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Last reviewed 2026-10-17

Maricopa County, AZ Tree Removal Cost

Taking out a palm in Maricopa County typically costs $200 to $1,200, the range HomeGuide's February 2026 cost guide lists for palms nationally, and HomeGuide reports $400 to $1,200 for an average single tree of any kind. Valley quotes swing on three things: how tall the tree is, whether it touches a power line, and whether the crew has to carry every piece out through a side gate.

Monsoon wind is what fills the schedule. On July 24, 2024, the National Weather Service in Phoenix counted more than 20 microbursts in about 1.5 hours across the metro; the first reported damage was palms falling onto power lines at 35th Avenue and Peoria Avenue, radar suggested 70 to 80 mph winds, and an SRP weather station measured a 59 mph gust. NWS also logged an uprooted tree that flattened a brick fence near 43rd Avenue and Union Hills Drive.

Most of the county is desert, not forest: the Forest Service's 2023 FIA evaluation counts only about 93,000 acres of forest land in the county, nearly all pinyon/juniper and woodland hardwoods in the mountains, with a sampling error near 34%. The trees people pay to remove are planted ones on the valley floor around Phoenix, Mesa and the West Valley: palms, eucalyptus, pines, ash, mesquite and palo verde.

Cost at a glance

Maricopa County tree removal cost at a glance
Item	Typical cost	Source
Palm	$200-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Typical single tree	$400-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Ash	$650-$2,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Stump removal (owner pays after SRP removals)	$100-$500+	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Utility pruning between poles (SRP, APS)	No charge	SRP; APS
Minimum fine, illegal outdoor fire	$200	Maricopa County Air Quality, Rule 314

Permits

Step 1: find out whose line it is. Step 2: if a tree is between two power poles, ask the utility to handle it for free; if it touches the line to your house, book a temporary disconnect before your crew comes. Step 3: if you are clearing native desert plants on vacant or newly developed land, file the state notice in time. Step 4: get written bids that include haul-off, because you can't burn the debris. Step 5: call Arizona 811 before stump grinding or replanting.

Native plants: A.R.S. 3-904 requires landowners to notify the Arizona Department of Agriculture before destroying protected native plants: 20 days ahead for under 1 acre, 30 days for 1 to under 40 acres and 60 days for 40 acres or more. Subsection H exempts individually owned residential lots of 10 acres or less where the home is already built, so an established yard is normally outside the rule.

No burning: Maricopa County Air Quality's burning page says burning yard waste such as tree trimmings is prohibited, and the minimum fine for an illegal outdoor fire under its Rule 314 is $200. Every limb and trunk round has to be chipped or hauled, which is built into Valley bids.

Cities in the county may protect trees on commercial or subdivision sites through their own codes; we did not find a county permit for removing a tree from an existing single-family yard. Ask your city planning office if you are unsure.

Local conditions

Palms are the signature job. SRP says it can prune most trees away from lines, but a palm that grows within 10 feet of a high-voltage line can't be pruned and has to be removed, because cutting near the single growing point kills it.

Flat, hard valley floor: in the NRCS survey for central Maricopa County only 4.0% of mapped acres are at 8% slope or more, so bucket trucks and cranes can usually set up, but bedrock lies within 100 cm on 11.4% of the area, mostly toward the mountain edges around the valley.

Floods more than wind on the federal record: FEMA's declarations data list 12 weather-related major disasters for Maricopa County from 1966 through 2014, nine of them floods and three severe storms. Monsoon microbursts that drop trees across a neighborhood rarely reach that level, so cleanup is usually a private or insurance bill.

Heat and season: HomeGuide's survey says removal costs run 10%-20% higher in summer and fall, which in the Valley overlaps the monsoon peak when crews are busiest.

What drives local prices

Species: HomeGuide lists palm at $200-$1,200, pine at $250-$1,600 and ash at $650-$2,000 per tree.
Height: per HomeGuide, under 30 ft runs $200-$500, 30-60 ft $500-$1,500 and over 80 ft $1,200-$2,500+; many Valley palms clear 30 ft.
Stump: after a utility removal the stump is yours, and HomeGuide's survey puts stump removal at $100-$500+.
Disposal and access: with burning banned, chipping (HomeGuide: $50-$100) and haul-off are always in the price; walled backyards with narrow gates add an est. 10% to 25%.
Emergency timing: same-day or next-day storm work is 2 to 3 times standard pricing, HomeGuide reports.
Method: ranges are HomeGuide's published national cost figures (Feb 4, 2026), adjusted only where marked est. for local access; they are not quotes from Maricopa County crews. Figures checked October 16, 2026.

Common jobs

Tall palm removal, including palms near power lines
Monsoon cleanup of split eucalyptus, pines and uprooted trees
Removing mesquite and palo verde that crowd walls, pools and roofs
Stump grinding after SRP removals, since the owner handles the stump

Service area

Quote requests come from Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert along I-10, Loop 101, Loop 202 and US 60, and from Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Avondale and Buckeye in the West Valley off I-17 and I-10.

Depending on the address, the overhead lines belong to SRP or APS. Both prune lines between poles at no charge; neither clears the service line to your house.

Get your tree priced: use the free quote form below and tell us the species, height, whether it touches a line, and gate width. A member of our team replies by email with next steps and, where we know them, local insured crews to contact.

Communities: Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Glendale, Tempe, Peoria, Surprise, Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye

When something can’t wait

If a monsoon gust drops a tree or palm onto wires, stay well away and call SRP's electrical emergency line or APS, or 911 if anyone is hurt. For trees on a roof or blocking a drive, document the damage before cleanup; HomeGuide says insurance typically pays when a tree hits a covered structure.

Questions about Maricopa County

How much does it cost to remove a palm tree in Maricopa County?

HomeGuide's 2026 guide puts palm removal at $200 to $1,200. Tall palms near lines, palms in walled yards and jobs that need a crane cost more, and stump grinding is usually a separate line.

Will SRP or APS remove my tree for free?

SRP trims or removes vegetation that grows into lines between two poles at no cost and says it trims nearly 40,000 trees a year; the debris goes with SRP but the stump stays with you. APS says a forestry representative assesses requests within 10 business days. Neither utility clears the line from the pole to your house.

How do I get a tree cut near the line to my house?

Hire a crew and ask your utility for a temporary disconnect. SRP asks for a call at least a day ahead and needs you home when it disconnects; you call again to reconnect after the work.

Can I burn the branches?

No. Maricopa County Air Quality prohibits burning yard waste, and an illegal outdoor fire carries a minimum $200 fine under Rule 314. Plan on chipping or haul-off.

Do I need a permit to remove native trees like mesquite?

On an existing home lot of 10 acres or less, A.R.S. 3-904(H) exempts you from the state notice. Clearing protected native plants on undeveloped land needs notice to the Department of Agriculture 20 to 60 days ahead, depending on acreage; A.R.S. 3-904 sets those notice periods.

Sources

Nearby counties

Tree problems

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