Tree Protection in Atlanta, GA (2026)
3 verified tree protection rules for Atlanta, Georgia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Atlanta's tree conservation commission can designate any tree, public or private, as a historic tree for its age, size, or historic association, and once so listed it cannot be removed through the tree ordinance's streamlined minor-amendment process.
Atlanta Historic Tree Designation
Some RestrictionsAtlanta Code of Ordinances § 158-26
Historic tree. A tree that has been designated by the tree conservation commission, upon application by the city arborist or any other interested person, to be of notable historic value and interest because of its age, size, or historic association, in accordance with the City arboricultural specifications and standards of practice. Such designation may occur only by resolution of the commissio...
Protected Tree Species
Atlanta protects trees by size, not species: any tree 6 inches DBH or larger (12 inches for pines) needs a city arborist permit to remove, with replacement or recompense required. Invasive species like Callery pear get a lighter removal track and owe no recompense.
Atlanta Protected Tree Species Rules
Some RestrictionsAtlanta Code of Ordinances § 158-42
(a)Healthy, non-invasive trees. Regulated healthy, non-invasive trees require replacement and/or recompense when destroyed or removed.(b)DDH trees are those that have been determined by the city arborist to meet the criteria for removal as dead, dying, or hazardous. DDH trees do not require replacement and/or recompense when removed.(c)Invasive and undesirable tree species are those that have d...
Parkway Planting
Commercial developments in Atlanta must plant street trees along every public and private street frontage, spaced no more than 40 feet apart and set within 20 feet of the curb or sidewalk.
Atlanta Street Tree Planting Requirements
Some RestrictionsAtlanta Code of Ordinances § 158-60(b)(1)
On all commercial sites, trees must be planted along all public and private streets at a maximum spacing of 40 feet, with allowances for driveways, and within 20 feet of the back of curb, or back of sidewalk if the distance between the sidewalk and curb is insufficient for planting trees.(2)All street trees must be overstory or midstory species, and at least half of the trees must be overstory ...
Looking for Fulton County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Atlanta city rules.
Tree Protection in Fulton County →