Carrollton, TX Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Carrollton, TX, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Cutting, removing, moving or damaging any protected tree
- Protected tree threshold
- 4-inch DBH or greater, listed species
- Permit expiration
- 12 months if related plat/permit unapproved
- Fine per incident
- Up to $500.00 per tree
- Appeal body
- Property Standards Board, then City Council
- Governing chapter
- City Code Chapter 155, Tree Preservation
Summary
Carrollton requires a tree removal permit before anyone cuts down, destroys, moves or damages a protected tree, per City Code Chapter 155. A protected tree is any listed species with a trunk 4 inches or more in diameter measured 4.5 feet above ground. Permits run through the City Manager's office and expire after 12 months.
No person, directly or indirectly, shall cut down, destroy, remove or move, or effectively destroy through damaging, any tree without first obtaining a tree removal permit, unless otherwise specified in this chapter. The application for a tree removal permit shall be submitted on a form provided by the city. Permits may be issued with verification that the protected tree is damaged or diseased.
Full Breakdown
07(A), no person may "cut down, destroy, remove or move, or effectively destroy through damaging, any tree without first obtaining a tree removal permit," and the application must go on a city-issued form; permits can be issued once the city verifies the tree is damaged or diseased. 5 feet above ground (for multi-trunk trees, the largest trunk's diameter plus half the diameter of each additional trunk). 07(F)(7), though it will be approved. 07(C)). 07(G)). 12(C)) confirms are owed even where a violation occurred. 05(A)).
Violations & Fines
Each tree removed or transplanted without a permit is a separate offense under § 155.12(B). Conviction carries a fine up to $500 per incident under § 155.99, and every tree in violation counts as its own incident, so removing several trees without permits stacks separate $500 penalties. No culpable mental state has to be proven (§ 155.12(D)), and violators still owe mitigation/replacement under § 155.08 regardless of the fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my Carrollton backyard?
What happens if I remove a protected tree without a permit in Carrollton?
Who reviews a Carrollton tree removal permit application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Carrollton to another location·View the Texas landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle tree removal & heritage trees.