Austin City Code Title 25, Chapter 25-8, Subchapter B (Tree and Natural Area Protection) requires a permit to remove any protected tree. Trees with a trunk diameter of 19 inches or more (measured at 4.5 feet above ground) are classified as protected. A tree removal permit from the City Arborist must be obtained before removal. Permit applications require a tree survey, justification for removal, and a mitigation plan. Emergency removals for immediate safety hazards may proceed without prior permit but must be reported within 5 business days.
Austin's tree preservation ordinance for city limits protects significant trees from indiscriminate removal. Trees exceeding 6-8 inches in diameter at breast height (4.5 feet above grade) may require removal permits. Heritage or specimen trees — those of exceptional size, age, or species significance — have additional protections and may require mitigation planting or fees if removed. Dead, diseased, or hazardous trees may be removed without permits but documentation is recommended. Development projects must submit tree surveys and preservation plans identifying which trees will be retained, relocated, or removed with replacement plantings.
Removing protected trees without permits carries fines of $500–$5,000 per tree and mandatory replacement planting at 2:1 or 3:1 ratios. Unpermitted clearing on development sites may stop the project.
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See how Austin's tree removal permits rules stack up against other locations.
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