Winston-Salem, NC Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Winston-Salem, NC, 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 authority
- Assistant city manager for public works
- Civil penalty
- $50.00 per day uncorrected
- Application must include
- number, species, reason for removal
- Replacement
- City can require replacement trees
- Scope
- Public property and rights-of-way only
Summary
Cutting, removing, or damaging a tree on Winston-Salem public property or street right-of-way requires a permit from the assistant city manager for public works, who can order replacement trees at the violator's expense.
No person shall remove a tree from public property without first obtaining a permit from the assistant city manager/public works or his designee. ... The permit-holder shall bear the full and complete costs of removing both the tree(s) and the stump(s), as well as the cost of the replacement(s).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102 | Personnel: Supplement 96 | Water and Sewer: Supplement 56 | Solid Waste: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
Winston-Salem's tree ordinance (Code of Ordinances ch. 74, art. XI) bars planting, pruning, spraying, cabling, bracing, or removing any tree on city property or right-of-way without a permit from the assistant city manager for public works. A removal permit application must state the number, species, and reason for removal, and the city can require replacement trees matching a species, size, and placement it sets under the tree replacement policy. The permit-holder pays the full cost of removing the tree and stump plus any replacement. Dead or hazardous trees on public rights-of-way are removed by the city at no charge when a citizen requests it. The rule covers only city-owned trees and rights-of-way, not trees on private lots.
Violations & Fines
Violating the permit or removal rules draws a written notice and correction order; a $50.00 civil penalty accrues per day the violation continues, plus the city's cost of removing or replacing an injured or destroyed tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my own property in Winston-Salem?
What happens if I remove a city tree without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winston-Salem
Compare Winston-Salem to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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