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Emergency Tree Trimming · Maryland

Emergency Tree Trimming in Montgomery County, MD

Emergency Tree Trimming in Montgomery County, MD: emergency tree trimming removes limbs that are broken, hanging or cracked over a roof, driveway, walkway or road before they fall, while the rest of the tree stays. Locally, is it your tree or the county's?: Any tree growing in the street right-of-way in Montgomery County is a county-owned tree, even when it's on the grass strip in front of your house.
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Tree problems in Montgomery County, MD that call for emergency tree trimming

  1. 1

    Is it your tree or the county's?

    Any tree growing in the street right-of-way in Montgomery County is a county-owned tree, even when it's on the grass strip in front of your house. MCDOT's Division of Highway Services maintains more than 250,000 trees in the dedicated right-of-way and about 200,000 more along rural roads. A tree fully inside your property line is yours.

  2. 2

    Maryland's Roadside Tree Law

    Maryland's Roadside Tree Law, dating to 1914, requires a Roadside Tree Permit from the DNR Forest Service before anyone plants, prunes or removes a tree growing wholly or partly in a public road right-of-way, whether a homeowner, a company, a town or a utility. Projects in Montgomery County need an additional county permit. Work on roadside trees has to be done by, or under the direction of, a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert.

  3. 3

    Clearance standards for street trees

    County pruning removes dead wood, diseased branches and structural defects, trains young trees, and keeps clearance for traffic: generally 12 to 14 feet over the road and 8 feet over the sidewalk. If a county tree's limbs are blocking signs or sight lines, report it through 311.

  4. 4

    Pepco and power lines

    Utilities, most often Pepco, trim trees to keep branches away from energized lines. That work isn't regulated by the county; questions go to the utility. Never let an ordinary tree crew work near energized lines, and report a tree on a line to the utility and 911.

  5. 5

    Your own trees: hiring a Licensed Tree Expert

    For trees on your property, Maryland law requires anyone doing commercial tree work to be a Licensed Tree Expert, certified by the DNR Forest Service through experience, education and an exam. Ask for the LTE license number along with insurance before you hire. Removing a single yard tree doesn't usually need a county permit, but development projects can trigger the county's forest conservation and tree canopy requirements.

What emergency tree trimming covers

Emergency tree trimming removes limbs that are broken, hanging or cracked over a roof, driveway, walkway or road before they fall, while the rest of the tree stays.

How emergency tree trimming works, step by step · part of emergency tree removal

Describe the tree and what it's near, and you'll reach an independent provider serving Montgomery County, MD.

Call about a tree emergency

Safety first in Montgomery County, MD

Stay well away from any downed wire and anything touching it. Call 911 for injuries or lines down, then the utility.

What you can safely do

  • Keep everyone out from under the broken limb, at least its length in every direction.
  • Photograph the damage for insurance before anything is moved.
  • Call the utility if any limb is on or near a line.

Leave these to professionals

  • Don't pull on a hanging limb with a rope or vehicle.
  • Don't climb a ladder into a storm-damaged tree with a chainsaw.
  • Don't touch a limb that's resting on a power line, or anything it's touching.

Montgomery County, MD at a glance

Street trees
County-owned; MCDOT maintains 250,000+ in the right-of-way
State law
Maryland Roadside Tree Law: permit for any work on a roadside tree
Who can do the work
Commercial tree work in Maryland requires a Licensed Tree Expert
Requests
311, or 240-777-0311 from outside the county
Line clearance
Pepco and other utilities, not regulated by the county

Local sources for Montgomery County, MD

What affects the price of emergency tree trimming in Montgomery County, MD

The usual drivers are size, access, what's under the tree and cleanup; see the full list for emergency tree trimming.

Emergency Tree Trimming in Montgomery County, MD: common questions

Is it your tree or the county's?: what does it mean for emergency tree trimming in Montgomery County, MD?

Any tree growing in the street right-of-way in Montgomery County is a county-owned tree, even when it's on the grass strip in front of your house. MCDOT's Division of Highway Services maintains more than 250,000 trees in the dedicated right-of-way and about 200,000 more along rural roads. A tree fully inside your property line is yours.

Maryland's Roadside Tree Law: what does it mean for emergency tree trimming in Montgomery County, MD?

Maryland's Roadside Tree Law, dating to 1914, requires a Roadside Tree Permit from the DNR Forest Service before anyone plants, prunes or removes a tree growing wholly or partly in a public road right-of-way, whether a homeowner, a company, a town or a utility. Projects in Montgomery County need an additional county permit. Work on roadside trees has to be done by, or under the direction of, a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert.

Clearance standards for street trees: what does it mean for emergency tree trimming in Montgomery County, MD?

County pruning removes dead wood, diseased branches and structural defects, trains young trees, and keeps clearance for traffic: generally 12 to 14 feet over the road and 8 feet over the sidewalk. If a county tree's limbs are blocking signs or sight lines, report it through 311.

Street trees: what it means for emergency tree trimming in Montgomery County, MD?

County-owned; MCDOT maintains 250,000+ in the right-of-way

State law: what it means for emergency tree trimming in Montgomery County, MD?

Maryland Roadside Tree Law: permit for any work on a roadside tree

Other tree services in Montgomery County, MD

Emergency Tree Trimming nearby

More about Montgomery County, MD: tree removal in Montgomery County, MD · all locations

Need emergency tree trimming in Montgomery County, MD?

Call to reach an independent tree-service provider that serves Montgomery County, MD. Calling is free and you decide whether to hire anyone.

Call for tree service

By calling, you agree that your call may be recorded and routed to an independent local tree-service provider, who may call or text you back about your request. Calling is free and does not obligate you to hire anyone. See our Privacy Policy.

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