Indianapolis, IN Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Indianapolis regulates trees in the public right-of-way through its Forestry / Flora Permit program, administered by the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (formerly the Department of Code Enforcement), under Revised Code Chapter 701 (Trees and Flora). The right-of-way is city-owned property along streets extending beyond the edge of the road, commonly the lawn strip between the street and the sidewalk. Any tree planting, landscaping, spraying, bracing, removal, or pruning work in that right-of-way requires a flora permit. On private property, owners are responsible for keeping their own trees from creating nuisances or hazards; tree limbs or wood left on the ground can be cited as part of a trash/nuisance violation by the Marion County Public Health Department. Routine trimming of healthy trees that are entirely on private property and clear of the right-of-way does not require a permit.