DeKalb County, GA Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Bike lane parking
- Banned except emergency vehicles
- Crossing a bike lane
- Must yield to bicycles first
- Governs
- Unincorporated DeKalb County streets
- Related rule
- § 17-192 bicyclist yield/lane-use duty
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine / 120 days jail
Summary
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, reserves it for bicycles except emergency vehicles, and requires drivers to yield to bikes before crossing it.
Sec. 17-268. - Motor vehicles using bike lanes or paths. (a)No motor vehicle or motorcycle shall be operated on any bicycle lane or path for any purpose including parking, passing or turning unless otherwise permitted by the provisions of this chapter. (b)No person shall at any time drive, stop or park any vehicle except an emergency vehicle within a bike lane or bike path. (c)No person shall drive upon or across a bicycle lane except after giving the right-of-way to all bicycles within the lane.
Full Breakdown
Section 17-268, 'Motor vehicles using bike lanes or paths,' has three operative rules. on any bicycle lane or path for any purpose including parking, passing or turning unless otherwise permitted by the provisions of this chapter,' closing the lane to cars entirely except where another Chapter 17 provision specifically allows it. Subsection (b) goes further on stopping and parking specifically: 'No person shall at any time drive, stop or park any vehicle except an emergency vehicle within a bike lane or bike path,' so even a brief stop to load a passenger or wait out traffic is barred, and the only carve-out is for emergency vehicles.
' The section works together with § 17-192, which separately requires a bicyclist entering a lane or path to yield to bicycles already on it, and bars cyclists from riding on a roadway that has an adjacent designated bike lane except in narrow circumstances. Chapter 17 was amended over the years to build out these bicycle rules, and, like the rest of the chapter, they apply only to streets in the unincorporated area of the county.
Violations & Fines
Bike lane violations are treated as general Chapter 17 offenses under § 17-1(b), routing to the county's penalty section, § 1-10: a citation served by posting or mail carries a fine up to $500, and a personally served citation can carry a fine up to $1,000, up to 120 days in jail, or both, with continuing violations counted as a separate offense each day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park my car in a bike lane in DeKalb County?
Can I drive through a bike lane to reach my driveway?
Is it legal to briefly stop in a bike lane to drop off a passenger in DeKalb County?
What's the penalty for driving in a DeKalb County bike lane?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DeKalb County
Compare DeKalb County to another location·View the Georgia mobility & curb rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.