Atlanta, GA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Atlanta Code § 138-14(d)
- Who repairs
- Abutting property owner, upon notice
- If owner fails
- City repairs, assesses cost to owner
- Also covers
- Snow/ice removal, unpaved strip upkeep
- Enforcing agency
- Department of Transportation
Summary
In Atlanta, the abutting property owner must repair a sidewalk once the Department of Transportation condemns it as damaged, or the city does the repair and bills the owner for the cost.
When the sidewalk abutting the right-of-way is damaged and/or condemned by the city, it is the obligation of the abutting property owner to repair such sidewalk upon notice from the department of transportation. If after receiving such notice, the abutting property owner fails to repair the sidewalk within a reasonable time, the department of transportation is authorized to make such repairs and assess the abutting property owner for costs incurred...
Full Breakdown
Atlanta Code of Ordinances § 138-14 makes sidewalk repair the abutting property owner's job. The Department of Transportation inspects sidewalks along the right-of-way, condemns unsafe or unsuitable pavement, and notifies the owner, who must repair it within a reasonable time. If the owner doesn't, the department can make the repair itself and assess the cost against the property, collected the same way as other city executions. The same section makes owners responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks and for maintaining any unpaved strip between the sidewalk and the curb or property line, keeping it free of holes and weeds and the plantings watered and pruned.
Violations & Fines
Ignore the repair notice and the Department of Transportation fixes the sidewalk itself, then assesses the owner for the cost: collected like any other city tax execution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for repairing a damaged sidewalk in Atlanta?
What happens if I don't fix the sidewalk after Atlanta cites it as damaged?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Atlanta
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Sidewalk Repair in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle sidewalk repair.