Tree removal permit rules in Greenville County, SC — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
On an established single-family lot in unincorporated Greenville County, you generally do not need a permit to remove your own trees. The county tree ordinance regulates tree removal during land development, subdivision, and grading, and protects trees required for buffers or credit.
Greenville County's tree ordinance (Ordinance 4173) and Land Development Regulations set tree-conservation standards for new land development, subdivisions, and projects that pull grading or land-disturbance permits, not routine removals by a homeowner on an existing residential lot. If you are clearing land as part of a subdivision or grading permit, protected and credited trees must be shown on an approved Tree Protection Plan and cannot be removed without approval. Trees preserved to meet a required buffer or open-space requirement are likewise protected. Wetland, stream-buffer, or floodplain trees may also be restricted under state and federal rules. Incorporated cities (including downtown Greenville) may have stricter tree-protection ordinances that apply even to single lots.
Removing trees protected by an approved Tree Protection Plan, buffer, or grading permit can require replacement plantings and land-development enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Greenville County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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