Pinellas County, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Pinellas County Code § 58-813(b)(1) states: 'A tree permit is required to remove, effectively remove, or transplant any protected tree(s) unless otherwise exempt from this article.' Section 58-813(a) defines which trees are protected: any tree with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of four inches or larger, all palms six feet tall or larger, and, on a homesteaded single-family lot with an existing house in active residential use, only trees over 24 inches DBH.

Before granting a permit, the county rates the tree zero through three under the Table 58-813(a) rating system based on health and condition. A 'Poor' (0) rated dead or invasive tree may be removed with no replant required. 'Fair' (1), 'Good' (2) and 'Excellent' (3) rated trees may be removed only for a qualifying reason, such as interference with proposed construction, utilities or a threat to public safety, and each removal triggers a replant obligation on Table 58-813(b) that scales with the size of tree removed, from one replacement tree for a 4-to-14-inch grade-1 tree up to 12 replacement trees for a grade-3 tree over 34 inches DBH. Where on-site replanting isn't feasible, an applicant can instead pay into the county's tree bank mitigation fund (§ 58-813(6)a). A tree removal permit expires 90 days after issuance unless the county specifies otherwise, though extensions can be requested in writing (§ 58-813(8)a). This article applies to property throughout the incorporated and unincorporated county, excluding county-maintained rights-of-way, though a conflicting municipal tree ordinance controls instead where one exists (§ 58-809).