Jefferson Parish, LA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Jefferson Parish, LA, 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 DBH threshold
- 8 inches (oaks, elms, magnolias, sycamores)
- Removal approval
- Parish arborist/landscape architect sign-off
- Replacement fee
- $100 per inch DBH over 12 inches
- Unlawful removal penalty
- Up to $500/day plus 2x replacement
- Appeal
- Board of zoning adjustments, 30 days
Summary
Cutting or clearing a protected tree, generally any oak, elm, magnolia, sycamore, or other significant canopy tree of 8 inches or more in diameter, requires sign-off from the parish landscape architect, landscape planner, or parish arborist. Removal is allowed only if a licensed arborist certifies the tree is diseased or hazardous, or the tree sits in a zoning district's designated uncontested removal area, and replacement or a fee-in-lieu payment is due either way.
(d)Cutting or clearing protected trees. The parish landscape architect, landscape planner, or parish arborist may allow, through the applicable development approval procedures, the cutting or clearing of a protected tree under the following circumstances:(1)The protected tree is diseased or hazardous, as certified by a licensed arborist.(2)Trees removed within the uncontested tree removal area, shall follow the replacement requirements outlined in section 33-6.27.10, tree replacement.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 4 defines protected trees as all oaks except water oaks, all elms, all magnolias, sycamores, and any canopy tree with an 8-inch or greater diameter at breast height, along with any tree 24 inches DBH or larger regardless of species (excluding bald cypress and prohibited species). Sec. 7(d) lets the parish landscape architect, landscape planner, or parish arborist approve cutting or clearing only where a licensed arborist certifies the tree is diseased or hazardous, or where the tree falls inside a zoning district's uncontested removal area, such as the buildable area defined by front and rear setbacks in the Metairie Ridge Tree Preservation District or the OMNCD.
Before construction can start near a protected tree, the property owner must erect a six-foot protective barrier around the tree's root protection zone and post a bilingual 'Tree Protection Area Do Not Enter' sign, and no parking, storage, or chemical mixing is allowed inside that zone. Removal always triggers replacement under Sec. 10: a significant tree up to 12 inches DBH is replaced on a 1-inch DBH to 1-inch caliper basis at no fee, but a tree over 12 inches DBH adds a $100 charge per additional inch beyond the first 12, so a 36-inch oak carries a $2,400 replacement fee on top of planting a 12-inch caliper replacement.
Owners can pay a fee-in-lieu to the parish's parkways department instead of planting on-site, and the money is dedicated to public tree planting and maintenance.
Violations & Fines
Unlawful removal or damage to a protected tree draws a fine of up to $500 per violation per day under Sec. 33-6.27.13, paid into the parkways department's tree fund, plus replacement or fee-in-lieu obligations doubled to twice the normal rate: an unlawfully removed 12-inch tree requires a 24-inch caliper replacement or a $1,200 fee. A property owner who cuts without a tree protection plan, damages a tree during construction, or submits false arborist information faces the same penalty, and licensed professionals who submit false information risk losing their parish license. Decisions can be appealed to the board of zoning adjustments within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which trees actually need a permit before removal?
Can I remove a protected tree if it is dying?
What does replacement cost for a large removed tree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jefferson Parish
Compare Jefferson Parish to another location·View the Louisiana landscaping rules overview
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