Tree removal permit rules in Seminole County, FL — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Removing a protected tree in unincorporated Seminole County normally requires an Arbor Permit under Land Development Code Chapter 60. But Florida Statute 163.045 bars the county from requiring any permit for a residential tree an arborist certifies as dangerous, and small developed single-family lots are exempt.
Under Chapter 60 of the Land Development Code, an Arbor Permit from Development Services is required before removing protected trees in the unincorporated county, with mitigation or replacement often required. The county's own guidance exempts 'developed single family lots 3 acres or less with a house' (not counting wetland areas), and agricultural land is exempt per FS 193.461 and 163.3162. Statewide, FS 163.045 preempts any county permit, fee, or mitigation for pruning or removing a tree on residential property when the owner holds documentation from an ISA-certified arborist or Florida-licensed landscape architect that the tree poses an unacceptable risk. Inside city limits, the municipal tree code governs.
Unpermitted removal of a protected tree may trigger code-enforcement action, replacement/mitigation trees, and per-tree fines set by the county.
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See how Seminole County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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