Hollywood, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Hollywood, FL, 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 trigger
- any tree 3 inches DBH or larger
- Exempt species
- 10 nuisance trees incl. melaleuca, Australian pine
- After-the-fact fee
- triple the standard permit fee
- Appeal fee
- $200 to Planning and Development Board
- Penalty
- $50-$500 fine or up to 60 days jail
- Replacement minimum
- 10 ft residential, 12 ft commercial
- Emergency rule
- City Manager can suspend during hurricanes
Summary
Cutting down, relocating or destructively damaging a tree three inches or more in trunk diameter anywhere in Hollywood requires a city permit under § 106.26, unless the tree is one of ten listed nuisance or invasive species. Applications run through the Office of Planning under §§ 106.27-106.29, and cutting first triples your permit fee under the after-the-fact process.
(A) No person shall cut down, destroy, remove, relocate or destructively damage or cause to be cut down, destroyed, removed, relocated or destructively damaged any tree without first obtaining a permit from the city as herein provided, except that the following types of trees shall be exempt from the provisions of this subchapter: (1) Schinus terebinthinfolius (Brazilian Pepper Tree/Florida Holly); (2) Metopium toxiferum (Poison Wood); (3) Casurina equisetifolia (Australian Pine); (4) Melaleuca Quinquenervia (Melaleuca); (5) Araucaria Heterophylla (Excelsa) (Norfolk Island Pine); (6) Brassala Actinophylla (Schefflera). (7) Bischofia auriculaeformis (Bischofia); (8) Acacia auriculaeformis (Ear leaf Acacia); (9) Leucaena Leucacephala (Lead Tree); (10) Cupaniiopsis anacardiopsis (Carrotwood)
Full Breakdown
25 as any self-supporting woody plant with a trunk diameter of at least three inches measured three feet above grade that normally reaches ten feet in height, and a SPECIMEN TREE as one with an 18-inch DBH or greater, which triggers extra bonding requirements. 26(A), removing, relocating or destructively damaging any such tree without a city permit is prohibited, except for ten named nuisance and invasive species: Brazilian pepper, poisonwood, Australian pine, melaleuca, Norfolk Island pine, schefflera, bischofia, earleaf acacia, lead tree and carrotwood. 26(B).
26(D). 27(A)(1)(b). 29 sets seven grounds for approval, including that a proposed structure cannot otherwise be sited, the tree is hazardous, or it obstructs traffic sightlines. 29(C) if replacement is not feasible.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 106's removal permit rules is punishable under § 106.99 by a fine of $50 to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each tree cut, damaged or removed in violation counted as a separate offense. A permit holder is also in violation if replacement trees are not planted within 60 days of the permit (or before the certificate of occupancy issues for construction) or not kept healthy for a full year afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree from my Hollywood yard?
Which trees can I cut down without a permit?
What happens if I remove a tree before getting a permit?
How much does it cost to appeal a denied tree removal permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hollywood
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Hollywood to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Broward County handle tree removal & heritage trees.