Tree Removal Cost: McCormick County, SC

McCormick County is quiet pine country on the Georgia line, with Lake Thurmond (Clarks Hill) along its western edge, the Savannah Lakes Village retirement community and large tracts of Sumter National Forest. Jobs are tall pines over lake homes, storm damage and lot clearing. HomeGuide's latest national price data (February 2026) sets a typical removal between $400 and $1,200.

Pine dominates. The Forest Service's FIA estimates (South Carolina 2025 evaluation) count about 199,600 acres of forest land countywide, 66.9% loblolly/shortleaf pine, 16.8% oak/hickory and 15.2% oak/pine.

the Census Bureau's county permit tallies show 119 one-family houses approved in 2025, 141 in 2024 and 115 in 2023, many of them lake and golf homes in Savannah Lakes Village.

Permits

Tell SCFC before you light a pile. South Carolina's forest fire law (S.C. Code Section 48-35-10) makes anyone burning yard debris or brush outside a town give notice to the S.C. Forestry Commission first, keep a cleared area around the fire and stay until it is out. Section 48-35-60 sets a fine as high as $200 for a first offense and at least $500 for another within ten years.

Lake shoreline: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages the land along Lake Thurmond, and cutting trees on Corps property below the government line requires its permission, even if you own the lot next to it.

We found no county permit for cutting trees on your own lot; Savannah Lakes Village has community rules, so ask the property owners' association first.

Step 1: see if the tree is on your lot or Corps land. Step 2: notify SCFC before any burn. Step 3: ask your HOA if you're in Savannah Lakes. Step 4: compare written quotes. Step 5: have buried lines marked through 811 before the stump grinder arrives.

Local conditions

Rolling Piedmont: NRCS soil survey data for McCormick County (SC065) put 50.1% of mapped acres at grades of at least 8% and 13.8% at 15% or more, steepest along the creeks that run to the lake and near the Savannah River on the west.

Pine stands near homes: planted and natural loblolly pine covers most of the county, and tall pines on lake lots near Savannah Lakes Village snap in hurricane wind and ice.

Storm record: FEMA's declarations data list 6 weather disaster declarations covering the county, 3 of them hurricanes: Irma in 2017, Ian in 2022 and Helene in 2024, which flattened pines across the upstate.

Pine beetles: southern pine beetle outbreaks in dry years leave dead pines standing near homes.

What drives local prices

Most removals here are pines, $250 to $1,600 each in HomeGuide's species table.
A 60- to 80-foot pine runs $850 to $2,000 in HomeGuide's height table.
After a hurricane, HomeGuide says emergency work can cost 2-3x normal.
Stumps add $100 to $500 or more, HomeGuide says; lake slopes add an est. 10% to 25%.
How we priced it: the dollar ranges are quoted from HomeGuide's published national cost guide dated Feb 4, 2026; lines marked est. are our estimate. Checked October 20, 2026.

Common jobs

Removing tall pines over lake homes in Savannah Lakes Village.
Storm cleanup after Helene and other hurricanes.
Clearing beetle-killed pines.
Lot clearing for new homes.
Pruning or removing trees that shade golf course homes and docks, where the Corps and the HOA allow it.
Cutting firewood from storm-felled oaks on rural tracts near Plum Branch and Willington.

Service area

Calls come from McCormick, Savannah Lakes Village, Plum Branch, Parksville, Clarks Hill, Willington and Mount Carmel. US 378 runs east to west through McCormick, US 221 runs north to Greenwood and south to Clarks Hill, and SC 28 heads toward Abbeville.

Duke Energy, Dominion Energy and Little River Electric Co-op serve the area.

Tell us about the tree through the free form below, including any lake frontage.

Communities: McCormick, Savannah Lakes Village, Plum Branch, Parksville, Clarks Hill, Willington, Mount Carmel

When something can’t wait

For trees on lines, call the utility and stay away. Storm rates can run 2-3x normal per HomeGuide.

Questions about McCormick County

What's the going rate for tree removal in McCormick County?

About between $400 and $1,200 for one average tree by HomeGuide's 2026 numbers; tall pines over houses cost more.

Do I need to tell anyone before burning?

Yes. Outside town limits, S.C. law requires notifying the S.C. Forestry Commission before you burn.

Can I cut trees along Lake Thurmond?

Not on Corps of Engineers land without its permission, even next to your lot.

What's the fine for burning without notice?

Up to $200 for a first offense under S.C. Code Section 48-35-60.

Sources

Related tree removal guides

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.