Louisville, KY · Jefferson County
Tree removal in Louisville
In Louisville Metro, any tree in a public right-of-way, including the green verge between sidewalk and street, can't be planted, pruned or removed without an Urban Forestry permit, requested through Metro311, and removed trees must be replaced within a year. Trees on your own lot don't need a permit. Ice storms and windstorms, like Ike's remnants in 2008, cause most emergency work.
In September 2008, the remnants of Hurricane Ike brought hurricane-force gusts to Louisville with almost no rain, snapping trees and knocking out power to most of the city. Four months later, the January 2009 ice storm added another round of breakage. Many of the oldest canopy trees in neighborhoods like the Highlands and Crescent Hill carry scars from both.
Louisville's urban canopy is thinner than many similar cities, and Metro's tree ordinance aims to protect and replace public trees. A small pruning job (under 10% of the canopy, or for clearance) doesn't need a permit, but anything larger on a right-of-way tree does.
Reviewed and updated
Windstorms, ice and right-of-way permits
Right-of-way permits
Urban Forestry permits are required to plant, prune or remove right-of-way trees; removals must be replaced within one year.
Windstorms
Ike's remnants in 2008 showed how dry, high winds can snap mature trees citywide.
Ice storms
The 2009 ice storm broke limbs across the metro.
Emerald ash borer
Ash across Jefferson County are dead or declining unless treated.
Louisville's right-of-way tree rules
- 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.
Sources (checked 2026-10-01)
Rules change and details depend on your exact property. Confirm with the city or county before work starts. This isn't legal advice.
What Ike's dry windstorm showed about Louisville's trees
Most big tree-damage events come with rain that softens the ground. The September 2008 windstorm from Hurricane Ike's remnants was different: hours of very strong gusts with little rain. Trees mostly broke rather than uprooted.
The trees that failed tended to have weaknesses already: decayed trunks, cracked forks, dead limbs and trees topped years earlier. That's the case for routine inspection: wind finds the defects that are already there.
Getting a right-of-way permit in Louisville
- 1
Confirm it's a right-of-way tree
Trees in the green verge between sidewalk and street, or in tree wells, usually are.
- 2
Request through Metro311
Call 311 or use the Metro311 portal to request a permit from Urban Forestry.
- 3
Know the pruning exception
Light pruning under 10% of the canopy, or clearance for visibility and pedestrians, doesn't need a permit.
- 4
Plan the replacement
Removed right-of-way trees must be replaced within a year.
Pin oaks, silver maples, ash and hackberries
- Pin oak
- Common large street and yard tree
- Silver maple
- Brittle; ice and wind breakage
- Hackberry
- Common; decay-prone
- Callery pear
- Splits in ice
Shotgun-house lots and eastern suburbs
Older neighborhoods have narrow lots, alleys and shotgun houses close together; suburban lots in eastern Jefferson County have more room but large trees near homes and pools.
LG&E handles trees on its lines. On narrow older lots, the line often runs over the backyard, so removals near it are scheduled with the utility.
Louisville services and permits
Private trees and permitted right-of-way removals.
Windstorm and ice cleanup.
Pruning over 10% of a right-of-way tree needs a permit.
Ash killed by emerald ash borer.
Limestone can stop the grinder short.
Louisville tree questions
Do I need a permit to trim the tree between my sidewalk and the street in Louisville?
If you're removing more than 10% of the canopy, yes. Request an Urban Forestry permit through Metro311. Clearance pruning for visibility or pedestrians doesn't need one.
If I remove a right-of-way tree, do I have to replace it?
Yes. Louisville requires right-of-way trees that are removed to be replaced within one year.
Why do Louisville stump grinders sometimes stop short?
Much of the area sits on limestone, sometimes only inches below the surface. Grinders may hit rock before reaching full depth, which matters if you plan to replant in the same spot.
What breaks first in a Louisville ice storm?
Silver maples, Callery pears and hackberries with narrow forks or old pruning wounds. The 2009 storm showed that trees with good structure and no deadwood carried ice far better than weak-wooded ones.
Calls are routed to independent local tree-service providers. How calling works
More local guides
Need tree help in Louisville?
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.