Gwinnett County, GA
Tree removal in Gwinnett County, Georgia
In unincorporated Gwinnett County, homeowners can generally remove trees from their own residential lot without a permit, unless the tree is in a zoning buffer, stream buffer, conservation or open space, the Chattahoochee River Corridor, a designated tree save area, or is a street tree. You must also keep at least two live trees on the lot. Cities in Gwinnett have their own rules.
Gwinnett County at a glance
- Most yard trees
- No permit for homeowners on occupied residential lots
- Permit needed in
- Zoning or stream buffers, open space, Chattahoochee corridor, tree save areas, street trees
- Minimum
- Keep at least two live trees on the lot
- Cities
- Lawrenceville, Duluth, Peachtree Corners, Snellville and others have their own rules
Reviewed and updated
When Gwinnett homeowners need permission
Gwinnett County's guidance for homeowners in unincorporated areas is simple: a tree on your occupied, residentially zoned lot can be removed without a permit, as long as it isn't in one of the protected situations below, and you keep at least two live trees on the lot.
- A required zoning buffer between your subdivision and a neighboring use.
- A stream buffer.
- Conservation or open space set aside when the subdivision was approved.
- The Chattahoochee River Corridor.
- A designated tree save area shown on your subdivision plat.
- A street tree.
How to tell if your tree is in a buffer or save area
Your subdivision's recorded plat shows zoning buffers, stream buffers, open space and tree save areas. Many Gwinnett subdivisions built since the 1990s have them along their back lot lines, exactly where large trees tend to be. If the plat isn't in your closing documents, Gwinnett's planning department and the county's GIS can help. HOA covenants often add their own approval process on top.
Gwinnett's trees and storms
Gwinnett's subdivisions are carved out of second-growth forest, so many backyards have tall loblolly pines, tulip poplars, oaks and sweetgums left from clearing. Thunderstorms with straight-line winds, ice storms and tropical-storm remnants bring most emergency calls. Pines left standing at the edge of a cleared lot are especially exposed, and drought-stressed pines attract bark beetles.
Atlanta guidance
The City of Atlanta, next door in Fulton and DeKalb, requires permits for private trees 6 inches and larger, a very different system from unincorporated Gwinnett.
Atlanta's strict tree ordinance and aging oak canopy.
Cities inside Gwinnett
Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee, Peachtree Corners, Snellville, Norcross, Lilburn, Buford and the other cities in Gwinnett set their own tree rules; Peachtree Corners, for example, publishes its own homeowner tree-removal information. Check your city if your address isn't unincorporated.
Removing tall pines over houses
- 1
Assessment and quote
The company looks at the tree, the drop zone, access for equipment, and nearby targets like the roof, wires and fences. The written quote should say what's included.
- 2
Permits and utilities
If your jurisdiction requires a permit, it's secured first. If the tree is near power lines, the utility may need to make the line safe before anyone climbs.
- 3
Removal
Limbs come off first, then the trunk in sections. Pieces are lowered on ropes (rigging) or lifted out with a crane. Ground crew keep everyone out of the drop zone.
- 4
Cleanup
Brush is chipped, wood is hauled or left as agreed, and the site is raked. The stump is cut low unless grinding is part of the job.
Storm cleanup: safe for you vs. a crew
Safe for a homeowner
- Photograph the tree and anything it's leaning toward. It helps with quotes and insurance.
- Measure around the trunk at chest height (4.5 ft). Dividing by 3.14 gives the diameter many permit rules use.
- Clear cars, furniture and pets away from the tree before the crew arrives.
- Ask each company for its certificate of insurance, sent directly from the insurer.
Leave these to professionals
- Don't cut a tree yourself if it could hit anything on the way down, or if any part is within 10 feet of a power line.
- Don't climb with a chainsaw. Aerial cutting is one of the most dangerous jobs in tree work.
- Don't remove a protected tree without checking local rules. Fines and replanting requirements can be significant.
Services in Gwinnett
For leaning or beetle-killed pines over houses.
After thunderstorms and ice.
For oaks and poplars over roofs.
After removal; call Georgia 811 first.
Gwinnett County tree questions
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in my yard in Gwinnett County?
Usually not, in unincorporated Gwinnett, if it's on your occupied residential lot and not in a buffer, stream buffer, open space, the Chattahoochee corridor, a tree save area, or a street tree. Keep at least two live trees on the lot.
What is a tree save area in Gwinnett?
Land set aside when a subdivision was approved to preserve trees. It's shown on the recorded plat, and removing trees there needs county permission.
How many trees do I have to keep on my lot in Gwinnett County?
At least two live trees, under the county's homeowner guidance.
Can I remove trees in the buffer behind my house?
Not without county permission if it's a required zoning buffer or stream buffer. Check your plat, and contact Gwinnett planning before cutting.
Do Gwinnett cities follow the county tree rules?
No. Cities like Lawrenceville, Duluth and Peachtree Corners have their own rules. Check your city if you're not in unincorporated Gwinnett.
Why do so many pines fall in Gwinnett storms?
Many are tall pines left at the edge of cleared lots, exposed to wind they didn't grow up with, and drought stress invites beetles. Lean and dead tops are warning signs.
Who handles a tree on a power line in Gwinnett?
Georgia Power or your electric membership corporation, such as Jackson EMC or Walton EMC, depending on your address. Stay away and call 911 for sparks or fire.
Do I need to call 811 before stump grinding in Georgia?
Yes. Contact Georgia 811 before grinding so underground utilities are marked.
Who removes trees near me in Gwinnett County?
Insured local tree companies. You can call us to reach an independent provider serving Gwinnett.
Sources for the local facts on this page
- Gwinnett County: Tree removal information for homeowners (checked 2026-10-03)
- Peachtree Corners: Tree removal information for homeowners (checked 2026-10-03)
Tree service in Gwinnett County
Call to speak with a local tree-service provider about removal, trimming, stumps or storm damage. Describe the tree and what it's near, and they'll explain the next step.