Tree removal permit rules in Miami-Dade County, FL — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Miami-Dade Code Section 24-49 requires a county tree removal or relocation permit for any non-exempt tree with a trunk 4 inches DBH or larger; replacement plantings or a Tree Trust Fund contribution under Sec. 24-49.4 are required.
Under Miami-Dade Code Chapter 24 (Environmental Protection), Sec. 24-49 requires a tree removal/relocation permit from the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources before any non-exempt tree is removed or relocated. Trees 4 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) or greater are generally regulated. Section 24-49.2 sets review standards for specimen trees and natural forest communities. Section 24-49.4 requires replacement plantings; when on-site replacement isn't feasible, applicants pay into the Tree Trust Fund under Sec. 24-39, used to reestablish or purchase pineland habitat. Construction tree protection standards are in Sec. 24-49.5.
Removing a regulated tree without a permit violates Sec. 24-49 and is enforced by DERM; civil penalties, replacement-in-kind orders, and Tree Trust Fund contributions are assessed administratively.
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See how Miami-Dade County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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