Beaufort County, SC Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- CDC § 5.11.100.B, Specimen Trees
- Understory threshold
- Dogwood, Redbud, Magnolia at 4 inches DBH
- Overstory threshold
- Live Oak, Holly, Cypress and others at 16 inches DBH
- Catch-all threshold
- Any other species at 24 inches DBH
- Survey trigger
- Trees 8 inches DBH and larger must be surveyed
- Replacement ratio
- 2.5-inch caliper trees, inch-for-inch DBH replanted
Summary
Beaufort County's Community Development Code defines a "specimen tree" by species and trunk diameter, from 4-inch dogwoods and magnolias to 16-inch live oaks and 24-inch trees of any other species, and requires a certified tree survey and Director review before any specimen tree can be cut on a development site.
A specimen tree is defined as follows:1.Understory trees - Dogwood, Redbud, and Southern Magnolia that are equal to or greater than a diameter of 4 inches (DBH).2.Overstory trees - American Holly, Bald Cypress, Black Cherry, Beech, Black Oak, Black Tupelo, Cedar, Hickory, Live Oak, Longleaf Pine, Palmetto, Pecan, Red Maple, Southern Red Oak, Sycamore, or Walnut that are equal to or greater than a diameter of 16 inches (DBH).3.All other trees equal to or greater than a diameter of 24 inches (DBH) except those identified as invasive species in Table 5.11.100.C.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55 Update 1 | Community Development Code: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
The Community Development Code's tree protection standard, § 5.11.100, sets out its specimen-tree definition in subsection B: "Understory trees - Dogwood, Redbud, and Southern Magnolia that are equal to or greater than a diameter of 4 inches (DBH)... Overstory trees - American Holly, Bald Cypress, Black Cherry, Beech, Black Oak, Black Tupelo, Cedar, Hickory, Live Oak, Longleaf Pine, Palmetto, Pecan, Red Maple, Southern Red Oak, Sycamore, or Walnut that are equal to or greater than a diameter of 16 inches (DBH)... All other trees equal to or greater than a diameter of 24 inches (DBH)," excluding species on the invasive list of Table 5.11.100.C.
Any development site with trees at or above 8 inches DBH, plus any dogwood, redbud or magnolia at 4 inches DBH, needs a certified tree survey under § 5.11.100.C before the county will approve building, clearing or construction, and that survey expires after five years. Before the Director will approve removing a specimen tree or any tree over 8 inches DBH, § 5.11.100.D.2 weighs whether the property can reasonably be used without cutting it, whether roads and site features were designed around its canopy, and whether removal would let healthier hardwoods survive; if those criteria are not met, only the Planning Commission can approve the removal. A developer who cuts a specimen tree must replant caliper inch-for-inch with 2.5-inch minimum caliper trees of the same species under § 5.11.100.D.4, or pay a reforestation fee under § 5.11.100.D.7 when on-site replanting is not feasible.
Violations & Fines
Removing a specimen tree, or any tree 8 inches DBH or larger, without a tree removal permit under § 7.2.50 violates § 9.2.30.H of the Community Development Code. Cutting first and permitting later triggers a two-year building-permit freeze on the property under § 5.11.100.D.6 unless the owner replants at 1.25 times the removed tree's DBH, and any conviction carries the § 9.5.10 misdemeanor penalty of up to $500.00 or 30 days' imprisonment per day of violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a protected specimen tree in Beaufort County?
Do I need a survey before clearing a lot with large trees?
What has to be replanted if a specimen tree is removed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beaufort County
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