Tree Protection in Dallas, TX (2026)
3 verified tree protection rules for Dallas, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Dallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.133 lets an owner ask city council to designate a tree as historic; once approved by resolution, the tree keeps that status for life and can only be cut down with a separate council authorization. The designation is filed in the county deed records, permanently tying the protection to the land.
Dallas Historic Tree Designation Rules
Significant RestrictionsDallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.133
(a) A property owner must agree, on a form approved by the director, to have a tree designated as historic before the historic designation can be approved by city council. (b) Except as provided in this section, historic status lasts for the life of the tree. (c) A certified copy of the resolution declaring a tree historic must be filed in the deed records of the county where the hi...
Protected Tree Species
Dallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.101(48) protects any tree species with an eight-inch or greater trunk diameter that isn't on the code's unprotected list, plus any tree in a delineated forest stand canopy and any replacement tree. A shorter list of extra-large, mature species, including post oaks and elms, gets stricter 'significant tree' status with a higher replacement ratio.
Dallas Protected Tree Species Rules
Some RestrictionsDallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.101(48), (55)
(48) PROTECTED TREE means: (A) a tree of any species that has a minimum diameter of eight inches that is not classified as unprotected in this article; (B) any tree in a stand which projects a tree canopy over a building site when identified within a forest stand delineation review; or (C) a tree that was planted as a replacement tree. ... (55) SIGNIFICANT T...
Parkway Planting
Dallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.125 lets homeowners and shared-access developments count trees planted in the parkway, the strip of street right-of-way between the curb and the front lot line, toward the required landscaping trees on a lot. Parkway trees must still meet species, caliper, and utility-line spacing standards, and planting in the right-of-way needs the city's private licensing approval.
Dallas Parkway Tree Planting Standards
Some RestrictionsDallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.125(a)(1)(D), (a)(2)(A)(iv)
(D) Additional requirements: (i) Nursery stock trees must be a species listed in the approved tree list maintained by the director. (ii) Trees must have a minimum caliper of two inches. (iii) Trees must be planted a minimum of 20 feet on center from the nearest point of an overhead electric line. (iv) An existing, healthy, and protected ...
Looking for Dallas County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Dallas city rules.
Tree Protection in Dallas County →