Tree removal permit rules in Jacksonville, FL — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Jacksonville has comprehensive tree protection under Jax Ord. Code Ch. 656, Part 12, Subpart B (Tree Protection) and Charter Article 25. Protected trees include those with circumference at breast height of 3 feet or more (excluding most pines and palms), trees 6+ inches DBH within 20 ft of a street right-of-way, 8+ inches within 10 ft of property lines, 11.5+ inches elsewhere on the lot, and hardwoods 24+ inches DBH (exceptional specimens). Removal without a permit is prohibited under §656.1205.
Jacksonville Zoning Code §§656.1205–1206 (Part 12, Landscape and Tree Protection) prohibit removing protected trees without a permit. A protected tree is any tree with DBH (diameter at breast height) of 11.5 inches or more, or a 6-inch DBH tree within 20 feet of a street right-of-way (Private Protected Tree). Exclusions: pine species (except longleaf pine), palm species (except Cabbage Palm), and invasive/noxious species. Live oak (Quercus virginiana) removal requires 1:1 inch replacement. All replacement trees must be irrigated and maintained. Exceptional specimen trees have no exemptions. Apply via jaxtreemitigation.coj.net.
Removing a protected tree without a permit: $500–$5,000 per tree. Heritage tree violations: up to $10,000 per tree plus mandatory replacement planting. Stop-work orders for development sites with unauthorized removal.
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See how Jacksonville's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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