5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 3 cities in Fulton County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Unincorporated Fulton County and most cities require grass and weeds to be cut to under 12 inches. Atlanta Code §66-26 and Sandy Springs Code §38-83 set 12-inch limits on improved lots.
Georgia common law (Whitesell v. Houlton, 1981) allows owners to trim encroaching branches and roots from a neighbor's tree up to the property line, at the trimmer's expense. Specimen trees still require permits under Fulton §26-405.
Removing any tree 6+ inches DBH in Atlanta requires a permit. Unincorporated Fulton requires arborist sign-off for specimen trees under §26-405. Recompense fees apply.
Uncultivated vegetation, kudzu, and weeds on Fulton County improved property are regulated under property-maintenance codes. Atlanta Code §66-26 requires removal of weeds, dead vegetation, and debris.
Fulton County and all Georgia communities are bound by O.C.G.A. §12-5-7 (Water Stewardship Act), which permanently allows outdoor landscape watering only between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. — no calendar-day restrictions.
3 cities in Fulton County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Fulton County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Fulton County Ordinance Hub →