Can my neighbor do that? What Oklahoma law allows if you have issues

Wondering if you can park in front of someone else’s house, or fly a drone over your neighbor’s home? There’s a statute for that.

Oklahoma law can clarify if you can legally cut the overhanging limbs, drive in the left lane, be on your phone during a school zone and much more. Oftentimes, the common sense law may come into play, but that should not distract you from knowing the precise law before you decide to refurbish the shared fence.

If you’re looking for what to know about general neighborly deeds or casual traffic laws, here’s what to know according to state law, legal experts and city/state codes.

Is it illegal to park in front of a stranger’s house in Oklahoma?

According to Nolo, a publishing company for the legal industry, it’s not illegal for someone to park in front of a stranger’s house on a public street.

Generally speaking, you can park along any neighborhood street.

“An individual citizen does not ‘own’ or have any ongoing exclusive right to use a parking space on a public street,” attorney Brian Farkas wrote in a 2023 Nolo article. “These spaces are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.”

There are some glaring exceptions to the rule, however, like in front of any driveway, near safety zones and more.

More: Read where you can and can’t park your car in Oklahoma.

When can kids stay home alone in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma doesn’t have a law dictating the age, but the state’s Department of Humans Services does have some guidelines.

Generally speaking, children under the age of six should never be left unsupervised, while those six and seven may be left alone but only for less than an hour.

The ages continue to vary depending on the age of the child and what the parent assesses the child’s development and functioning patterns.

More: Can I leave my child home alone? See what ages DHS recommends in Oklahoma

Is it legal to trim a neighbor’s tree hanging over the fence?

Generally speaking, the law allows property owners to maintain their belongings as they see fit. That includes trimming branches that grow past the property line. Edmond, for example, has explicitly said landowners have the right to trim trees or bushes that encroach on the property.

If the tree trunk or bush straddles the property line, both property owners are responsible for caring for shared trees and other shrubbery.

Be careful, though. Oklahoma courts can order you to pay 10 times the cost of someone else’s tree if it’s wrongfully damaged.

More: Can I cut a tree limb from my neighbor’s tree? See how state boundaries work

Is it legal in Oklahoma to shoot a drone hovering over your property?

The simple answer is no, you cannot shoot down a drone that’s over your or anyone else’s property.

For over a decade, both Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration have classified drones as aircraft.

It means that when it comes to disrupting something that’s flying in the air, the United States treats drones the same way as any other aircraft that can actually carry people. It’s also terribly unsafe to fire a gun into the air, and you may be liable in civil court for disrupting a business’ legitimate operation.

More: Can I shoot down a drone hovering over my property? Here’s why state law says no.

Can I shoot a gun on my property in Oklahoma?

It depends on local ordinances, but state ordinance notes that every person who fires a pistol, rifle, shotgun, air gun or other weapon in any place where anyone can be harmed can receive a misdemeanor charge.

What Oklahomans may do, as stated by officials with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, is that when firing guns, either privately practicing with targets or hunting, users need to ensure bullets do not leave the property and/or harm an individual.

More: How to make a proper backstop when shooting my gun? See what Oklahoma law says.