Tree Removal Permits in Tallahassee & Leon County
Who regulates your tree depends on whether you live inside city limits or in unincorporated Leon County, and on the size, species and location of the tree. Here is a plain-English summary, with links to the official sources.
Free, no-obligation estimate from a local tree service.
Read this first. This page summarizes publicly available rules as they appeared when we checked them in October 2026. It is not legal advice, and rules and fees change. Before removing a large tree, a tree in a wetland, or a tree near a canopy road, confirm with the City of Tallahassee or Leon County directly.
Step 1: Are you in the City or the County?
A Tallahassee mailing address doesn’t always mean you’re inside city limits. Bradfordville and Woodville, for example, are in unincorporated Leon County. Your property tax bill or the Leon County Property Appraiser’s website will show whether your parcel is inside the City.
Inside city limits
City of Tallahassee
Tree removal is handled by the City’s Growth Management department (Land Use & Environmental Services). If your project already needs an Environmental Management Permit, tree removal is reviewed as part of it. Otherwise there’s a stand-alone tree permit for smaller projects and existing sites, and one permit covers up to 10 trees.
The City’s application form lists the protected tree categories. For a single-family detached home, the categories that apply are mainly:
- Patriarch trees recognized by the state
- Trees 36 inches or more in diameter at breast height (DBH, measured about 4.5 feet above the ground)
- Wetland trees of any size
Several other categories on the form (smaller hardwoods, dogwoods, perimeter-zone trees and others) are marked as not applying to single-family lots.
Reasons the City lists for approving removal include safety hazards, disease or pests, good forestry practice, reasonable use of the property and essential improvements. Removing protected trees can require compensation, such as replanting, a fee in lieu, or credit for trees you keep.
Fee and paperwork: the application form listed a fee of $273 and required a notarized owner’s affidavit and a site map. Confirm the current fee before applying.
Contact: Growth Management, 435 N. Macomb St., (850) 891-7001 (option 4 for permits).
Sources: City of Tallahassee, Tree Permits; City tree removal application (PDF).
Unincorporated areas
Leon County
Outside city limits, Leon County’s Development Support & Environmental Management department (DSEM) handles tree questions. According to the County’s FAQ, trees on already-developed lots can in some cases be removed without a permit. Whether you need one depends on where the tree is, including:
- Canopy Road Protection Zones
- Wetlands and floodplains
- Lake special development zones
- Steep slopes
- Conservation or preservation areas
The County also states that a tree documented by a Certified Arborist as a safety hazard can be removed without a permit.
Contact: Leon County DSEM, Environmental Services, 850-606-1300.
Special case
Canopy roads
Tallahassee and Leon County protect a network of designated canopy roads, the oak-lined roads the area is known for. Leon County lists about 78 miles of them, roughly 20 miles inside the City and 58 in the County, with a protection zone extending 100 feet from the road’s centerline.
If your tree is within that zone, expect extra review. The City’s form says removals within 100 feet of a canopy road’s centerline need coordination with a Growth Management Environmental Inspector.
Sources: Leon County, Canopy Roads; City of Tallahassee, Growth Management FAQ.
State law
Hazard trees: Florida Statute 163.045
Florida law limits what local governments can require for dangerous trees on residential property. Under section 163.045, a city or county may not require notice, an application, approval, a permit, a fee or mitigation (including replanting) to prune, trim or remove a tree on residential property when the owner has documentation that the tree presents an unacceptable risk to people or property.
- Residential property means a single-family detached building used as a residence.
- Documentation means an on-site assessment following the ISA’s tree risk assessment best practices, performed and signed by an ISA-certified arborist or a Florida-licensed landscape architect.
- Unacceptable risk means removal is the only practical way to bring the risk below moderate.
Keep a copy of the signed assessment. It’s your record if anyone asks later.
Source: Florida Statutes §163.045 (2026).
Questions
Permit FAQ
Who applies for the permit, me or the tree company?
Do I need a permit to remove a dead tree?
What does DBH mean?
Do I need a permit just to trim a tree?
What happens if a tree is removed without a required permit?
What about a tree on my neighbor’s property?
Not sure whether your tree needs a permit?
Mention it in your quote request. The tree service can tell you what they have seen locally, but the final word belongs to the City or County.