Home / Counties / Travis County, TX

Last reviewed 2026-10-19

Tree Removal Cost: Travis County, TX

Around Austin, the size of the trunk decides what you can do as much as the price does. The City of Austin regulates every tree 19 inches or more in diameter on residential lots, and treats oaks, pecans, cedar elms and a few other species at 24 inches or more as heritage trees. Live oaks, cedar elms, Ashe juniper and pecans are the usual jobs, and HomeGuide's 2026 national survey says a typical removal runs $400 to $1,200.

Growth keeps the clearing side busy. The Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey counts 4,727 single-family buildings authorized in Travis County in 2025, up from 4,559 in 2024 and 4,432 in 2023, many of them on cedar-covered lots in the west and on former farmland east of SH 130.

So most bids here come down to three things: whether the tree is regulated, whether it's an oak in oak wilt season, and how the brush leaves the property.

Cost at a glance

Travis 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)
Land clearing (cedar), per acre	$1,200-$8,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Stump removal	$100-$500+	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Hornsby Bend brush drop-off (from Oct 1, 2026)	$9.80 per cubic yard, up to 6 cubic yards a day	Austin Resource Recovery
Austin Protected tree (permit required)	19 in diameter and up	City of Austin
Austin Heritage tree (variance required)	24 in diameter and up, listed species	City of Austin

Permits

Inside Austin, a Protected tree (19 inches in diameter or more, measured 4.5 feet up) needs a Tree Ordinance Review Application before removal, before pruning 25% or more of the canopy, or before work that disturbs the critical root zone, per the City of Austin's residential tree page. Heritage trees (24 inches or more, listed species) can only come down with a variance, and the City Arborist Program says variances for heritage trees 30 inches and larger go through a public process. Trees under 19 inches are not regulated on residential property.

Outside Austin, Lakeway, West Lake Hills, Bee Cave and other cities keep their own tree rules, and unincorporated land generally has none for an ordinary lot; ask the city where the parcel sits before you schedule the crew.

Burning is often off the table. Travis County's Fire Marshal explains that a burn ban, ordered by the Commissioners Court, prohibits all outdoor burning including brush; Travis County Parks notes a ban that took effect August 11, 2026. Check the County burn ban page before lighting a pile.

Brush that can't be burned goes to Hornsby Bend, where Austin Resource Recovery charges $9.80 per cubic yard. Step 1: measure the trunk at 4.5 feet and name the species. Step 2: file a Tree Ordinance Review Application if Austin regulates it. Step 3: keep oak cuts out of February through June unless it's a hazard. Step 4: settle haul-off and compare written bids. Step 5: call 811 before the stump grinder arrives.

Local conditions

Limestone west of MoPac: NRCS soil survey data for Travis County (TX453) show bedrock within about 39 inches (100 cm) on 52.8% of mapped acres and slopes of 8% or more on 37.0%, so Hill Country lots west of Loop 360 and along Lake Travis often mean shallow-rooted cedar and oak on rock, with stumps that are hard to grind out.

Oak wilt: Texas A&M Forest Service advises against pruning or wounding oaks from February through June and says every oak wound should be painted right away; the agency counts oak wilt spreading an average of 75 feet per year through connected live oak roots, the main way it kills trees in Central Texas.

Ice, floods and fire: FEMA's declarations data list 18 weather-related major disasters for Travis County, including 7 floods, 5 severe storms, 2 fire declarations, 2 hurricanes and the 2021 and 2023 winter and ice storms that split live oaks and pecans across the city; the latest, declared July 2025, covered storms and flooding along the Colorado River corridor and its creeks.

Heat and drought stress also leave dead limbs on otherwise healthy trees near Lady Bird Lake and in older east Austin neighborhoods.

What drives local prices

Species: oaks cover the widest band on HomeGuide's species list ($300-$2,500), and pecans and big live oaks with wide crowns price toward the top.
Permits: a regulated tree in Austin adds the Tree Ordinance Review Application and, for heritage trees, a variance, which can add an arborist's time to the bid.
Cedar clearing: whole-lot juniper work is bid by the acre, which HomeGuide puts at $1,200-$8,000.
Brush: the City's Hornsby Bend site charges $9.80 per cubic yard from October 1, 2026, up to 6 cubic yards a day, per Austin Resource Recovery.
Stump: grinding through limestone is slow; HomeGuide's stump range is $100-$500+.
Method: species, acre and stump dollars are HomeGuide's February 4, 2026 nationwide ranges, not Austin bids; tree sizes from the City of Austin, brush fees from Austin Resource Recovery and oak wilt guidance from Texas A&M Forest Service. Checked October 19, 2026.

Common jobs

Live oak and cedar elm removal near houses
Ashe juniper (cedar) clearing on Hill Country lots
Ice and storm damage cleanup
Stump grinding on rocky ground

Service area

Calls come from Austin, Pflugerville, Manor, Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Lago Vista, Jonestown, Del Valle and Rollingwood. I-35 splits the county north to south, MoPac (Loop 1) and Loop 360 run along the west side, US 183 and SH 71 cross it, and SH 130 bypasses the east.

Austin Energy serves most of the city and Pedernales Electric much of the west; leave limbs on their lines to the utility.

To get a price, tell us the species, how tall it is and what's under it in the free form below, and we'll email back.

Communities: Austin, Pflugerville, Manor, Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Lago Vista, Jonestown, Del Valle, Rollingwood

When something can’t wait

After an ice storm or a big wind, a live oak limb on an Austin Energy or PEC line is the utility's job; call them or 911 and stay clear. Storm crews often charge 2 to 3 times normal rates, HomeGuide says, and a damaged regulated tree may still need City paperwork afterward.

Questions about Travis County

How much does tree removal cost in Travis County, TX?

HomeGuide's 2026 national survey says $400 to $1,200 for a typical tree; regulated oaks, rock and haul-off push it up.

Which trees need a permit in Austin?

Any tree 19 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet; heritage species at 24 inches or more need a variance to remove.

When should oaks not be pruned?

February through June, per Texas A&M Forest Service, except for hazards; paint every oak wound.

Where can I take brush?

Hornsby Bend at 2210 FM 973, $9.80 per cubic yard as of October 2026; Austin curbside bundles must be under 30 pounds and 5 feet.

Can I burn brush?

Not during a County burn ban, which prohibits all outdoor burning; check the Fire Marshal page first.

Sources

More Texas tree removal pages

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.