Brevard County, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Brevard 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
- Protected tree (mainland)
- 10 in. dbh hardwood
- Protected tree (barrier island)
- 1.5 in. dbh
- Protected pine
- 14 in. dbh
- Small-lot exemption
- single-family lots ≤1.25 acres
- Enforcing office
- Natural Resources Management Office
Summary
Unincorporated Brevard County requires a land clearing permit before removing a protected tree, hardwoods 10 inches dbh or more (1.5 inches on the barrier island) and pines 14 inches dbh or more, administered by the Natural Resources Management Office.
Protected tree means, with the exception of nonnative invasive or undesirable plants, a hardwood tree having dbh of ten inches or greater located on the mainland or Merit Island or having a dbh of 1.5 inches on the barrier island; or a softwood tree, such as a pine, having a dbh of 14 inches or greater or 1.5 inches on the barrier island. ... Unless specifically exempted by section 62-4334, a permit shall be required prior to any land clearing activities.
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
Sec. 62-4337 of the county code requires a land clearing permit from the Natural Resources Management Office before any tree removal or land clearing in unincorporated Brevard County, unless specifically exempted under Sec. 62-4334. A "protected tree" is defined in Sec. 62-4332 by trunk diameter: hardwoods at 10 inches dbh on the mainland or Merritt Island (1.5 inches on the barrier island), and pines at 14 inches dbh (1.5 inches on the barrier island). Single-family lots of 1.25 acres or less are exempt from the canopy-preservation and specimen-tree rules, though minimum landscaping standards still apply. The county code does not reach Palm Bay, Melbourne, Titusville, Cocoa, or other incorporated Space Coast cities, each of which regulates tree removal under its own code.
Violations & Fines
Clearing land or removing a protected tree without a permit violates Sec. 62-4336: each removed protected tree is a separate offense, and collected fines are deposited into the county's arbor trust fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in unincorporated Brevard County?
What size makes a tree "protected" under Brevard County's code?
Does this rule apply inside Cocoa or Titusville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brevard County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Brevard County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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