You may have heard the child’s story of the time George Washington cut down a cherry tree against his father’s wishes and was punished by no longer getting cherry pie. Unfortunately, if you cut down a tree without the proper permission, you may face more severe consequences than no dessert.
Tree permits play an important role in protecting our local ecosystem and keeping our cities beautiful, but it can be difficult to navigate all the rules and regulations when you want to remove a tree from your property. You may be asking yourself, “Do I need a permit to remove a tree from my yard?” or “What’s the process for getting a permit?”
To help you understand tree removal permitting in Florida, we’ll answer all these questions and more!
Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Florida?
Whether or not you need a permit to remove a tree depends on several factors, including:
- The county you live in
- The property zone where the tree is
- The type of tree
- The health of the tree
Some areas of Florida are more restrictive in their tree regulations, while others allow more freedom to remove a tree. The best course of action if you want to remove a tree from your property is to check with your local government and their tree regulations to see what needs a permit and what doesn’t.
Permitting Process
Like the regulations of tree removal, the permitting process will also vary depending on where you live. Most permitting processes will follow a similar format, however. If you need a permit to remove a tree, you can expect to find an application form on your city’s website or government office.
This application will probably ask for the type of tree you want to remove, the diameter of the tree, and the reason for removal. Some applications will allow you to submit several trees for permitting, but others may require you to submit one tree at a time. The final step will be to submit your application and pay any processing fees associated with the permit application.
Once your application has been reviewed, you’ll either be approved to remove the tree, or your application will be denied.
Are There Protected Trees?
Some trees will always require a permit because they are protected by the Florida or local government. Which trees are protected will vary by county, but some widely protected trees in Florida are the oak, mangroves, bald cypress, and the sea grape. Even with a permitting process, these trees may be rejected for removal due to their importance for the local ecosystem. Usually, the removal of these trees is handled by government agencies that handle environmental regulations.
Alachua County’s Tree Regulations
Alachua County is home to a Tree City USA, better known as Gainesville. And there’s a good reason for this title. Our city and county are abundant with beautiful trees and natural landscapes, and our strict permitting regulations for trees help keep us that way. Based on Alachua County’s government website, these are the trees that require a permit to remove:
- Trees that are recognized as the largest of their species in an area, also known as champion trees
- Large heritage trees, especially oak species
- Any wood tree with a diameter greater than 8”
- Any tree the county has deemed important for historical reasons, uniqueness, or scientific relevance
- Trees that are considered exceptionally beautiful, better known as specimen trees
- For residential areas of less than one acre:
- Any tree with a diameter greater than 20”
- Nonnative trees, laurel oaks, and water oak with a diameter greater than 30”
- For all other areas (including commercial, residential, and industrial), any tree with a diameter greater than 8
Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Dead Tree?
The most notable exception to needing a permit is if your tree is diseased, dead, or otherwise a hazard to the safety of the people around it. In this case, you’ll want to document all signs of disease and potential harm to avoid legal consequences. A professional tree removal company will be able to help document the proof you need and get rid of any dangerous trees on your property.
I’m a Commercial Building Owner. Can I Remove a Tree from My Property?
If you want to remove a tree from your commercial property, you can, but you’ll still need to ensure you don’t need a permit for removal. Sometimes, government regulations can be stricter for commercial properties looking to remove trees, and as we mentioned for Alachua County, any tree with a diameter over 8” requires a permit.
What If My Permit Is Denied?
If you feel your permit was wrongly denied, there is an appeal process for tree permits. Insufficient evidence to prove that a tree must be removed is a common reason for rejection. For this reason, we’d suggest you collect and provide documentation and a strategy that demonstrates the necessity of tree removal.
What Happens If I Don’t Get a Permit?
Cutting down a protected tree without a permit can have serious consequences. If you remove a tree without a permit, you’ll be fined. This fine can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. In fact, just in 2022, a company was fined over $200,000 for illegally removing a tree in Tampa.
Give Your Removed Tree New Life
The best way to avoid the legal red tape of tree removal is to work with a tree service company that is certified and specializes in tree removal in Florida. However, once your tree is removed, you have the opportunity to give it new life with Gaston Tree Debris Recycling!
We pick up and haul your tree and repurpose it as all-natural mulch. Our team even provides grinding services to make even the biggest tree removal job quick and easy. Let the experts in tree removal and recycling help you get the job done—get in touch with us today!