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Last reviewed 2026-10-17

Tree Removal Cost in DeKalb County, GA

Expect $400 to $1,200 for an average tree in DeKalb County, the national range in HomeGuide's February 2026 cost guide, with oaks anywhere from $300 to $2,500. Mature oaks, tulip poplars and loblolly pines shade most older neighborhoods from Decatur to Tucker, and many lean over houses, fences and power drops.

DeKalb is one of the few metro Atlanta counties with a clear homeowner rule. In unincorporated DeKalb you may remove up to five healthy, non-specimen trees a year from a single-family lot without filing anything; beyond that, or for any specimen tree, the county wants a Notice of Tree Removal backed by a certified arborist's assessment before the saw starts.

The Forest Service's 2025 FIA forest inventory estimates about 48,100 acres of forest land in the county (12 plots, sampling error 31.6%), with oak/hickory at 36.4%, loblolly/shortleaf pine at 30.4% and oak/pine at 20.4%. Rolling Piedmont clay, granite near Stone Mountain and Arabia Mountain, and the EPD summer burn ban shape what removal costs here.

Cost at a glance

DeKalb 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)
Tree 30-60 ft	$500-$1,500	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Healthy non-specimen trees per year without notice (single-family lot)	Up to 5	DeKalb County homeowner guide
County arborist tree assessment, per site visit	$100	DeKalb County fee schedule (2026)
Clearing and grubbing permit	$300.00 + $50 per acre inspection ($100 min)	DeKalb County fee schedule (2026)

Permits

The DeKalb County Homeowner Guide for Tree Removal says a Notice of Tree Removal must go to the County Arborist before removing more than five trees, or any specimen tree, and must include a health and risk assessment by an ISA Certified Arborist, a Registered Consulting Arborist or a registered forester. Trees under 5 inches in diameter are exempt, and dead, diseased or hazardous trees documented by a certified tree professional may be removed at any time. Per the DeKalb County Arborist's guide, review takes no more than five working days and approved trees must come down within 60 days.

The DeKalb County Arborist's guide defines specimen trees as healthy overstory trees such as oak, poplar or pine of 30 inches or more in diameter at breast height, or understory trees such as dogwood or redbud of 10 inches or more. Removing six to nine trees may also need a clearing and grubbing permit, and ten or more may count as land disturbance needing a Land Disturbance Permit. The DeKalb County Arborist also notes that trees within 75 feet of a stream may need special permits.

Fees: DeKalb's 2026 development fee schedule lists a clearing and grubbing permit at $300.00 for review plus $50 per acre for inspection ($100 minimum), and an Arborist Tree Assessment Fee of $100 per site visit, plus a $20.00 technology fee on each permit. Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Stonecrest, Stone Mountain and Tucker handle their own tree permits.

Burning: DeKalb is inside Georgia EPD's summer open burning ban from May 1 through September 30 and is one of the 19 metro counties where even prescribed burning is not exempt then; EPD's burn-type list also bars burning storm debris in large summer-ban counties.

Step 1: confirm the property is in unincorporated DeKalb and count the trees you want removed this year. Step 2: measure each trunk at chest height to spot specimen trees. Step 3: if you are over five trees or have a specimen, have an arborist complete the Notice of Tree Removal and email it to the County Arborist. Step 4: get itemized bids. Step 5: call 811 before stump grinding.

Local conditions

Hilly clay with granite: NRCS soil survey data put 42.7% of mapped acres in DeKalb County at 8% slope or more and 27.1% at 15% or more, with bedrock within about 100 cm (39 in) on 10.8%, much of it near the granite domes of Stone Mountain and Arabia Mountain in the east and south. Grinders slow down when they meet rock.

Creek bottoms: per the same NRCS survey, 7.3% of mapped soil floods occasionally or frequently, along the South River and the creeks running toward the Chattahoochee near Doraville and Brookhaven.

Storm record: FEMA's declarations data list eight weather-related major disasters that included DeKalb County from 1973 through 2017: four severe storm events, including the March 2008 storms and tornadoes, three hurricanes (Opal, Ivan and Irma) and a 1973 tornado.

Old canopy: many neighborhoods were built around existing oaks and poplars that are now past their prime, so decay, lean and root damage from sidewalks and driveways are common reasons for calls.

What drives local prices

Height: HomeGuide's national bands are $500-$1,500 for 30-60 ft and $850-$2,000 for 60-80 ft, the size of most mature DeKalb oaks and poplars.
Species: HomeGuide lists oak at $300-$2,500 and pine at $250-$1,600.
Paperwork: a county arborist site visit is $100; a clearing and grubbing permit, where needed, starts at $300.00 plus inspection.
Access: fenced back yards and slopes mean climbing and hand carry; we add an est. 15% to 25% for that.
Disposal: no burning from May through September, so chipping ($50-$100 per HomeGuide) and haul-off are standard.
Method: per-tree, height and chipping ranges are HomeGuide's published national figures (Feb 4, 2026); county fees are quoted from DeKalb's 2026 fee schedule; lines marked est. are our estimate, not DeKalb bids. Figures checked October 16, 2026.

Common jobs

Oak and tulip poplar removal over houses in older neighborhoods
Specimen tree removal with an arborist's Notice of Tree Removal
Storm cleanup after thunderstorms, tornadoes and ice
Stump grinding on clay and granite

Service area

Requests come from Decatur, Tucker, Stone Mountain, Lithonia and Stonecrest in the center and east, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Chamblee and Doraville in the north, and Clarkston. I-285 circles through the county, I-20 runs along the south side, I-85 crosses the northwest, and US 78, the Stone Mountain Freeway, heads east.

Live in one of DeKalb's cities? Your city's arborist, not the county's, reviews tree removals, so check that first.

Ready for a price? Send the free quote form below with the species, trunk width, how many trees and what they overhang. A member of our team replies by email with next steps and, where we know them, local insured crews to contact.

Communities: Decatur, Tucker, Stone Mountain, Lithonia, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Doraville, Clarkston, Stonecrest

When something can’t wait

If a storm drops a tree on a line or your home, stay clear and call the utility or 911. Hazardous trees can come down without a Notice of Tree Removal once a certified professional documents them; HomeGuide says emergency removals cost 2 to 3 times normal rates, so take photos first.

Questions about DeKalb County

How much does tree removal cost in DeKalb County, GA?

Most single trees run $400 to $1,200 on HomeGuide's 2026 national data, and oaks $300 to $2,500. Big trees over houses, slopes and summer haul-off push bids up.

How many trees can I remove without telling the county?

Up to five healthy, non-specimen trees per calendar year on a single-family lot in unincorporated DeKalb. More than five, or any specimen tree, needs a Notice of Tree Removal with an arborist's assessment.

What counts as a specimen tree in DeKalb?

The DeKalb County Arborist's guide defines it as a healthy overstory tree such as an oak, poplar or pine of 30 inches or more in diameter, or an understory tree such as a dogwood of 10 inches or more.

Can I remove a dead tree without notice?

Yes. Dead, diseased or hazardous trees may be removed at any time, as long as a certified tree professional documents the condition.

Can I burn the limbs?

Not from May 1 through September 30, when the Georgia EPD summer burn ban covers DeKalb. Chipping or hauling is the usual answer.

Sources

Nearby counties

Georgia tree removal hub

Tree problems

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