| Birmingham, AL | - Trees in Birmingham's street rights-of-way and on city property are managed by the Horticulture and Urban Forestry Division; residents report sick, damaged or dead public trees to the city for inspection by a contracted certified arborist.
- An ordinance passed in October 2025 gave the city Tree Commission regulatory authority over right-of-way and city-property trees, including a removal permit process and fines for unlawful removal.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Phoenix, AZ | - Arizona Native Plant Law: protected native plants, including palo verde, mesquite and ironwood, may not be destroyed without prior notice to the Arizona Department of Agriculture (20 days for areas under one acre).
- The City of Phoenix doesn't generally require a permit to remove a tree on private residential property, but right-of-way trees need city involvement. We could not verify a single city page stating the private-lot rule, so confirm with Planning & Development for your parcel.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Tucson, AZ | - Tucson's Native Plant Preservation standards (Unified Development Code §7.7) require an inventory and preservation plan for protected native plants, including ironwood, mesquite and palo verde, when land is developed.
- Tucson Electric Power asks residents to keep vegetation on their property at least 10 feet from power lines.
- Pima County prohibits selling or planting mulberry and olive trees (Code §7.41.030), except low-pollen varieties; existing trees don't have to be removed.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Los Angeles, CA | - Protected trees are native oaks (other than scrub oak), Southern California black walnut, western sycamore and California bay laurel measuring 4 inches or more in cumulative diameter at 4.5 feet; Mexican elderberry and toyon shrubs are also protected.
- Removing or relocating a protected tree, or harmful work around one, requires a permit from the City of Los Angeles Urban Forestry Division.
- Street trees in the parkway belong to the city and need permission for pruning or removal.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Sacramento, CA | - Sacramento City Code 12.56 protects private trees: native Valley oak, blue oak, interior live oak, coast live oak, California buckeye and California sycamore at 12 inches DSH or more, and any tree at 24 inches or more on undeveloped land or commercial, industrial or apartment properties.
- Approved permits are required before work on city trees or private protected trees.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| San Diego, CA | - Street trees in the public right-of-way are managed by the City of San Diego; removal of a street tree requires city review and a permit, and requests go through the city's Get It Done system.
- Trees on private property are generally the owner's responsibility; check for HOA, coastal or environmental overlays before large removals.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| San Francisco, CA | - Since July 1, 2017, Public Works has maintained all street trees and the sidewalk damage they cause, under Proposition E.
- Public Works Code Section 810 defines significant trees and landmark trees; removing one, or any street tree, requires a permit.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| San Jose, CA | - On single-family or duplex lots, a permit is required to remove an ordinance-size tree (38 inches or more in circumference at 4.5 feet, single or combined trunks), live or dead.
- A permit is always required for street trees, heritage trees, and any tree on multifamily, commercial, industrial or mixed-use property or in a common area.
- Permits are considered when a tree is a safety hazard; dead, dying or diseased; unsuitable; or restricts reasonable improvement of the property.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Denver, CO | - A permit from Denver's Office of the City Forester is required before removing, planting, treating or attaching anything to a tree in the public right-of-way; licensed contractors pull the permit.
- Tree work in Denver must be performed by a company licensed by the city.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Fort Lauderdale, FL | - On a developed single-family lot with no redevelopment planned, a city permit is required to remove a dicot or conifer 8 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet above grade; the threshold drops to 3 inches when redevelopment is anticipated and on other property types.
- Florida Statute 163.045 bars the city from requiring a permit, fee or mitigation on residential property when an ISA Certified Arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect documents that a tree poses an unacceptable risk.
- Under Florida's Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, a homeowner may trim riparian mangroves up to 10 feet tall to no lower than 6 feet; mangroves 10 to 24 feet tall must be trimmed by a professional mangrove trimmer, and taller ones need a permit.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Jacksonville, FL | - Jacksonville exempts trees on a lot with an occupied single-family home or mobile home, where the lot can't be further subdivided, from its tree-protection restrictions. An exemption permit with a fee and supporting evidence is required.
- On lots that don't qualify for that exemption, the state's documented-hazard rule (Florida Statute 163.045) still lets a dangerous residential tree come down without a local permit.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Miami, FL | - Miami-Dade County Chapter 24 requires a permit for tree removal, with exemptions including removal of non-specimen trees (under 18 inches in diameter) from the yard of an existing single-family residence, and certain invasive species.
- Specimen trees (18 inches and larger) face the strictest review.
- On a single-family lot, a written finding by an ISA Certified Arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect that a tree is an unacceptable risk lets the owner skip the Chapter 24 county permit for that tree (Florida Statute 163.045).
- Some municipalities within Miami-Dade have their own additional rules.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Orlando, FL | - The City of Orlando requires an application to remove trees 6 inches DBH or larger, and mature live oaks, bald cypress and southern magnolias are treated as heritage trees with additional requirements.
- For a decaying laurel oak at a single-family home, the state's documented-hazard exemption usually matters more than the city ordinance; it's explained on the Florida page.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Tampa, FL | - City of Tampa: a permit is required to remove trees 5 inches DBH and larger (excluding invasive species), and to prune trees 24 inches DBH and larger.
- Grand trees (32 inches DBH and larger) require special review; if not hazardous, removal may need a public process.
- Removals are generally subject to mitigation or tree-fund payments. Florida Statute 163.045 exempts qualifying residential trees documented as an unacceptable risk.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Atlanta, GA | - A permit is required to remove, destroy or injure any tree 6 inches DBH or larger on private property in the City of Atlanta, regardless of species or condition. Dead trees require a permit too.
- Permits are handled by the Department of City Planning, Office of Buildings – Arborist Division. Removals typically require replacement trees or recompense to the Tree Trust Fund.
- Cities outside Atlanta (Decatur, Sandy Springs, Marietta and others) have their own rules.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Boise, ID | - Idaho Power prunes along its lines on a maintenance cycle, to clearances that last at least three years.
- After major storms, Boise Community Forestry, the Ada County Highway District and Idaho Power clear public trees and lines; private trees are the owner's.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Chicago, IL | - Parkway trees are city property. Request inspection, trimming or removal through 311; a Bureau of Forestry arborist inspects and decides whether the tree comes down.
- Routine parkway removals happen in the winter season (November–March); dead, damaged and emergency trees are handled sooner.
- There's generally no city permit to remove a tree on your own private lot.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Indianapolis, IN | - A permit is required for any tree planting, pruning, spraying, bracing, removal or treatment in the city right-of-way; street trees can't be removed without a permit.
- AES Indiana prunes trees along its lines on a routine cycle and generally leaves logs over four inches in diameter for the property owner.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Cedar Rapids, IA | - Iowa has no statewide permit for private yard trees; Cedar Rapids manages public street trees.
- The Iowa DNR surveyed derecho tree losses statewide and supports community replanting through its urban forestry program.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Wichita, KS | - Evergy generally prunes to provide at least 10 feet of clearance around its lines.
- The Kansas Forest Service and K-State Research and Extension advise removing pine-wilt-killed pines and destroying the wood before beetles emerge.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Louisville, KY | - No tree may be planted, pruned or removed in a public right-of-way (including the green verge or a tree well) without a permit from Urban Forestry. Request permits through Metro311.
- Trees removed from the right-of-way must be replaced within one year. A pruning permit isn't needed for pruning less than 10% of the canopy or for visibility, pedestrian or traffic clearance.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| New Orleans, LA | - No one may remove, cut or interfere with a city tree without prior written approval from the Department of Parks and Parkways, and only arborists approved by the department may work on city trees.
- Trees on neutral grounds and other public rights-of-way are city trees. Trees on private lots are the owner's responsibility.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Baltimore, MD | - A person may not remove a tree in or along a public street without a written permit from the Department of Recreation and Parks.
- Permitted removals must be done by a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert, and removed street trees must be replaced inch for inch or mitigated with a fee.
- Trees entirely on private property that don't border the road can be removed without a permit.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Boston, MA | - Street trees are public shade trees protected by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 87 and can't be cut down without a public hearing and Tree Warden authorization.
- Requests go to the Tree Warden at Boston Parks and Recreation ([email protected]) with a site plan. If approved, removal is at the requester's expense, plus a per-inch payment into the Fund for Parks and Recreation before the permit is granted.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Detroit, MI | - Detroit's Dead, Dangerous and Diseased Tree Program lets residents request an inspection of a private-property tree; if it qualifies, the city schedules a contractor to trim or remove it.
- There's no city permit required to remove a tree entirely on your own private lot.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Minneapolis, MN | - Boulevard trees are owned and maintained by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. Residents may not remove them, and significant pruning needs MPRB permission.
- The MPRB inspects for and can condemn diseased or hazardous private trees (such as EAB-infested ash or Dutch elm disease), requiring the owner to remove them.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Kansas City, MO | - KC Parks and Recreation's Forestry section oversees trees in the right-of-way along streets and boulevards; pruning, removal or planting of these trees requires its authorization.
- Foresters can issue permits to residents for pruning, removal and planting at no cost. Removing a right-of-way tree without authorization can mean fines and required replacement.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| St. Louis, MO | - The City Tree Ordinance (Ordinance 68607) requires a Permit to Maintain from the Division of Forestry for any pruning, spraying or removal of a city tree.
- Permits are issued only to commercial tree services with at least one ISA Certified Arborist on staff and current licenses. The owner or the contractor may apply.
- Report problems with city trees to the Division of Forestry; trees on private property are the owner's responsibility.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Omaha, NE | - Emerald ash borer was confirmed by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture in Omaha's Pulaski Park on June 9, 2016.
- Nebraska Extension recommends removing pine-wilt-killed pines and destroying the wood before beetles emerge.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Las Vegas, NV | - NV Energy trims trees growing near high-voltage lines, seeking at least 10 feet of clearance, and may remove trees whose trunks are too close; keeping trees off your service line is your responsibility.
- Clark County's Community Canopy program supports planting to expand tree cover in the valley.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Jersey City, NJ | - A valid tree work permit is required to plant, prune, remove or otherwise disturb a City tree. Removal by anyone other than the Division of Parks and Forestry or a city contractor requires its permit, and removal without one is illegal.
- The Shade Tree Committee makes recommendations on large-scale planting and removal of shade trees in rights-of-way, plazas and parks.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Albuquerque, NM | - Albuquerque's 1996 pollen ordinance made it illegal to plant Siberian elms.
- In fire-prone areas, defensible-space guidance recommends no conifers within 30 feet of a structure.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Buffalo, NY | - A Tree Work Permit is required to plant, prune or remove trees within the City of Buffalo right-of-way. There's no fee.
- The Bureau of Forestry maintains street trees, park trees and trees on city-owned lots; call 311 to request an inspection, planting, removal, trimming, a root or sewer conflict check, or a pest concern.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| New York City, NY | - Street trees are city property. A permit from NYC Parks is required for any work on or within 50 feet of a street tree, including pruning and removal. Unauthorized removal is punishable by fines and possible jail time.
- Report fallen, damaged or hazardous street trees to 311. Private trees on your property are your responsibility; there's generally no citywide permit for them, but landmark districts and development projects can involve review.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Charlotte, NC | - The City of Charlotte oversees trees in the public right-of-way (street trees); contact the city's Landscape Management office to confirm whether a tree is city-maintained before any work.
- The Charlotte Tree Ordinance and UDO Article 20 apply mainly to development; existing single-family homes are generally exempt from those tree-save requirements.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Raleigh, NC | - A Tree Impact Permit is required for activities affecting trees on the city right-of-way and city-owned property, requested through the City of Raleigh.
- Most trees on private single-family lots don't require a permit, but historic districts and Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Districts can add requirements. Check your lot's zoning.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Cincinnati, OH | - No operation involving a public tree (a street tree or other tree on public property) may begin without an Urban Forestry permit from the director. There's no fee when the estimated cost of the work is $500 or less.
- Properties in the Urban Forestry Maintenance District pay a front-foot assessment that funds planting, pruning and removal of public trees along streets.
- Disputes over private trees affecting a neighbor (not the right-of-way) are handled by the Department of Buildings & Inspections as code enforcement.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Cleveland, OH | - Urban Forestry permits are required for pruning, removal, planting, root pruning and stump grinding of trees on city-managed land, which includes most tree-lawn trees. Excavation near a city tree's trunk may also need a permit.
- Residents may not plant on the tree lawn themselves; a contractor plants with the City Forester's approval.
- The relevant ordinances are Chapter 509 (Trees) and Chapter 163 (Urban Forestry Commission).
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Columbus, OH | - Columbus requires a Forestry permit for any project that removes, prunes, grinds the stump of, or works within the critical root zone of a public tree. Street trees always need a permit, regardless of condition.
- The tree company's ISA Certified Arborist submits the application. There's no application fee, but replanting or a mitigation fee may be required.
- Trees entirely on your private lot don't need a city permit.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Tulsa, OK | - Property owners are responsible for the care and maintenance of trees and other vegetation in the right-of-way abutting their property, including removing dead or damaged trees.
- Planting in the right-of-way requires a Right-of-Way clearance permit and a license agreement from the city.
- Trees planted to meet Tulsa Zoning Code requirements can't be prohibited species, which include Callery (Bradford) pear, silver maple, tree-of-heaven and green and white ash.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Portland, OR | - Private trees 12 inches or more in diameter are regulated by Portland's Title 11 unless Title 33 zoning rules apply instead.
- Removing a single tree 20 inches or larger, or five or more trees 12 inches and up, is a Type B permit: review, public notice, possible appeal and replacement up to inch for inch at the City Forester's discretion.
- Street trees need a permit for pruning, removal or planting.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Philadelphia, PA | - Contractors need a work permit from Philadelphia Parks & Recreation's Street Tree Management Division before pruning or removing a street tree.
- The city prunes street trees and removes dead or hazardous street trees free of charge, but doesn't remove living, healthy trees or maintain trees on private property, including alleys.
- Property owners may hire a certified arborist, at their own expense, to maintain their street trees under a permit.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Pittsburgh, PA | - No one may remove or cut down a tree in a public street or other public place without a permit from the Department of Public Works.
- To use a private contractor on a city tree, call the Forestry Division first; if approved, apply for a tree work permit and pay the fee. All work must be supervised by an ISA Certified Arborist.
- Request city pruning, removal or stump grinding of street or park trees through 311.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Charleston, SC | - Grand trees, meaning trees 24 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet (excluding pines and sweetgums), can't be removed without city approval.
- A tree inspection request starts the process. Hazardous, diseased or irreparably damaged trees, or trees causing unfixable damage to a habitable building, are approved for removal; other requests may go to the Board of Zoning Appeals–Site Design.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Memphis, TN | - MLGW's contract crews trim trees that endanger power lines or block street lights, and may remove a tree whose trunk is within about 10 to 15 feet of a pole line if it endangers the line.
- Removing trees in the public right-of-way involves the City of Memphis, and city code requires replacement of right-of-way trees, including those removed by utilities.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Nashville, TN | - Single-family and duplex owners in Davidson County generally don't need a Metro permit to remove a tree on their own land.
- Exceptions: trees in the public right-of-way (which need Urban Forestry approval), designated protected or heritage trees, and trees on active subdivisions or approved site plans.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Austin, TX | - Trees 19 inches in diameter (measured 4.5 feet above ground) and larger are protected; removing one requires a permit from the City of Austin.
- Heritage trees, 24 inches and larger of listed species such as live oak, pecan and Texas ash, get additional protection: removal generally needs strong justification (dead, an imminent hazard, or confirmed disease) and mitigation.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Dallas, TX | - Article X tree preservation rules generally do not apply to lots smaller than two acres with single-family or duplex use.
- They do apply to vacant lots, lots of two acres or more, and properties where a structure will be demolished. There, protected trees (generally 8 inches or more in diameter) need a removal permit.
- Several fast-growing species, including hackberry, Bradford pear relatives, silver maple and Siberian elm, are listed as not protected.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Fort Worth, TX | - Fort Worth requires a Development Services tree removal permit for private land, except single-family residential property under one acre, which is exempt.
- Single-family owners on lots under one acre may take down one dead, dying, diseased or hazardous tree per year without notifying the city.
- The Park & Recreation Department oversees trees on city property and in public rights-of-way.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Houston, TX | - A permit is required to remove or trim any tree on city property, which includes street rights-of-way, esplanades and parks. Permits go through Urban Forestry, and posting and processing periods apply.
- Houston doesn't generally require a permit to remove trees on your own private residential lot, but deed restrictions and HOA rules can.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| San Antonio, TX | - San Antonio's tree preservation ordinance (Unified Development Code §35-523) sets rules for significant and heritage trees (24 inches and larger) mainly during development and permitting.
- Lots where construction of one- to three-family dwellings is complete are exempt from those preservation requirements. Historic districts and development projects may still involve review.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Salt Lake City, UT | - Park-strip, median and park trees are public trees managed by Salt Lake City's Urban Forestry program; contact the city before pruning or removing one.
- Trees on your own lot are your responsibility; utilities may trim trees near lines to keep them clear, as Utah's Division of Public Utilities explains.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Richmond, VA | - All work on public trees must be done by the city or under a permit. A property owner who wants a city tree pruned or removed applies for a permit, reviewed and approved or denied by a City Arborist.
- Permitted work on city trees must be performed by an insured tree company, at the owner's expense.
- Hazardous public trees can be reported to the city arborist through RVA311.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Virginia Beach, VA | - Single-family homeowners outside protected areas generally don't need a permit to remove trees on their own lot.
- Permits are needed for tree removal in Chesapeake Bay Resource Protection Areas, in tree preservation areas designated on approved site plans, and for any activity in a city-owned right-of-way or easement.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Seattle, WA | - Seattle's tree protection ordinance (SMC 25.11), effective July 30, 2023, regulates most trees 6 inches DBH and larger on private property; removal generally requires a permit from SDCI, with replacement requirements and stricter limits on larger trees.
- Hazardous trees can be removed through a documented process; steep slopes and other environmentally critical areas carry additional rules.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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| Tacoma, WA | - Any work on a street tree (pruning, removal or planting) requires a Right-of-Way Tree (RTRE) permit under Tacoma's Urban Forestry Code, TMC 9.20, updated effective June 1, 2024.
- Pruning permits are free, and only the owner of the property abutting the street tree, or their designee, can apply. Removals must fit an approved category, such as a hazardous tree; a canopy loss fee applies only to conflict trees.
| Checked 2026-10-03 |
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| Milwaukee, WI | - Milwaukee Forestry Services manages street trees, boulevards and green spaces, including pruning, removal, stump grinding and planting. Residents request service through the city call center or online.
- Street trees are inspected on a five-year cycle, with removal scheduled when needed.
- Damaged or fallen street trees are reported through click4action, the Milwaukee Mobile Action App or 414-286-CITY.
| Checked 2026-10-01 |
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