Maple Grove, MN Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

The City of Maple Grove regulates commercial tree work through a tree care licensing program administered by the City Forester. City ordinance requires a license for tree care work performed in the city, which covers trimming, pruning, and removal services offered for hire. Applicants pay a $50 application fee, must file a Minnesota insurance certificate, and the city ordinance requires a 30-day cancellation notice on all certificates of insurance. Licenses must be renewed annually by February 1, and each licensed company must display a city-issued sticker on the upper half of the driver's-side door of every vehicle used for tree care. Companies that apply chemicals (for example, treatments for oak wilt or emerald ash borer) must employ or contract with a person who holds current certification as an arborist from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or a post-secondary degree in urban forestry, arboriculture, or an equivalent field from an accredited institution. The City Forester's office is located at 12800 Arbor Lakes Parkway. Maple Grove does not publish a specific homeowner permit requirement for simply trimming or pruning a healthy private tree, but trees within a designated Tree Preservation Overlay district and certain larger trees are governed by the city's tree preservation rules, and removal (as opposed to trimming) of larger trees can trigger survey and replacement obligations. Homeowners hiring a contractor should confirm that the company is currently licensed by the city.