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DeKalb County, GA Public Conduct: Jaywalking (2026)

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

Key Facts

Business district rule
Crosswalk required, § 17-171
Other streets rule
Right-angle crossing only, § 17-172
Governs
Unincorporated DeKalb County
Sign required?
No, applies without posted signs
Max penalty
$1,000 fine / 120 days jail

Summary

Unincorporated DeKalb County requires pedestrians to use a crosswalk when crossing in a business district or on a designated street, and bars crossing anywhere else except at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb, under Code §§ 17-171 and 17-172.

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. 17-171. - Use of crosswalks. Pedestrians shall not cross any street or roadway in a business district or any designated streets or highways except in a crosswalk. Sec. 17-172. - Crossing at right angles. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway at any place other than by a route at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb, except in a crosswalk.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Article V of Chapter 17 sets two pedestrian crossing rules for the unincorporated county. ' That means in a business district, or on any street the county has specifically designated, a pedestrian has to use a crosswalk rather than crossing mid-block. ' In practice this bars diagonal or angled jaywalking anywhere in the unincorporated county: even where a marked crosswalk isn't required, a pedestrian has to cross by the most direct straight-line path across the road. title 40, chapter 6). These are standing rules that don't require a posted sign to take effect, unlike some of the chapter's parking provisions. Article V applies only within the unincorporated area; DeKalb's cities enforce their own traffic codes for pedestrians.

Violations & Fines

A violation of Article V is punished as a general Chapter 17 offense under § 17-1(b), which routes to § 1-10: a citation served by posting or mail can carry 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, imposed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is jaywalking illegal in DeKalb County?
Yes, in the unincorporated county. Section 17-171 requires pedestrians to cross in a crosswalk within a business district or on any street the county has designated, and § 17-172 requires crossing at right angles to the curb everywhere else, effectively barring diagonal mid-block jaywalking countywide.
Do I have to use a marked crosswalk everywhere in DeKalb County?
Only in a business district or on a street the county has specifically designated under § 17-171. Elsewhere, § 17-172 lets you cross outside a crosswalk as long as you go straight across, at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb.
Does DeKalb County need to post a sign for the jaywalking rule to apply?
No. Unlike several of Chapter 17's parking restrictions, the pedestrian crossing rules in §§ 17-171 and 17-172 apply on their own without any posted sign designating the street.
What's the penalty for jaywalking in DeKalb County?
Violations of Article V are punished under the chapter's general penalty clause, § 1-10: up to a $500 fine for a mailed or posted citation, or up to $1,000 and 120 days in jail for a personally served citation.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in DeKalb County

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All DeKalb County rules

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