Nashville, TN Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Nashville, TN, 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 authority
- Zoning administrator, with urban forester review
- Protected tree threshold
- 6-inch DBH (2-inch in right-of-way)
- Permit validity
- Expires in 6 months if unstarted
- Unpermitted removal penalty
- $50 per tree, per day
- Heritage tree threshold
- 24-inch DBH for deciduous canopy trees
Summary
Removing a retained, protected, or heritage tree in Metro Nashville requires a zoning administrator permit backed by a tree survey, and approval hinges on meeting one of eight specific review criteria in the code.
Any person desiring a tree removal permit, including any person or entity engaged in the business of tree removal services on commercial property, shall make written application to the zoning administrator upon forms provided by the zoning administrator along with the following information... No permit for the removal of a retained, protected or heritage tree shall be granted unless the petitioner demonstrates one or more of the following conditions:
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Metro's zoning administrator issues tree removal permits for retained, protected, and heritage trees under Metropolitan Code of Laws § 17.40.470. Applicants submit a tree survey, final site plan, and disposal plan, and filing extends inspection permission to the urban forester. A permit is granted only if the applicant proves one of eight conditions: the tree threatens a structure or traffic safety, is diseased, blocks utility infrastructure, development already has site plan approval, or the site will still meet required tree density after removal. Permits expire six months after issuance if work hasn't started. Removing a tree without one triggers replacement duties and, per § 17.28.065.D.8, civil penalties.
Violations & Fines
Unauthorized removal of a retained, protected, or heritage tree draws civil penalties of fifty dollars per tree, per day, plus mandatory inch-for-inch replacement under Metropolitan Code of Laws § 17.28.065.D.8 and § 17.28.065.C.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size tree needs a removal permit in Nashville?
Who issues Nashville's tree removal permits?
What if I remove a protected tree without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
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