Collier County, FL Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- FS 163.045 (state preemption)
- County permit
- Not required with documentation
- Documentation from
- ISA arborist or landscape architect
- Applies to
- Single-family residential property
- Excludes
- Mangroves (FS 403.9321-9333)
Summary
Florida law preempts Collier County here. On your own single-family residential property you may prune, trim or remove a tree with no county permit, fee or mitigation if a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect documents the tree is a danger.
A local government may not require a notice, application, approval, permit, fee, or mitigation for the pruning, trimming, or removal of a tree on residential property if the property owner obtains documentation from an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture or a Florida licensed landscape architect that the tree presents a danger to persons or property.
Full Breakdown
Florida Statute 163.045 (effective July 1, 2019) bars every Florida local government, including Collier County, from requiring a permit for tree work on residential property when the owner has the required documentation. The documentation must come from an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or a Florida-licensed landscape architect and must state the tree presents a danger to persons or property. The county also cannot force you to replant. Without that documentation, routine or aesthetic trimming of protected native vegetation on undeveloped land may still trigger Collier's Land Development Code. Mangrove trimming is separately regulated under state law (FS 403.9321-403.9333) and is not covered by this exemption.
Violations & Fines
No county penalty when statutory documentation exists. Trimming state-protected mangroves without a permit can draw Florida DEP enforcement and fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need county approval to trim my tree?
Can the county make me replant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Collier County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Collier County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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