In Georgia, you cannot stand or park a vehicle in front of a public or private driveway. That is the whole text of the driveway rule, and it comes with no distance in feet. If the car sits across the drive, so that a vehicle cannot use it, it is blocking it.
The rule sits in O.C.G.A. § 40-6-203, the statute on stopping, standing and parking. You can read it on Justia’s copy of the Georgia code.
What the statute actually says
Section 40-6-203 has two lists. The first covers places where you may not stop, stand or park at all, such as on a sidewalk, in an intersection, on a crosswalk or on a bridge. The second list covers places where you may not stand or park, “whether occupied or not,” except momentarily to pick up or drop off a passenger. The driveway rule is in that second list, along with these:
- In front of a public or private driveway.
- Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
- Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
- Within 30 feet of the approach to a flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign or traffic-control signal at the side of the road.
- Within 20 feet of a fire station driveway entrance, with a 75-foot rule on the opposite side of the street when posted.
Notice the difference. Hydrants, crosswalks and stop signs come with measured distances. The driveway line does not. So there is no “four feet from the edge of the apron is fine” in the state law we reviewed, and no one should tell you there is.
What “in front of” means in real life
Read plainly, a car is in front of a driveway when it sits where the driveway meets the street and would stop a vehicle from entering or leaving. A few common cases:
- Fully across the apron. Clear violation. Nothing can get in or out.
- Half on the apron. Still in front of the driveway as written. Whether a given officer writes it is a different question, and we cannot predict that.
- Next to the driveway, clear of the opening. The state rule does not apply, though a city or county ordinance or HOA rule might add its own limit. We did not review those for every metro city, so check yours.
- Passenger drop-off. The statute lets you stand momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger. That covers a few seconds, not a trip inside to grab a package.
The exception for a stop needed to avoid a traffic conflict or to follow an officer or traffic signal also applies, at the start of the section.
Your own private driveway versus a shared lot
Two situations often get mixed up.
If a stranger parks across the mouth of your driveway on a public street, the state driveway rule is the rule that applies, and it is a traffic matter. That is for the police or local parking enforcement, depending on where you live.
If a car is parked inside a private apartment lot or HOA lot, the rule is different. Non-consensual towing from private property is governed by O.C.G.A. § 44-1-13, which requires posted signs and a tow company contract with the property owner. Your lease or HOA covenants usually define “blocking” more tightly than the traffic code does. The guide to a car blocking your driveway in Atlanta covers the steps in more detail.
What to do if someone blocks your driveway
- Take photos that show the car across the driveway, the plate, and the street or house number.
- Knock on a neighbor’s door if the car looks like a guest’s. It resolves more cases than any call does.
- If you cannot reach the owner, call the local police non-emergency line or parking enforcement for your city or county. Do not call a tow company to pull a car off a public street yourself. A street tow is an enforcement decision, so leave it to the authority.
- Do not block the car in or damage it. That turns your complaint into a second one.
If you live in an apartment or HOA and the car is on the property, call the manager or board first. They hold the towing contract and the signage.
What if the blocked car is yours
If you were blocking a drive and found your car gone, it may have been towed by the property or ordered by police. The steps to find it are in where your towed car is. Georgia’s tariff caps what a private-lot operator may charge at $228 for the tow itself on a typical car, and the posted sign must say where to retrieve it.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to park in front of my own driveway?
The statute says in front of a public or private driveway, and it does not carve out the homeowner. Parking across your own apron is something to avoid, and a neighbor or officer may still object. Parking in your own drive is not an issue.
How many feet from a driveway do I have to park?
The Georgia statute we reviewed lists no foot count for driveways. It does list distances for hydrants (15 feet), crosswalks at intersections (20 feet) and stop signs and signals (30 feet).
Can I have a car towed from my driveway right away?
If it is a private lot, the operator must be called for each vehicle, and the property owner or agent is involved. For a public street, police decide, not you. Ask the authority for the right step.
Does this change for a short stop?
Only for passengers, momentarily. The text gives no exception for a quick errand.
For a tow or roadside call, the line is (858) 925-5546.