Landscaping Rules in Winston-Salem, NC (2026)
3 verified landscaping rules for Winston-Salem, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Winston-Salem requires a city permit before anyone prunes, sprays, cables, braces, removes, or otherwise maintains a tree on public right-of-way, including street and sidewalk trees, filed 48 hours ahead with public works.
Winston-Salem Street Tree Pruning Permit
Significant RestrictionsWinston-Salem Code of Ordinances § 74-302(a)(1)a
No person shall plant, prune, spray, cable, brace, remove or otherwise maintain any tree on any public property without first filing for and obtaining a permit from the assistant city manager/public works or designee.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Cutting, removing, or damaging a tree on Winston-Salem public property or street right-of-way requires a permit from the assistant city manager for public works, who can order replacement trees at the violator's expense.
Winston-Salem Public Tree Removal Permit
Some RestrictionsWinston-Salem Code of Ordinances § 74-302(a)(4)
No person shall remove a tree from public property without first obtaining a permit from the assistant city manager/public works or his designee. ... The permit-holder shall bear the full and complete costs of removing both the tree(s) and the stump(s), as well as the cost of the replacement(s).
Weed Ordinances
Winston-Salem caps grass and weeds at eight inches on residential and business lots citywide, with owners liable for civil penalties and lien-backed abatement costs if they don't cut it themselves.
Winston-Salem Grass and Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsWinston-Salem Code of Ordinances § 62-2(c)
It is hereby declared a nuisance to permit the growth of noxious vegetation on one's business or residential lot to a height greater than eight inches, or to permit the lot to serve as a breeding place for mosquitoes, as a refuge for rats and snakes, as a collecting place for trash and litter, or as a fire hazard. It shall also be the duty of the owner to cut and remove all noxious vegetation a...
Looking for Forsyth County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Winston-Salem city rules.
Landscaping Rules in Forsyth County →