Decatur, GA Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Decatur Code of Ordinances § 86-11
- Permit required
- before any driveway construction on a city street
- Surface required
- chert, stone, concrete or brick
- Cleanup deadline
- 24 hours after notice of washed-out dirt
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail (§ 1-12)
Summary
In the City of Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, property owners need a city permit before building a driveway onto a public street, and the surface must be paved with chert, stone, concrete or brick, not bare dirt. Owners must also clear washed-out dirt from the sidewalk or street within 24 hours of notice under Code of Ordinances § 86-11.
(a)Permit. It shall be unlawful for any property owner, lessee or tenant to construct or cause to have constructed a driveway entering upon a city street without first obtaining a permit for such work. ... (c)Surface. It shall be unlawful for any property owner, lessee or tenant to maintain within the city any driveway opening onto the sidewalks or streets of the city unless such driveway is covered with chert, stone, concrete, brick, or some similar material that will prevent dirt from such property from washing on the sidewalk or street.
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 86-11 sits in Chapter 86, Streets, Sidewalks and Other Public Places, of the Code of Ordinances for the City of Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia (not unincorporated DeKalb County, which enforces its own county code). Subsection (a) makes it unlawful for a property owner, lessee or tenant to build a driveway onto a city street without a permit. Subsection (b) requires the applicant to follow the city's standard specifications for the section of driveway between the curb or gutter line and the property line, and to meet grades set by the city engineer.
Subsection (c) bars any driveway surface within the city other than chert, stone, concrete, brick or a similar material that stops dirt from washing onto the sidewalk or street, ruling out a bare-dirt or gravel front-yard parking pad that drains loose soil onto the public right-of-way. If the covering fails to stop the washing, the owner must keep the sidewalk or street clear of it. Subsection (d) gives owners, lessees or tenants 24 hours from notice to remove any dirt or washings that do reach the street or sidewalk; where the driveway is shared, every joint owner or tenant is liable for the cleanup. 00, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Building a driveway without a permit, paving it with plain dirt or gravel that lets soil wash onto the street, or leaving washed-out dirt on the sidewalk more than 24 hours after notice all violate § 86-11. Because the section sets no specific fine, the city prosecutes under the Code's general penalty, Section 1-12: up to $1,000.00 and up to six months in jail, with each additional day treated as a new offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a gravel or dirt driveway in Decatur, Georgia?
Do I need a permit to pour or repair a driveway in the City of Decatur?
What happens if dirt from my driveway washes onto the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Decatur
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