Genesee County does not issue tree-removal permits for private property. Any permit requirement comes from your city or township. Removing trees on public land, in parks, or in the road right-of-way requires local approval.
There is no Genesee County tree-removal permit for trees on your own land, and Michigan has no statewide private-tree permit. A minority of Michigan municipalities have tree-preservation ordinances that require a permit or replacement plantings for large, heritage, or street trees, but most Genesee County townships do not. Trees on public property, in Genesee County Parks, or within the road right-of-way are protected: you must get permission from the municipality or the Genesee County Road Commission before removal, and unauthorized cutting can be penalized. If your lot has a recorded landscape buffer, drainage easement, or subdivision restriction, that document may also require approval. Confirm your specific city or township rules first.
No county penalty for lawful private removal. Cutting a protected public, park, or right-of-way tree can bring municipal or road-authority fines plus the tree's assessed replacement value.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Genesee County's tree removal permits rules stack up against other locations.
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