Miami-Dade County, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Miami-Dade County, 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
- Permitting agency
- DERM
- Base civil penalty
- $500 per violation
- Residential yard exemption
- Existing single-family home, non-specimen
- Specimen tree threshold
- 18-inch DBH or greater
- New-home exemption lot size
- 1 acre (AU) / 0.5 acre other
Summary
A DERM permit is required to remove or destroy most trees countywide, but yard trees at an existing single-family home are exempt unless they're specimen trees.
It shall be unlawful for any person, unless otherwise permitted by the terms of this section, to do tree removal work or to effectively destroy any tree... without first obtaining a permit from the Department. ... The following activities are exempt from tree removal permits: (a) Removal of trees within the yard area of an existing single-family residence, provided the trees are not within a natural forest community, and are not specimen trees. This exemption does not apply to trees which are growing on County rights-of-way adjoining existing single-family residences...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
Miami-Dade Code Section 24-49 makes it unlawful to remove or effectively destroy any tree, or destroy natural forest community understory, without a Department of Environmental Resources Management permit. The rule applies both inside and outside the 34 municipalities as a DERM baseline (cities may add stricter rules but can't waive it). The main homeowner exemption covers trees in the yard of an existing single-family residence, as long as the tree isn't a specimen tree (18+ inch DBH, with exceptions) and isn't inside a mapped natural forest community: right-of-way trees adjoining the home don't qualify. New single-family construction on lots at or under an acre (AU-zoned) or half-acre (other zoning) gets a separate exemption if it's the owner-builder's principal residence and no specimen trees or forest-community land are involved.
Violations & Fines
Removing a tree without a required permit, or violating permit conditions, is a civil offense punished under the Chapter 8CC schedule; each unpermitted tree removal or forest-community understory violation carries a base civil penalty of $500.00, with separate violations for each affected tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my Miami-Dade yard?
What's the fine for removing a tree without a permit in Miami-Dade?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami-Dade County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami-Dade County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.