Decks count toward lot coverage
The county's zoning checklist asks for a breakdown of lot coverage that includes decks and porches, along with the total lot area. Confirm the maximum for your zoning district before settling on size.
Service area · North Druid Hills, Georgia
Deck Builder North Druid Hills
This part of DeKalb County is unincorporated, so the county issues the permit and counts your deck toward lot coverage. We guide you through the county's process and build decks suited to ranch homes on wooded lots.
✓Permit guidance
✓Lot coverage checks
✓Ranch-home decks
✓Deck replacements
Building in North Druid Hills
Ranch homes under tall trees
North Druid Hills is an unincorporated community in DeKalb County. Two efforts to form a city here failed, the second by 136 votes in 2015, so there is no city hall and the county handles permitting. Toco Hills, around LaVista and North Druid Hills roads, is its best-known area. Much of Northlake and Oak Grove to the east is also unincorporated, though nearby city boundaries have changed, so our metro Atlanta deck team checks each address first.
The area stayed rural until the middle of the twentieth century and then filled with wooded subdivisions of mostly ranch homes. A ranch on a sloping lot usually sits near grade at the front and a story up at the back, which is where the deck goes.
The South Fork of Peachtree Creek forms the community's southern boundary.
We build throughout the 30329 and 30345 zip codes.
Local factors
What DeKalb County asks for
A stamped site plan
The site plan has to be prepared by a Georgia-registered engineer or surveyor and show property lines, setbacks, the proposed deck, erosion controls, trees, floodplain, state waters, and easements. An existing survey up to ten years old can be used if it still reflects the property.
Trees
The county's exemption form lets a single-family owner certify that the work will not remove more than five trees of 8 to 29 inches in diameter. Removing larger specimen trees needs approval from the County Arborist or the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Streams and septic
A deck within 75 feet of a stream has to comply with the county's stream buffer ordinance. If the house is on a septic tank, the Board of Health must sign off on the addition.
Permits
How a DeKalb County deck permit works
Decks fall under the county's residential additions permit, handled by the Department of Planning and Sustainability. The county describes these steps:
- Application and fees through the ePermits portal, with a minimum total of $245
- Electronic plan review in ePlans, first by Zoning and then by Land Development
- Permit posted on site, an erosion control inspection, then building inspections
- A certificate of completion after all inspections pass
Inspectors expect the architectural plans to be on site. The county also asks applicants to check for a Residential Infill Overlay District, a historic district, or floodplain before applying.
Fees and requirements change, so we check the county's current guide when we plan your deck.
Sources, checked October 2026: DeKalb County: Residential Additions Guide.
What fits here
Deck designs that suit ranch homes here
A ranch house gives you a long back wall, so a wide, shallow deck that connects the kitchen and living room doors often works better than a deep square one. On a sloping lot the far end may be a story up, which calls for proper footings, bracing, and a stair with a landing.
Tall pines and hardwoods keep these yards shaded and covered in needles and leaves. Capped composite boards rinse clean, properly gapped boards let debris fall through, and footings are placed to avoid major roots.
DeKalb County counts decks toward lot coverage. We check your numbers first.
Call (470) 279-4199Common questions
North Druid Hills deck questions
Who issues deck permits in North Druid Hills?
DeKalb County. North Druid Hills is unincorporated, so permits go through the county's Department of Planning and Sustainability, using its ePermits and ePlans systems.
What does a DeKalb County deck permit cost?
The county's residential additions guide lists a minimum total of $245, made up of a $195 minimum permit fee and $50 for the certificate of occupancy or completion. Larger projects cost more, and fees are due when you apply.
Do I need a new survey for a deck permit?
Not always. The county accepts a site plan or survey up to ten years old if it reflects current improvements, and it must carry the stamp of a Georgia-registered engineer or surveyor.
Will I need a tree plan?
Often not. A single-family owner can file the county's tree ordinance exemption form if the work will not remove more than five trees of 8 to 29 inches in diameter. Specimen trees are handled separately and need county approval to remove.
Service area
Our North Druid Hills service area
We build, replace, and repair decks throughout North Druid Hills and the neighborhoods around it.
Start with your address
Plan a deck for your North Druid Hills home
Tell us your address and send your survey if you have one. We will check lot coverage, trees, and any stream, and give you a written scope.