Tree removal permit rules in Polk County, FL — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Unincorporated Polk County does not require a county permit to remove a tree on private residential land. Florida Statute 163.045 forbids local permit, fee or replanting requirements when a certified arborist documents the tree is a danger. Cities and wetlands rules can still apply.
Polk County has no county-wide residential tree-removal-permit ordinance for unincorporated lots; the Land Development Code addresses tree preservation and replacement only as part of development-plan approval (Section 720/721). Florida Statute 163.045 preempts local rules: a local government may not require a permit, fee, or mitigation, and may not require the owner to replant, when an ISA-certified arborist or Florida-licensed landscape architect documents the tree is an unacceptable risk. Trees in wetlands, wetland buffers or conservation easements still fall under SWFWMD or DEP jurisdiction. Inside city limits (Lakeland, Winter Haven, etc.), municipal tree-preservation ordinances may require permits.
No county penalty for lawful residential removal. Removing a wetland or conservation-easement tree without required environmental permits can bring SWFWMD/DEP fines and mandatory restoration.
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