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Decatur, GA Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing law
Decatur Code of Ordinances § 86-24(b)
Roadway placement
fully prohibited
Min. clear sidewalk width
5 feet
Weekday hours
8 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon-Thu
Weekend hours
9 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri/Sat, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun

Summary

Section 86-24(b) of the Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia Code bars mobile food facilities from projecting into or resting on any part of a public street, and bans placement on a sidewalk that endangers safety, blocks traffic or a business entrance, or narrows the clear walking path below five feet.

(b)Blocking of roadway; placement on sidewalks.(1)No person shall operate, place or maintain any mobile food facility which projects onto, into or over any part of the roadway of any public street, or which rests, wholly or in part, upon, or over any portion of the roadway of any public street.(2)No person shall operate, place or maintain a mobile food facility within a public sidewalk, in whole or in part, in a manner that endangers the safety of persons or property or that unreasonably interferes with or impedes the flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic, including any legally parked or stopped vehicle or the ingress into or egress from any residence or place of business.(3)No person shall place a mobile food facility that reduces the clear zone of a public sidewalk to a width of less than five feet.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 28).

Full Breakdown

Section 86-24(b) of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, sets three placement limits for mobile food facilities separate from the permit rules in the same section. First, no facility may project onto, into or over any part of the roadway, or rest wholly or partly on the roadway, of a public street. Second, on a public sidewalk, a facility cannot be operated, placed or maintained in a way that endangers people or property or unreasonably interferes with or impedes pedestrian or vehicle traffic, including any legally parked vehicle or a residence's or business's entrance and exit.

Third, no facility may reduce the sidewalk's clear walking zone to less than five feet in width. These sidewalk rules work alongside the city's general sidewalk-obstruction law: Section 86-3 bars merchants from putting goods on a sidewalk and Section 86-4 caps any sidewalk obstruction at 30 minutes, but both sections carve out an express exception for mobile food facilities operating as a permitted limited use. m. m. m. Sunday. A facility placed illegally or creating a hazard is removed by the city under subsection (e), with the owner billed for removal and storage before the facility is released, and the city will not hold it longer than 30 calendar days.

Violations & Fines

Letting a mobile food facility rest on the roadway, block a sidewalk to less than five feet of clear width, or operate outside the hours set in § 86-24(f) violates § 86-24(b). The city can remove an illegally placed or hazardous facility immediately under § 86-24(e) and bill the owner for removal and storage costs before releasing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a food truck park in the street to sell in Decatur, Georgia?
No. Section 86-24(b)(1) prohibits any mobile food facility from projecting onto or resting on any part of a public street's roadway, whether wholly or partly, regardless of whether a permit has been issued.
How much sidewalk space must a food cart in Decatur leave open for walkers?
At least five feet of clear width. Section 86-24(b)(3) makes it unlawful to place a mobile food facility in a way that reduces the sidewalk's clear zone below that measurement.
What are the legal hours for a Decatur sidewalk food vendor?
Section 86-24(f) limits sales, setup and takedown to 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Sunday citywide.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Decatur

All Decatur rules

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