Tree removal permit rules in Harrison County, MS — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Harrison County has minimal tree removal restrictions on private property. Mississippi Right to Farm §95-3-29 and weak home-rule authority limit local tree ordinances. Coastal live oaks get voluntary protection in Gulfport and Biloxi.
Harrison County does not require permits for residential tree removal on private property outside of coastal wetland and floodplain zones. Mississippi is a Dillon's Rule state with limited municipal tree-ordinance authority. Gulfport and Biloxi have heritage tree programs for live oaks over a set trunk diameter (commonly 24 inches), but these rely largely on voluntary preservation rather than removal bans. Trees in the MS Coastal Wetlands Protection area under §49-27 require state Department of Marine Resources (DMR) review before removal. Street trees in the public right-of-way are managed by municipal public works. After Katrina, emergency removal of damaged trees was streamlined and this looser enforcement culture persists.
Removing trees from coastal wetlands without DMR approval: state fines $1,000-$25,000 under §49-27. Street tree damage in Gulfport/Biloxi: restitution plus $250-$500 citation. Unpermitted heritage oak removal: voluntary replacement request.
Harrison County, MS
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See how Harrison County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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