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Last reviewed 2026-10-17

Tree Removal Cost in Alachua County, FL

One tree typically costs $400 to $1,200 to remove in Alachua County, using HomeGuide's February 2026 national survey, and if the tree is a regulated one in the unincorporated county, add the county's $90 tree permit application fee, which can cover several trees. Big oaks are the norm here, and HomeGuide's survey spreads oak removal from $300 to $2,500.

Permits matter here. The county's tree permit page says tree removal in all land uses is prohibited without prior approval, defines heritage trees as native trees 20 inches in diameter or larger (30 inches for laurel and water oaks), and calls out landmark live oaks of 45 inches and up. Gainesville runs its own program with mitigation for each regulated tree.

The Forest Service's 2025 FIA inventory puts about 295,400 acres of the county in forest, led by longleaf/slash pine at 32.8%, oak/hickory at 21.1% and oak/gum/cypress at 14.6%. Add sandy ridges to the west near High Springs and Newberry, wet flatwoods to the east toward Hawthorne and Waldo, and a long hurricane record, and removal bids here depend as much on paperwork and soil as on height.

Cost at a glance

Alachua County tree removal cost at a glance
Item	Typical cost	Source
Typical single tree	$400-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Oak	$300-$2,500	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Pine	$250-$1,600	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Stump removal	$100-$500+	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
County tree permit application (several trees allowed)	$90	Alachua County Growth Management
Permit trigger, single-family lot of 1 acre or less	Native trees over 20 in. diameter; laurel/water oak over 30 in.	Alachua County Growth Management

Permits

Unincorporated county: on a single-family lot of 1 acre or less, the county requires a permit for native trees over 20 inches in diameter (about 63 inches around), laurel and water oaks over 30 inches (about 95 inches around) and designated specimen trees. On single-family lots over 1 acre, and on commercial, multifamily and HOA land, the threshold drops to all trees over 8 inches. Diameter is measured 4.5 feet above the ground, the county's $90 application can list several trees, and the county says regulated trees removed without a permit must be replaced at up to double the normal rate (ULDC Section 406.16.3).

City of Gainesville: the Land Development Code requires mitigation for each regulated tree removed under Sec. 30-8.7, with nursery-grown replacement trees of 2 inches (plus or minus 0.5) in diameter, and Sec. 30-8.9 limits pruning to 25 percent of the crown at one time. Other cities in the county set their own rules, so check with city hall in Alachua, High Springs or Newberry.

Dangerous trees: Florida Statutes s. 163.045 bars local governments from requiring a notice, permit, fee or replanting to remove a tree on residential property when the owner has documentation from an ISA certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect that it poses an unacceptable risk under the 2017 tree risk assessment best practices. That written assessment costs money but can replace both the permit and the mitigation.

Step 1: measure the trunk at 4.5 feet and check your lot size against the county table, or Gainesville's rules inside the city. Step 2: if the tree is dying or leaning over the house, ask an ISA certified arborist for a written risk assessment. Step 3: otherwise apply for the $90 county permit or the city permit before cutting, and plan any required replanting. Step 4: get itemized bids that include stump grinding and haul-off. Step 5: call 811 before the grinder digs.

Local conditions

Big pines and oaks: the FIA tables show loblolly/shortleaf pine at 14.2% and oak/pine at 10.0% on top of the longleaf/slash and hardwood groups, so jobs range from tall pines in old pastures to wide live, laurel and water oaks over Gainesville roofs.

Wet ground in the east: NRCS soil survey data rate 49.4% of mapped acres as poorly or very poorly drained and show a water table within 30 cm on 22.6%, mostly in the flatwoods toward Hawthorne, Waldo and the eastern lakes. Soft ground slows bucket trucks and cranes after rain and can mean mats or hand work.

Karst in places: bedrock, which here is limestone, sits within 100 cm on only 3.2% of mapped soil per the same NRCS survey, mostly around the sinks and springs west toward High Springs, but grinders that hit it slow down.

Hurricane track: FEMA's declarations data list 16 weather- or wildfire-related major disasters that included Alachua County, 13 of them since 2000 and 8 since 2016, with hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022, Idalia in 2023 and Debby, Helene and Milton in 2024. After each storm, crews book up and prices for hung and uprooted oaks climb.

What drives local prices

Height: per HomeGuide, $500-$1,500 for a 30-60 ft tree and $850-$2,000 for 60-80 ft; many mature oaks here reach the upper band.
Species: HomeGuide's survey lists oak at $300-$2,500 and pine at $250-$1,600 per tree.
Paperwork: the county permit is $90 per application; a written arborist risk assessment under F.S. 163.045 is extra but can remove permit and replanting costs.
Wet sites and access: soft flatwoods soil and backyard oaks over pools add an est. 15% to 30% for mats, cranes or hand rigging.
Stump and wood: HomeGuide puts stump removal at $100-$500+ and log splitting at $50-$100.
Method: the cost ranges come from HomeGuide's published national figures (Feb 4, 2026); permit fees are quoted from the county's page; local adjustments marked est. are ours, not Alachua County bids. Figures checked October 16, 2026.

Common jobs

Laurel and water oak removal over homes and driveways
Permitted removal of heritage trees with replanting
Hurricane cleanup of uprooted and split oaks
Pine removal on acreage west of Gainesville

Service area

Requests come from Gainesville along I-75 and US 441, from Alachua and High Springs to the northwest, Newberry and Archer to the west on SR 26 and SR 24, Micanopy to the south, and Hawthorne and Waldo on US 301 to the east.

Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) says a forester will assess trees near its main lines within 14 business days. Owners are responsible for limbs above their service drop and for dead trees next to it, and GRU disconnects the drop free of charge so a private crew can work.

Get a real number for your tree: use the free quote form below with the species, trunk size, lot size and whether you are inside Gainesville. A member of our team replies by email with next steps and, where we know them, local insured crews to contact.

Communities: Gainesville, Alachua, High Springs, Newberry, Archer, Micanopy, Hawthorne, Waldo

When something can’t wait

If a tree is on a line, stay back and call GRU or your electric cooperative, or 911. For a fallen tree blocking a Gainesville street, call Public Works. HomeGuide says emergency same-day work runs 2 to 3 times standard rates, and Florida's hazard-tree statute does not require a permit when an arborist documents the risk, so get photos and the arborist letter before cleanup when you can.

Questions about Alachua County

What does tree removal cost in Alachua County, FL?

Plan on $400 to $1,200 for a typical tree (HomeGuide's 2026 national range), with large oaks up to about $2,500, plus $90 if the unincorporated county requires a permit for it. Jobs over pools, roofs or wet ground cost more.

Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in Alachua County?

In the unincorporated county, yes for regulated trees: on lots of 1 acre or less that means native trees over 20 inches in diameter, laurel and water oaks over 30 inches, and specimen trees; on bigger lots, all trees over 8 inches. Gainesville has separate rules and mitigation.

What if the tree is dangerous?

Under Florida Statutes s. 163.045, if an ISA certified arborist or licensed landscape architect documents that a tree on your residential property poses an unacceptable risk, local governments can't require a permit, fee or replanting to remove it.

Can I burn the debris?

The Florida Forest Service says yard waste piles under 8 feet across need no authorization if you follow setbacks (25 feet from your house and woods, 150 feet from other occupied buildings, 50 feet from paved roads) and burn from 9 a.m. until an hour before sunset. Check city and county rules too.

Will GRU remove a tree on my service line?

GRU handles trees on its main lines; limbs above your service drop and dead trees next to it are yours. Ask GRU for a free disconnect so your crew can work safely.

Sources

Other Florida counties we cover

Tree problems

Local fees and rules change. Confirm with the county or state office named above before you clear. Estimate your clearing cost.