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DeKalb County, GA Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)

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

Key Facts

Minimum clear width
10 feet of roadway
Governs
Unincorporated DeKalb County streets
Signs required first
Per § 17-131 before most enforcement
Hazardous zones
Up to 100 ft, § 17-143
Max fine
$500-$1,000 under § 1-10

Summary

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 alongside sign-posted restrictions, narrow-street limits and hazardous-spot bans that make up the rest of the county's on-street parking code.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of DeKalb County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Sec. 17-137. - Parking not to obstruct traffic. No person shall park any vehicle upon a street in such manner or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten (10) feet of the width of the roadway for free movement of vehicular traffic.

Source: Dekalb County Municipal CodeView official code

Full Breakdown

Section 17-137, 'Parking not to obstruct traffic,' sets the baseline standard for every street in the unincorporated county: no vehicle may be parked so that less than ten feet of roadway width remains open for the free movement of traffic, regardless of whether a sign is posted. That flat rule sits inside Article IV, Division 1 of Chapter 17, alongside a set of related on-street parking limits. Section 17-131 requires the public works department to post a sign on each restricted block, and no time limit or prohibition takes effect until the sign is actually up.

Section 17-136 separately bars parking in any place blocked by official signs or markings, and bars leaving a vehicle further from the curb than allowed. Section 17-138 prohibits parking on a roadway to display a vehicle for sale, to wash, grease or repair it, or to display advertising. Section 17-143 lets the public works department designate hazardous or congested spots up to 100 feet long as no-parking zones. Section 17-152 lets the county post hour-restricted no-parking zones by street segment. Together these sections give DeKalb police and code enforcement authority to ticket a car parked too close to the travel lane, in a posted zone, or left for a prohibited purpose, on any unincorporated county street. The rule doesn't apply inside DeKalb's cities: Decatur, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stonecrest and the rest set their own street-parking limits.

Violations & Fines

Violations of Chapter 17's parking rules are punished under the chapter's own penalty clause, § 17-1(b): unless another penalty is expressly set by law, a conviction is punished as provided in § 1-10, the county's general penalty section, which allows a fine up to $500 for a citation served by posting or mail, or up to $1,000 and/or up to 120 days in jail for a personally served citation, with each continuing day treated as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How close to the travel lane can I park on a DeKalb County street?
Code § 17-137 requires you to leave at least ten feet of roadway width open for traffic. Park closer than that, blocking the free movement of vehicles, and you can be cited even without a posted 'no parking' sign.
Do I need a sign to be ticketed for illegal parking in DeKalb County?
For most restrictions, yes: § 17-131 requires the public works department to post a sign on the affected block before any parking time limit or prohibition takes effect. The ten-foot clearance rule in § 17-137, however, applies regardless of signage.
Can DeKalb County ban parking on a specific dangerous curve or corner?
Yes. Section 17-143 lets public works designate hazardous or congested spots up to 100 feet long as no-parking zones, marked by official signs, wherever stopping or parking would create an especially hazardous condition or unusual traffic delay.
What's the penalty for illegal street parking in DeKalb County?
Chapter 17 violations are punished under § 1-10: up to a $500 fine if the citation is served by posting or mail, or up to $1,000 and 120 days in jail if personally served, with continuing violations counted as a new offense each day.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in DeKalb County

All DeKalb County rules

Compare DeKalb County to another location·View the Georgia parking rules overview

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