Port Orange, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Port Orange, 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
- Permit trigger
- Any tree removal requires a city permit
- Survey threshold
- Trees 6 inches DBH or greater must be shown
- Penalty
- Unpermitted removal doubles the permit fee
- Repeat violation
- Second offense doubles mitigation amount
- Historic tree approval
- Only the city council may approve
Summary
Cutting down, moving or damaging any tree or protected natural vegetation in Port Orange without a tree removal permit is unlawful under the Land Development Code. Removing a tree six inches or larger in trunk diameter without a permit doubles the required permit fee and still requires mitigation, whether replacement trees or a tree-bank payment.
(a)It is hereby unlawful for any person to cut down, move, remove or destroy through damaging or to authorize the same, of any tree or natural vegetation referenced in this article without obtaining a tree removal permit in accordance with the provisions of this article. Failure to obtain a permit for tree removal may subject the party to penalties as set forth in section 22.6. ... (b)Any party found to have removed any tree that is six-inches or greater DBH that is not a historic tree without a permit shall pay twice the amount of the regular permit fee which would have been due had the permit been obtained prior to commencing work and shall provide mitigation as required by this code/and or resolution of the city council for each replacement tree which is not planted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43 | Land Development Code: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Section 10 of the Land Development Code's environmental protection chapter makes it unlawful to cut down, move, remove or damage any tree or natural vegetation covered by the article without first getting a tree removal permit, and it separately requires a minor engineering permit for any change to land grade. On unsubdivided property or lots without an approved development plan, the applicant must submit drawings showing every tree six inches or greater at diameter at breast height, other vegetation by canopy area and density, and must individually flag any specimen or historic tree slated for removal, along with contact information and a statement explaining the need for the work.
City staff weighs five standards before approving removal: how much the property's actual or intended use requires the removal; whether the tree is worth preserving for its size, age, rarity or specimen/historic status; how much removal would increase stormwater runoff or otherwise degrade the environment; the added value of tree cover in densely developed areas; and whether nearby uses need visual screening or relief from glare, blight or industrial unsightliness. Historic tree removal permits can only be approved by city council, not staff. Removal of any qualifying tree triggers mitigation under Section 19's replacement schedule, which scales with trunk diameter: one replacement tree for a 2-to-8-inch trunk, up to six replacement trees for anything 41 inches or larger.
57 square inches times the number of required replacement trees times the accepted national dollar value per square inch. The city issues a stop-work order to anyone caught cutting, damaging or removing trees in violation of the article.
Violations & Fines
Removing, cutting down or destroying a tree six inches or larger in diameter without a permit doubles the regular permit fee that would otherwise have applied and still requires mitigation, either replacement trees or a tree-bank contribution, for every tree not properly replaced. A second violation by the same property owner doubles the mitigation amount again, and the city issues a stop-work order to anyone caught removing trees in violation of the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree from my Port Orange property?
What happens if I remove a tree without a permit in Port Orange?
How many replacement trees does Port Orange require after a tree is removed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Orange
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Volusia County handle tree removal & heritage trees.