Clark County, NV Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Clark County, NV, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Significant tree threshold
- 6-inch caliper minimum
- Root protection zone
- 1 ft radius per inch diameter
- Replacement ratio
- 3 large trees per tree lost
- Fee-in-lieu goes to
- County Tree Fund
- Applies in
- unincorporated county only
Summary
Clark County doesn't issue a standalone tree-removal permit, but any significant tree (6+ inch caliper) shown on a development's landscape plan must be preserved, root-protected during construction, or replaced under Title 30's mitigation standard.
Where the loss of a significant tree(s) cannot be avoided, the impact shall be mitigated through whichever approach below yields the greatest combined caliper of replacement trees: (1) Three large drought-tolerant trees per each significant tree lost; or (2) Drought-tolerant trees of an equal or greater combined caliper to the lost significant tree(s) shall be provided. Where the loss of a significant tree cannot be avoided and mitigation cannot be provided, the Board may approve a fee-in-lieu per 30.04.01E.2, Fee-In-Lieu.
Full Breakdown
Under Title 30.04.01, a landscape plan submitted with any development application must show existing significant trees to be preserved and any trees to be removed. A significant tree is one over 6 inches in caliper (measured 4.5 feet up) rated Low, Very Low, or Moderate water-use on the Regional Plant List. Preserved trees get a root protection zone equal to 1 foot of radius per inch of trunk diameter, off-limits to construction activity or material storage. If losing a significant tree can't be avoided, the developer must replace it with three large drought-tolerant trees, or an equal-or-greater combined caliper of replacement trees; if replacement isn't feasible, the Board of County Commissioners may approve a fee-in-lieu paid into the County Tree Fund. This applies only in unincorporated Clark County -- including the Strip resort corridor in Paradise and Winchester townships -- not in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, or Mesquite, which have their own codes.
Violations & Fines
Removing or damaging a protected significant tree outside these standards is a Title 30 violation -- a misdemeanor under NRS 193.150, with each day of continued violation a separate offense, plus possible revocation of the land use application per Title 30.01.07.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Clark County?
Does this rule cover the Las Vegas Strip?
What if a significant tree has to come out for construction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clark County
Compare Clark County to another location·View the Nevada landscaping rules overview
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