DeKalb exempts rooftop solar panels under six feet tall from the zoning height limit and from the roofing-material restrictions.

Every guest room in a DeKalb County hotel, motel or extended-stay hotel must have a hard-wired, tamper-resistant smoke detector powered for at least ten years, installed and approved…

Unincorporated DeKalb County bars consumer fireworks before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m., with extended hours on July 4, New Year's and other set holidays under § 16-311.

In DeKalb's RNC conservation subdivisions, a homeowners' association used to maintain shared greenspace must have mandatory automatic membership, lien authority to collect dues, and…

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires every outdoor pool, in-ground or above-ground, to have a barrier at least five feet tall that keeps children and pets from wandering in…

DeKalb County exempts prefabricated above-ground pools shallower than 24 inches from building permits, though the county's separate pool-barrier rule still applies once it's set up.