Walton County, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Walton County, 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 required
- before clearing, most areas
- South Walton rule
- must accompany a development application
- Exempt land
- General/Large-Scale Agriculture zoning
- Governing law
- Walton County LDC § 1.13.09(F)
- Violation consequence
- immediate Stop Work Order
- Approving authority
- Director, Planning and Development Services
Summary
A land clearing and alteration permit is required before removing or altering vegetation on most land in unincorporated Walton County under LDC § 1.13.09(F), to control stormwater, wetland, and habitat impacts, though south of Choctawhatchee Bay it must be bundled with a development application.
F.Land Clearing and Alteration.1.Clearing and alteration permits regulate clearing and removal of vegetation, within unincorporated Walton County. These regulations protect public health, safety and welfare by minimizing stormwater impacts, wetland and floodplain impacts, aquatic and wildlife habitat loss from adverse impacts generated by the removal of vegetation and alteration of landforms. Other protections include water quality from adverse impacts associated with erosion and sedimentation, and protection of native communities or required buffer areas from adverse clearing. Land Clearing permits are required or not required in Walton County as follows:a.For all areas lying south of the Choctawhatchee Bay and within the South Walton Planning Area land clearing permits shall only be issued in conjunction with or as part of an application for building plans and floodplain review, less than minor, minor or major development plan.b.For all other areas, land clearing and alteration permits shall be obtained prior to any clearing activity. Permits may be issued without a proposed plan of development. However, appropriate documentation shall be required to ensure clearing or alteration does not violate other provisions of this Code.c.Land clearing permits are not required for lands designated as either General Agriculture or Large-scale Agriculture on the Future Land Use Map and Official Zoning Map.
Full Breakdown
09(F) of the Land Development Code establishes clearing and alteration permits to protect public health, safety, and welfare by minimizing stormwater impacts, wetland and floodplain impacts, and aquatic and wildlife habitat loss from vegetation removal and landform alteration, as well as protecting water quality from erosion and sedimentation. How the permit works depends on geography: for all areas south of Choctawhatchee Bay within the South Walton Planning Area, a land clearing permit can only be issued together with an application for building plans and floodplain review or a less-than-minor, minor, or major development plan, meaning a South Walton landowner cannot clear land as a standalone act.
Everywhere else in the county, a land clearing and alteration permit must be obtained before any clearing activity even begins, and it may be issued without a proposed development plan, though the applicant still must document that the clearing will not violate other Code provisions. Land classified as General Agriculture or Large-Scale Agriculture on the Future Land Use Map and Official Zoning Map is exempt from needing a land clearing permit at all. Before and during clearing, the applicant must keep an onsite copy of approved development plans and a copy of the county's Noise Ordinance Notice (2014-16) covering hours of operation, and must install erosion and sedimentation controls and clearly demarcate, flag, and fence any environmentally sensitive area, including Coastal, Bay Shore, and Dune Lake protection zones, wetlands, buffers, and conservation areas, before clearing starts.
05(A)(1), and clearing or altering a protected area can require the property owner to submit and complete a Restoration Plan to Planning and Development Services before the Stop Work Order is lifted.
Violations & Fines
Clearing or altering vegetation without the required permit, or clearing a protected zone such as a Coastal, Bay Shore, or Dune Lake protection zone, wetland, or buffer, can result in an immediate Stop Work Order under LDC § 1.13.09(F)(4). No further county permits will issue on the property until it is brought into compliance, and a Restoration Plan submitted to and completed through Planning and Development Services may be required before the Stop Work Order is rescinded, per § 1.13.09(F)(5).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to clear land in unincorporated Walton County?
Is agricultural land exempt from land clearing permits?
What happens if I clear a protected wetland or dune lake buffer without authorization?
Who reviews land clearing permit applications?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Walton County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Walton County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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