Montgomery County, MD
Tree removal in Montgomery County, Maryland
In Montgomery County, any tree growing in a street right-of-way is a county-owned tree, and work on it needs a Maryland Roadside Tree Permit plus a county permit, done by a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert. Request inspection, pruning or removal of a county tree through 311. Trees fully on your own lot are yours to manage.
Montgomery County 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
Reviewed and updated
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.
If you're unsure where the right-of-way ends, your plat or the county can tell you. Trees straddling the line are generally treated as roadside trees.
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.
Doing roadside tree work without a permit can bring fines from DNR.
How to request county tree service
- 1
Call 311 or use the online form
Options include a hanging or broken limb, a request to inspect, remove or prune a county tree, stump removal and new tree planting. From outside the county, call 240-777-0311.
- 2
The county inspects
An inspector decides whether the tree needs pruning, removal or nothing.
- 3
Work is scheduled by priority
Hazards over roads and sidewalks come first. Routine pruning can take longer.
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.
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.
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.
Storms, derechos and county response
The June 2012 derecho knocked down trees and power across the Washington region, and summer thunderstorms, tropical storm remnants and heavy wet snow still cause most of the county's tree emergencies. Tall tulip poplars and oaks in older neighborhoods like Bethesda, Silver Spring, Takoma Park and Kensington can come down across roads, lines and houses at once.
After a storm, the county clears fallen county trees from roads first and works through damaged right-of-way trees by priority. A county tree that fell onto your house should be reported through 311 right away; a tree from your own lot on your house is yours to have removed, and your homeowners insurance is usually the first call after the tree service. Report any tree on a line to Pepco or your utility before anyone cuts.
Storm cleanup: safe for you vs. for a Licensed Tree Expert
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 Montgomery County
For your own trees; county trees go through 311.
For dead or cracked trees over houses and driveways.
After derechos and summer thunderstorms.
After a private removal; the county handles county-tree stumps.
Other Maryland guidance
Baltimore City is its own jurisdiction with its own forestry division and street-tree rules, though the state Roadside Tree Law applies there too.
Baltimore City's forestry rules and street trees.
Montgomery County tree questions
Who owns the tree between the sidewalk and street in Montgomery County?
The county. Any tree growing in the street right-of-way is a county-owned tree, maintained by MCDOT's Division of Highway Services.
Why do so many tall trees come down in Montgomery County storms?
Tall tulip poplars and oaks in older neighborhoods catch a lot of wind, and saturated soil, root damage from sidewalk or utility work, and hidden decay make failures more likely in derechos and summer thunderstorms.
Can I remove a street tree in front of my house in Montgomery County?
Not on your own. You need a Maryland Roadside Tree Permit and a county permit, and the work must be done by a Licensed Tree Expert. Start with a 311 request.
How do I report a broken limb on a county tree?
Call 311 (240-777-0311 from outside the county) or use the online Highway Services request form for a hanging or broken limb.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my own backyard in Montgomery County?
Usually not for a single tree on a residential lot, but development and land-disturbance projects can trigger forest conservation and tree canopy rules. Ask the county if you're building.
What is a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert?
A tree professional licensed by the Maryland DNR Forest Service after meeting experience and education requirements and passing an exam. Commercial tree work in Maryland requires one.
Who trims trees near power lines in Montgomery County?
The utility, most often Pepco. The county doesn't regulate that trimming; contact the utility with questions. Never let an ordinary tree crew cut near energized lines; report a tree on a line to the utility and 911.
Will the county remove the stump of a county tree?
You can request county stump removal through 311 using the tree stump removal option. Stumps on private property are the owner's job, usually handled by stump grinding after removal.
How much does it cost to remove a tree from my own yard in Montgomery County?
It depends on the tree's size, how close it is to the house or lines, access for equipment and whether a crane is needed. County trees are handled by the county through 311. See the tree removal cost guide for what drives the price.
What should I do right now if a county tree falls on my house in Montgomery County?
Get everyone out of the affected rooms, call 911 for injuries, gas or a line involved, and report the tree to Pepco or your utility if it touched wires. Then report it through 311, photograph where it grew and the damage, and call your insurer. Doing roadside tree work without a permit can bring DNR fines, so let the county handle its tree.
Who removes trees near me in Montgomery County, MD?
Insured local companies with a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert. You can call us to reach an independent provider.
Sources for the local facts on this page
- Montgomery County DOT: Tree maintenance (checked 2026-10-03)
- Maryland DNR: Roadside Tree Program (checked 2026-10-03)
- Maryland OneStop: Roadside Tree Permit (homeowner) (checked 2026-10-03)
Tree service in Montgomery 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.