No Alabama statute and no Mobile County ordinance limits trimming trees on your own land in the unincorporated county. You may prune freely. Inside the City of Mobile, right-of-way trees are protected, and HOA rules can restrict the work.
Alabama enacts no statewide tree law, and Mobile County holds no zoning or landscaping authority over private trees in unincorporated areas like Grand Bay and Theodore, so an owner may trim or top trees without a permit. The common-law boundary rule still applies: you may cut branches and roots that cross onto your land, but only up to the property line. The City of Mobile, by contrast, runs a tree program and controls trimming of trees in the public right-of-way inside its limits. Utility clearance along rural roads is handled by Alabama Power and the county, not by residents reaching into the right-of-way. HOA covenants in west Mobile subdivisions may require approval before removing or heavily pruning canopy trees.
None from the county for pruning your own trees. Damaging a neighbor's tree beyond the boundary line exposes you to civil liability. Unauthorized work on City of Mobile right-of-way trees violates the city code.
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See how Saraland's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
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