Ocala, FL Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Ocala Code §§ 118-32, 118-80, 118-81(c)(6)
- Listed species
- 7 named nuisance trees (e.g. Chinese tallow, Australian pine)
- Permit still required
- Yes, Sec. 118-80, with ID proof
- Permit fee
- Waived under Sec. 118-81(c)(6)
- Enforcing department
- Building, Zoning and Licensing
Summary
The City of Ocala's tree code names seven nuisance tree species by common and botanical name in Sec. 118-32, from Australian pine to Chinese tallow tree. Removing one of these species still needs a tree removal permit under Sec. 118-80, but Sec. 118-81(c)(6) waives the usual fee for a nuisance-species permit.
Nuisance trees are as follows: Common Name Botanical Name Australian Pine Casuarina spp. Black Locust Robinnia pseudoacacia Chinaberry Melia azedarach Chinese Privet Ligustrum lucidum Chinese Tallow Tree Sapium sebiferum Honeylocust, common Gleditsia triancanthes Mulberry Broussonetia spp. ... ... Sec. 118-80. - Permit to remove nuisance trees. Proof of identification will be required before tree removal permits for nuisance trees will be issued. ... (6)Tree removal permits to remove trees designated as nuisance species as defined in this article.
Full Breakdown
Ocala's tree protection article, chapter 118, defines 'Nuisance trees' in Sec. 118-32 as a specific list: Australian Pine (Casuarina spp.), Black Locust (Robinnia pseudoacacia), Chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Chinese Privet (Ligustrum lucidum), Chinese Tallow Tree (Sapium sebiferum), Honeylocust, common (Gleditsia triancanthes), and Mulberry (Broussonetia spp.). Because chapter 118 protects every 'regulated tree' of four inches DBH or larger citywide, a nuisance species growing on a parcel is not automatically exempt: Sec. 118-80 still requires the owner to obtain a tree removal permit and to show proof of identification of the tree before the building department will issue it.
What changes for these seven species is the cost and administrative track. Sec. 118-81(c)(6) puts 'tree removal permits to remove trees designated as nuisance species as defined in this article' on the list of permits issued without charge, alongside G-U permits and hazard-tree permits, so a homeowner or developer removing an Australian pine or Chinese tallow tree pays no permit fee even though the general tree removal fee schedule set by city council resolution applies to other species. The ordinance does not ban planting new nuisance-species trees and carries no separate penalty section naming them; the general chapter 118 violation provisions in Sec.
118-53, including citation to the municipal code enforcement board or special magistrate for unpermitted removal, apply equally whether the tree removed is a protected native species or one of the seven listed nuisance trees.
Violations & Fines
Removing a nuisance tree without first getting the free Sec. 118-80 permit and showing identification is treated the same as any unpermitted tree removal under Sec. 118-53: the building department can issue a stop-work order, and the owner, developer or contractor can be cited to the municipal code enforcement board or special magistrate, with each unlawfully removed tree counted as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tree species does the City of Ocala list as nuisance trees?
Can I remove a Chinese tallow tree in Ocala without a permit?
Does Ocala's code ban planting nuisance tree species?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ocala
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