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Last reviewed 2026-10-17

Florida Tree Removal Cost and Rules

A single tree costs $400 to $1,200 to remove in most Florida yards, going by HomeGuide's February 2026 national survey, and HomeGuide puts palms at $200 to $1,200. What differs from one Florida county to the next is not the saw work but the paperwork: some counties charge a permit fee for big native trees, others exempt the back yard entirely, and a state law lets an arborist's risk letter override local permits for dangerous trees.

Florida is still a forest state. The Forest Service's 2025 FIA inventory counts about 16.6 million acres of forest land statewide, with the longleaf/slash pine group at 31.0%, oak/gum/cypress at 22.5% and oak/hickory at 14.7%, so most removals are pines, laurel and water oaks, live oaks and palms.

This hub covers the state rules that apply everywhere in Florida and links each county page on the site, where the local fees, utilities and soils are laid out.

Cost at a glance

Florida 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)
Palm	$200-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Alachua County tree permit application	$90	Alachua County
Lee County single-family clearing permit	$30 plus $1 per tree	Lee County application
Manatee County Tree Removal Permit (where required)	$144	Manatee County fee schedule (9-8-25)
Hazardous residential tree with an arborist letter	No local permit or fee	Florida Statutes s. 163.045

Permits

The hazard-tree law: Florida Statutes s. 163.045 says a county or city may not require a notice, application, permit, fee, mitigation or replanting to prune, trim or remove a tree on residential property when the owner has documentation from an ISA certified arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect that the tree poses an unacceptable risk to persons or property. The assessment has to follow the 2017 tree risk assessment best practices, and mangroves are excluded.

Burning the debris: the Florida Forest Service says a yard-waste pile smaller than 8 feet across needs no authorization if it is lit after 9 a.m. and out an hour before sunset, sits 25 feet from your house and from woods, 50 feet from paved public roads and 150 feet from other occupied buildings. Larger piles, land clearing and pile burning need an FFS authorization.

County permits differ widely. Alachua County charges a $90 application for regulated trees such as heritage oaks. Lee County's vegetation removal application lists $30 plus $1 per tree for single-family clearing on larger parcels and on the coastal islands; Manatee County needs no authorization for private back and side yards but lists its Tree Removal Permit at $144 where one applies. Marion and Lake counties run their own tree codes, covered on their county pages, and cities such as Gainesville set separate rules.

Step 1: open your county page below and check whether your lot size, tree size and location trigger a permit. Step 2: if the tree is dead, leaning or cracked, get an arborist's written risk assessment under s. 163.045. Step 3: call your electric utility before any work near lines. Step 4: compare itemized bids for felling, stump grinding and haul-off. Step 5: plan disposal under Forest Service burn rules or haul it, and call 811 before grinding.

Local conditions

Hurricanes drive the calendar: FEMA's declarations data list 38 hurricane major disasters for Florida since 1953, 23 of them since 2000, and 2024 alone brought declarations for Debby, Helene and Milton.

Species matter in wind. UF/IFAS researchers who measured trees after 10 hurricanes rank live oak, sand live oak and sabal palm among the most wind resistant, and laurel oak, water oak, sand pine, queen palm and Washington palm among the least. They also found that 3 months after Hurricane Charley, 27% of standing south Florida slash pines and 48% of standing longleaf pines had died, so pines that look fine after a storm can still need removal later.

Wet soil is the norm in the counties on this site: NRCS soil survey data rate poorly drained soil at 49.4% of mapped acres in Alachua County, 74.6% in Lee County and 88.2% in Manatee County. Shallow roots on saturated ground are why so many Florida oaks and pines go over with the whole root plate.

Utilities split the state. FPL says it clears main feeder lines about every 3 years and neighborhood lines about every 6 at no charge; LCEC and Gainesville Regional Utilities both leave the service drop to your house to the owner, so trees on that wire are your job.

What drives local prices

Per tree: HomeGuide's survey puts a typical removal at $400-$1,200, oak at $300-$2,500, pine at $250-$1,600 and palm at $200-$1,200.
Permits by county: Alachua County lists a $90 application, Lee County's application lists $30 plus $1 per tree, and Manatee County's fee schedule lists $144 where a permit applies; an arborist risk letter can replace them for hazardous residential trees.
Storm timing: HomeGuide reports same-day or next-day removal at 2 to 3 times standard rates, and insurance typically covers removal only when a tree hits a covered structure.
Wet ground and access: saturated soil, pool cages and island lots add an est. 10% to 35% for mats, cranes or hand rigging.
Method: per-tree ranges are HomeGuide's published national figures (Feb 4, 2026); permit fees are quoted from each county's own pages; lines marked est. are our estimate, not Florida bids. Figures checked October 16, 2026.

Common jobs

Removing laurel and water oaks that are declining or overhanging roofs
Palm removal near pools, docks and power lines
Hurricane cleanup and removal of storm-damaged pines that die months later
Permitted removal of large native trees with replanting

Service area

County pages on the site: Alachua (Gainesville, High Springs, Newberry), Lee (Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs), Manatee (Bradenton, Palmetto, Lakewood Ranch), Marion (Ocala, Belleview, Dunnellon), Lake (Clermont, Leesburg, Eustis), Miami-Dade (Miami, Hialeah, Homestead), Orange (Orlando, Winter Park, Apopka) and Sarasota (Sarasota, Venice, North Port).

If your county is not listed yet, the state rules above still apply; ask your county planning or environmental office about local tree permits before cutting.

Want a price for a Florida tree? Use the free quote form below: species, height, county and what it could hit. A member of our team replies by email with next steps and, where we know them, local insured crews to contact.

Communities: Gainesville, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Ocala, Clermont, Leesburg

When something can’t wait

After a hurricane, treat every downed wire as live and call your utility or 911. Photograph damage before cleanup, and remember that the state hazard-tree law lets you remove a dangerous residential tree without a local permit once an arborist documents the risk.

Questions about Florida

How much does tree removal cost in Florida?

Most single trees run $400 to $1,200 on HomeGuide's 2026 national data, palms $200 to $1,200 and large oaks up to about $2,500. County permit fees, storm demand and access add to that.

Can a Florida county stop me from removing a dangerous tree?

Not on residential property when you have an ISA certified arborist's or licensed landscape architect's written finding that the tree poses an unacceptable risk. Under Florida Statutes s. 163.045, no permit, fee or replanting can be required in that case.

Do I need a permit to burn tree debris in Florida?

Not for a yard-waste pile under 8 feet across that meets the Forest Service setbacks and burn hours. Bigger piles and land-clearing burns need an FFS authorization, and local rules can be stricter.

Which Florida trees are most likely to fail in a hurricane?

UF/IFAS lists laurel oak, water oak, sand pine, queen palm and Washington palm among the least wind-resistant species; live oak, sand live oak and sabal palm rank among the most resistant.

Does my utility remove trees on my service line?

LCEC and GRU both say no: they clear their own distribution lines, but limbs on the line from the pole to your house are the owner's responsibility. GRU disconnects the drop free so a private crew can work safely.

Sources

County pages in Florida

Tree problems

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