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Last reviewed 2026-10-19

Tree Removal Cost: Johnson County, KS

Most Johnson County tree calls come from the suburbs: a silver maple, pin oak or ash that has outgrown a 1960s lot in Prairie Village or Overland Park, a Bradford pear splitting in a Lenexa cul-de-sac, or hedge rows of Osage orange and elm on the acreages around Gardner, Spring Hill and De Soto. HomeGuide's February 2026 national survey puts a typical removal at $400 to $1,200, ash at $650 to $2,000 and maple at $600 to $1,200.

Growth keeps the clearing work coming. The Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey counts 2,055 single-family buildings authorized in Johnson County in 2025, up from 1,733 in 2024 and 1,385 in 2023, much of it on former farm ground south and west of Olathe where tree lines come out before streets go in.

The county's rules are mostly about smoke and disposal, not cutting. Below are the burn limits, the city brush programs and the ground conditions that change a Johnson County bid.

Cost at a glance

Johnson County tree removal cost at a glance
Item	Typical cost	Source
Typical single tree	$400-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Ash	$650-$2,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Maple	$600-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Land clearing, per acre	$1,200-$8,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Stump removal	$100-$500+	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Olathe bulk brush pickup (1st-4th per year)	$30 per 15 minutes of loading	City of Olathe
Open burning in April	Banned (almost all burning)	Johnson County DHE

Permits

We found no county permit for removing a tree on a private residential lot; cities regulate street trees and HOAs set their own rules.

Burning follows Kansas air rules K.A.R. 28-19-645 through 28-19-648, enforced locally by the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE). Ordinary residential burning on a property with five or fewer dwellings is exempt from the state ban unless a local authority prohibits it, but clearing burns need a written exemption from JCDHE under 28-19-647(c). Since 2011 almost all open burning is banned in Johnson and Wyandotte counties during April under the Flint Hills smoke plan; any April approval comes from KDHE, not the county.

Fire districts add their own rules. NWCFD (the Northwest Consolidated Fire District) issues burn permits only by phone (913-583-3886) on the day you burn, requires wind under 15 mph, keeps piles 100 feet from any structure and 10 feet from property lines, and wants a 20-foot firebreak. Some cities don't allow yard waste burning at all, so check your city code first.

Hauling is usually the answer. The City of Olathe's trash page says bulk pickup takes brush in a separate pile, limbs up to 15 feet long and 2 feet across, and charges $30 per 15 minutes of loading ($30 minimum) for the first four pickups a year, $60 for pickups five to eight and $85 after that. The City of Lenexa's curbside rules require bundles no longer than 48 inches, no thicker than 18 inches and no heavier than 65 pounds.

Step 1: check your city's yard waste rules. Step 2: if you're on acreage, call your fire district before planning any burn, and never in April. Step 3: check the fall zone for the house, fences and Evergy lines. Step 4: compare itemized written bids that include haul-off. Step 5: call Kansas 811 before stump grinding.

Local conditions

Limestone near the surface along creek valleys: NRCS soil survey data for Johnson County (KS091) find bedrock within about 39 inches (100 cm) on 27.7% of mapped acres, mostly in the hills along Kill Creek and the Blue River and the bluffs near the Kansas River, so stump grinders and root plates hit rock.

Heavy clay: the same NRCS survey rates 21.8% of mapped acres are somewhat poorly or poorly drained, and the clay soils that crack in drought and stay saturated in spring are common on the flat uplands south of Olathe; wet clay lets shallow-rooted pin oaks and maples tip in storms.

Ice and wind: FEMA's declarations data list 8 weather-related major disasters for Johnson County, including the severe winter ice storm declared in February 2002, which broke limbs across the metro, plus straight-line wind and tornado events declared in 2017 and October 2023.

Ash and pear: emerald ash borer is established in the Kansas City area and is killing ash trees, and the Bradford pears planted along many streets split easily in wind and heavy ice.

What drives local prices

Species: HomeGuide's table lists ash at $650-$2,000, maple at $600-$1,200 and oak at $300-$2,500; declining ash can be brittle and slower to take down.
Height: a 30-60 ft shade tree is $500-$1,500 in HomeGuide's height table and a 60-80 ft tree is $850-$2,000.
Volume: clearing hedge rows or wooded acreage is priced closer to land clearing, which HomeGuide puts at $1,200-$8,000 per acre, with multi-tree discounts of 10% to 25%.
Disposal: no burning in April and limits in many cities mean haul-off; in Olathe the city's bulk brush pickup bills $30 per 15 minutes of loading.
Stump: shallow limestone slows grinding; HomeGuide's survey puts stump removal at $100-$500+.
Method: species, height, acreage and stump figures are HomeGuide national ranges (Feb 4, 2026); burn rules come from JCDHE and NWCFD, disposal rules from the cities of Olathe and Lenexa. These are not quotes from local crews. Checked October 19, 2026.

Common jobs

Ash and maple removal on suburban lots
Bradford pear and storm-split limb cleanup
Hedge row and tree line clearing on acreage
Stump grinding in rocky ground

Service area

We hear from Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leawood, Prairie Village, Merriam, Gardner, Spring Hill and De Soto. I-35 runs southwest through Olathe toward Gardner, I-435 loops the north half, US 69 runs south through Overland Park, US 56 crosses Olathe and Gardner, K-10 links Lenexa to De Soto and K-7 runs north-south on the west side.

Evergy serves most of the county; only Evergy crews should handle limbs touching its lines.

Need a number? Fill out the free form below with the tree's species, approximate height and what's beneath it. We reply by email with next steps and, where we know them, insured crews working Johnson County.

Communities: Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leawood, Prairie Village, Merriam, Gardner, Spring Hill, De Soto

When something can’t wait

If a storm puts a tree on the house or a line, keep clear and call Evergy or 911 before anyone cuts. HomeGuide's survey says emergency crews often charge 2 to 3 times standard rates; after an ice storm, cities often announce special brush pickup, so check before you pay to haul.

Questions about Johnson County

How much does tree removal cost in Johnson County, KS?

HomeGuide's 2026 survey puts a typical tree at $400 to $1,200. A big maple near the house or a full tree line on acreage costs more.

Can I burn brush in Johnson County?

Not in April, when almost all open burning is banned. The rest of the year it depends on your city and fire district, and clearing burns need a written JCDHE exemption.

Will Olathe pick up a tree I cut down?

Yes. The City of Olathe lists bulk pickup for limbs no longer than 15 feet and no thicker than 2 feet; it costs $30 per 15 minutes of loading for the first four pickups a year.

How do I set out branches in Lenexa?

The City of Lenexa requires bundles no longer than 48 inches, no thicker than 18 inches and no heavier than 65 pounds.

What storms bring trees down here?

Ice storms and straight-line winds. FEMA lists 8 weather-related major disasters for the county, including the 2002 ice storm.

Sources

Tree problems

Local fees and rules change. Confirm with the county or state office named above before you clear. For published price ranges, see land clearing cost per acre or follow the worked estimate. Estimate your clearing cost.