Shelby County, TN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty holder
- Abutting property owner
- Applies in
- Unincorporated Shelby County only
- Notice by
- County engineer, personal or registered mail
- If ignored
- County repairs it, bills owner
- Cost recovery
- Lien or special tax on property
- Exception
- Reverse-frontage lots on major roads
- Tenant duty
- Also binds tenants/occupants (Sec. 38-46)
Summary
In unincorporated Shelby County, the owner of any lot abutting a public street must keep the adjacent sidewalk clean, open for foot traffic, and in good repair. Ignore a county engineer's written notice to fix a broken sidewalk and the county can do the work itself and bill you for it, plus attach the cost as a lien or special tax on your property.
It shall be the duty of every owner of property, whether vacant or occupied, within the unincorporated areas of the county abutting on or adjacent to, any street, avenue, parkway, or other public street of the county, to keep clean and open for public passage all public sidewalks or walkways abutting on or adjacent to such property, and to keep such sidewalks or walkways in good repair and condition.
Full Breakdown
Shelby County Code Sec. " Subsection (1) covers original construction where curbs and gutters are already in place and a grade has been fixed, ordered by the county engineer; subsection (3) covers unpaved streets, requiring owners to keep the walking space free of obstructions, excavations, high grass, weeds, trash and debris. Subsection (4) carves out an exception: an owner of a residential lot with reverse frontage on a road the metropolitan planning organization designates as a major road is not responsible for building, repairing or cleaning the sidewalk on that major-road side.
Sec. 38-46 extends the same building, repair and cleaning duties to tenants and other occupants, who can place a lien on the property for reimbursement and attorney's fees if the underlying obligation was really the landlord's. Enforcement runs through Sec. 38-48: the county engineer or an authorized representative gives written notice, delivered by personal service or registered letter to the owner's last known address, once a failure to repair, rebuild or keep a sidewalk clean is reported. Proof of mailing satisfies the notice requirement even without proof of receipt.
Violations & Fines
Failing to act on a Sec. 38-48 notice is itself an offense under Sec. 38-49(a). Beyond that, the county engineer may go ahead and build, repair, rebuild or clean the sidewalk, and the cost becomes a lien on the property enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction under Sec. 38-49(b). As an added remedy, Sec. 38-49(c) lets the county engineer certify the cost to the county trustee, who places it on the property's county tax bill as a special improvement tax collected the same way as regular property taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to fix a broken sidewalk in unincorporated Shelby County?
What happens if I ignore the county's repair notice?
Does this rule apply to my sidewalk in Memphis?
Is there an exception for corner or reverse-frontage lots?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shelby County
Compare Shelby County to another location·View the Tennessee sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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