Open data · checked 26 October 2026

Tree removal permits by city

Name: US city tree removal permit rules (Lirevon)
Creator: Lirevon
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Find your city

Each city page has the plain answer, protected and street tree rules, how to apply and links to the official sources. 122 of 182 pages link at least one official source.

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State

Permit needed?

182 of 182 cities shown.

Alabama

Tree removal permit rules in Alabama
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Auburn, AL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Birmingham, AL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Huntsville, AL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Mobile, AL	Could not confirm	Medium	Read rules
Montgomery, AL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Tuscaloosa, AL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Arizona

Tree removal permit rules in Arizona
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Phoenix, AZ	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Tucson, AZ	No city-wide rule found	Low	Read rules

Arkansas

Tree removal permit rules in Arkansas
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Fayetteville, AR	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Little Rock, AR	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

California

Tree removal permit rules in California
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Fresno, CA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Los Angeles, CA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Sacramento, CA	Some trees	High	Read rules
San Diego, CA	Could not confirm	Medium	Read rules
San Jose, CA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Colorado

Tree removal permit rules in Colorado
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Colorado Springs, CO	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules

Delaware

Tree removal permit rules in Delaware
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Wilmington, DE	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Florida

Tree removal permit rules in Florida
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Daytona Beach, FL	Some trees	Low	Read rules
Fort Lauderdale, FL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Fort Myers, FL	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Gainesville, FL	Some trees	High	Read rules
Jacksonville, FL	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Lakeland, FL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Melbourne, FL	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Miami, FL	Yes	Medium	Read rules
Naples, FL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Ocala, FL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Orlando, FL	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Panama City, FL	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Pensacola, FL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Port St. Lucie, FL	Some trees	High	Read rules
Sarasota, FL	Yes	High	Read rules
St. Petersburg, FL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Tallahassee, FL	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Tampa, FL	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
West Palm Beach, FL	Yes	Medium	Read rules

Georgia

Tree removal permit rules in Georgia
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Alpharetta, GA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Athens, GA	Some trees	High	Read rules
Atlanta, GA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Augusta, GA	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Columbus, GA	No city-wide rule found	Low	Read rules
Gainesville, GA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Lawrenceville, GA	No city-wide rule found	Low	Read rules
Macon, GA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Marietta, GA	Some trees	High	Read rules
Roswell, GA	Yes	Medium	Read rules
Savannah, GA	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Valdosta, GA	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Warner Robins, GA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Hawaii

Tree removal permit rules in Hawaii
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Honolulu, HI	Some trees	Medium	Read rules

Idaho

Tree removal permit rules in Idaho
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Boise, ID	Some trees	Medium	Read rules

Illinois

Tree removal permit rules in Illinois
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Chicago, IL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Naperville, IL	Some trees	High	Read rules
Peoria, IL	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Rockford, IL	Could not confirm	Medium	Read rules

Indiana

Tree removal permit rules in Indiana
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Evansville, IN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Fort Wayne, IN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Indianapolis, IN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
South Bend, IN	Some trees	Medium	Read rules

Iowa

Tree removal permit rules in Iowa
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Cedar Rapids, IA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Des Moines, IA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Kansas

Tree removal permit rules in Kansas
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Wichita, KS	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Kentucky

Tree removal permit rules in Kentucky
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Bowling Green, KY	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Lexington, KY	Could not confirm	Medium	Read rules
Louisville, KY	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Louisiana

Tree removal permit rules in Louisiana
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Baton Rouge, LA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Lafayette, LA	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
New Orleans, LA	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
Shreveport, LA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Maine

Tree removal permit rules in Maine
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Portland, ME	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Maryland

Tree removal permit rules in Maryland
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Annapolis, MD	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Baltimore, MD	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Frederick, MD	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Michigan

Tree removal permit rules in Michigan
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Ann Arbor, MI	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Detroit, MI	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Flint, MI	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Grand Rapids, MI	Could not confirm	Medium	Read rules
Lansing, MI	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Minnesota

Tree removal permit rules in Minnesota
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Minneapolis, MN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Rochester, MN	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules

Missouri

Tree removal permit rules in Missouri
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Columbia, MO	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Kansas City, MO	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Springfield, MO	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
St. Louis, MO	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Montana

Tree removal permit rules in Montana
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Billings, MT	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Nebraska

Tree removal permit rules in Nebraska
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Lincoln, NE	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Omaha, NE	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Nevada

Tree removal permit rules in Nevada
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Las Vegas, NV	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Reno, NV	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

New Jersey

Tree removal permit rules in New Jersey
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Newark, NJ	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Toms River, NJ	Yes	High	Read rules

New Mexico

Tree removal permit rules in New Mexico
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Albuquerque, NM	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

New York

Tree removal permit rules in New York
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Albany, NY	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Buffalo, NY	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Rochester, NY	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

North Carolina

Tree removal permit rules in North Carolina
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Asheville, NC	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Charlotte, NC	Some trees	High	Read rules
Concord, NC	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
Durham, NC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Fayetteville, NC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Gastonia, NC	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Greensboro, NC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Greenville, NC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Hickory, NC	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
High Point, NC	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
Jacksonville, NC	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
Raleigh, NC	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Wilmington, NC	Some trees	High	Read rules
Winston-Salem, NC	Some trees	Low	Read rules

North Dakota

Tree removal permit rules in North Dakota
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Fargo, ND	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Ohio

Tree removal permit rules in Ohio
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Canton, OH	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Cincinnati, OH	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Cleveland, OH	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Columbus, OH	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
Dayton, OH	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Toledo, OH	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Youngstown, OH	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Oklahoma

Tree removal permit rules in Oklahoma
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Norman, OK	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Oklahoma City, OK	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Tulsa, OK	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Oregon

Tree removal permit rules in Oregon
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Eugene, OR	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Pennsylvania

Tree removal permit rules in Pennsylvania
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Allentown, PA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Harrisburg, PA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Philadelphia, PA	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Pittsburgh, PA	Could not confirm	Medium	Read rules
Reading, PA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Scranton, PA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

South Carolina

Tree removal permit rules in South Carolina
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Charleston, SC	Some trees	High	Read rules
Columbia, SC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Florence, SC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Greenville, SC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Myrtle Beach, SC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Rock Hill, SC	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Spartanburg, SC	Some trees	Medium	Read rules

South Dakota

Tree removal permit rules in South Dakota
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Sioux Falls, SD	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules

Tennessee

Tree removal permit rules in Tennessee
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Chattanooga, TN	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
Clarksville, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Cleveland, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Cookeville, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Franklin, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Jackson, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Johnson City, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Kingsport, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Knoxville, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Memphis, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Murfreesboro, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Nashville, TN	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Texas

Tree removal permit rules in Texas
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Amarillo, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Arlington, TX	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Austin, TX	Yes	High	Read rules
Beaumont, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Conroe, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Corpus Christi, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Dallas, TX	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
El Paso, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Fort Worth, TX	Some trees	Medium	Read rules
Houston, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Katy, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Killeen, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Lubbock, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
McKinney, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Midland, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Plano, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
San Antonio, TX	Some trees	High	Read rules
Tyler, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Waco, TX	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Utah

Tree removal permit rules in Utah
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Salt Lake City, UT	Could not confirm	Medium	Read rules

Virginia

Tree removal permit rules in Virginia
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Charlottesville, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Chesapeake, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Fredericksburg, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Harrisonburg, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Lynchburg, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Newport News, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Richmond, VA	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules
Roanoke, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules
Virginia Beach, VA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Washington

Tree removal permit rules in Washington
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Seattle, WA	Yes	High	Read rules
Spokane, WA	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

West Virginia

Tree removal permit rules in West Virginia
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Charleston, WV	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Wisconsin

Tree removal permit rules in Wisconsin
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Madison, WI	Some trees	High	Read rules
Milwaukee, WI	Could not confirm	Low	Read rules

Wyoming

Tree removal permit rules in Wyoming
City	Permit needed?	Confidence	Link
Cheyenne, WY	No city-wide rule found	Medium	Read rules

Checked 26 October 2026. Rules change; check the official source on each city page before work starts. Short explanation, not legal advice. Data is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to lirevon.com; see open data and the free API.

For homeowners

Before a tree comes down

Check your city rule, ask the tree company who gets the permit, and get two or three written quotes from local insured pros. Never cut near power lines; call the utility for downed lines and 911 if anyone is in danger.

Own a tree service?

Permit questions mean calls. Answer every one.

Missed-call text-back, lead follow-up, online booking and review requests, set up for tree companies.

See services Free audit

See pricing

Tree permit questions

Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my own property?

It depends on your city. Some cities need a permit for any large tree, some only for protected species or certain sites, and some have no city-wide rule. Find your city in the table above, or call the city planning or forestry office. Short explanation, not legal advice.

What do the answers in the table mean?

"Yes" means the city requires a permit for at least some private trees in most cases. "Some trees" means the rule covers certain trees or sites only. "No city-wide rule found" means we found no general rule for private trees. "Could not confirm" means we could not confirm the rule from official sources, so call the city.

What does the confidence level mean?

High means we read the rule in the city code or on an official city page. Medium means we found official sources but some details were unclear or depend on the site. Low means we could not confirm the rule from official sources.

Do street trees follow different rules?

Often, yes. Trees in the public right-of-way, usually between the sidewalk and the street, are city trees in many places. Many cities require a permit to prune or remove them, even when the tree is in front of your house.

Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree without a permit?

Some cities allow it, some still want a permit or written proof from an arborist, and some want photos first. Check your city page. If a tree is about to fall on a home or a line, stay away, call the utility for downed lines and 911 if anyone is in danger.

Who usually gets the tree permit, the owner or the tree company?

It varies. Some tree companies apply for you; in many places the property owner is responsible for following the rules. Ask before you sign and put it in the written quote.

Do HOA rules apply on top of city rules?

Yes, they can. An HOA can be stricter than the city. A city permit does not override your HOA covenants, so check both before work starts.

How current is this data?

We checked every city on 26 October 2026. City rules change, so always check the official source on the city page, or call the city, before a tree comes down.

Is this legal advice?

No. It is a short, plain summary of public rules with links to the official sources. For a firm answer on your property, ask the city or a local attorney.

I own a tree service. Can I link to these pages?

Yes. Link the city page in your quotes or on your website so customers know the rules before you arrive. Our data pages are free to cite with a link to lirevon.com.