Raleigh, NC Tree Protection: Tree Ordinances (2026)

Raleigh UDO Article 9.1 (Tree Conservation) establishes one of the most rigorous urban tree protection programs in North Carolina. The ordinance protects all trees 10 inches DBH (diameter at breast height, 4.5 feet above ground) or larger on any lot one acre or greater, on any lot being developed or redeveloped regardless of size, and on all street rights-of-way. A Tree Conservation Permit must be obtained from Raleigh's Urban Forestry Division before any regulated tree is pruned more than 25 percent or removed. For single-family lots smaller than one acre outside of development activity, homeowner tree removal is generally allowed without a permit, but trees in the street right-of-way (including most front-yard street trees) are city property and cannot be removed or heavily pruned without approval. Development sites must preserve at least 10 percent of the site area as tree conservation area in most zones, rising to 15 percent in environmentally sensitive watersheds like Falls Lake and Swift Creek. Replacement trees are required at a ratio of 1:1 for each protected tree lost, selected from the city's approved species list emphasizing native canopy trees (willow oak, white oak, yellow poplar, red maple). Illegal removal triggers civil penalties up to $25,000 per tree plus mandatory replacement at full mitigation value, which for a mature 30-inch oak can exceed $40,000. The ordinance has been aggressively enforced since a 2018 update, with multiple builders and homeowners assessed five-figure fines. Champion trees (unusually large or historic specimens) receive additional protection and may be subject to permanent conservation easements. Raleigh's Urban Forestry office provides free consultation before removal and offers the NeighborWoods program for subsidized replacement plantings.