Miami, FL Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Specimen tree size
- 18 inches DBH or larger
- Permit needed
- for any tree activity citywide
- Prohibited species
- removable, no replacement required
- Unpermitted removal fine
- $1,000/tree (non-homestead)
- Enforcement
- City of Miami Code Compliance
Summary
Miami classifies any tree 18 inches DBH or larger as a protected "specimen tree," forcing applicants to try redesigning around it or relocating it before the city will approve removal.
Specimen tree: A tree that is equal to or larger than 18 inches DBH. Trees that do not qualify as specimen trees are palms, non-native Ficus species, or any non-native fruit tree cultivated as a grove tree for commercial production of fruit.
Spiking: A form of tree abuse in which there is the hammering or affixing of metal or other material into a tree to harm the tree or lower its commercial value, or any damage to the trunk of a tree caused by use of climbing spikes.
Spread: The average diameter of the crown. The average diameter of the tree canopy or crown as measured across the canopy in at least two directions from drip line to drip line of farthest reaching branches.
Stem(s): The principal axis or wood structure of a plant from which buds, shoots, foliage, and branches develop.
Tree: A woody perennial plant, including palms, usually having only one dominant trunk and a well-defined stem or stems carrying a more or less definite crown, usually having a mature height greater than 16 feet. A tree regulated under this chapter must have a minimum size of 12 feet overall height with a DBH of two inches or larger. A palm regulated under this chapter must have a minimum height of 16 feet overall with a DBH of six inches or larger.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 | Ordinance 11000 (Previous Zoning Code): Supplement 22 | Miami 21 (Zoning Code): ?).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 17-2 sets the specimen-tree threshold at 18 inches diameter at breast height, excluding palms, non-native Ficus, and non-native commercial fruit trees. Under § 17-5(b), the Department of Planning and Zoning can require a project redesign to preserve a specimen tree or an on/off-site relocation before allowing removal, and if neither is practical the tree must be replaced under the § 17-6 replacement chart. Species on the Miami-Dade County Prohibited Species List sit at the opposite end: § 17-5(a)(4) lets the department approve their removal without requiring a replacement tree, and § 17-6(c)(2) waives both the removal fee and replacement obligation for them (except Lofty Fig and Banyan Tree, which stay fully regulated).
Violations & Fines
Tree activity without a valid permit or any tree abuse draws a $1,000 fine per tree for non-homestead properties and $500 per tree for homestead properties under § 17-10(a), plus mandatory replacement trees at double the standard chart rate; a repeat violation within five years triggers referral to the code enforcement board and up to $5,000 per day under Fla. Stat. § 162.09.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a tree a protected "specimen tree" in Miami?
Can I remove an invasive tree species without extra requirements?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami to another location·View the Florida tree protection overview
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Protected Tree Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle protected tree species.