Dallas County, TX Tree Protection: Tree Replacement Requirements (2026)

Dallas County, Texas does not impose a countywide tree replacement or mitigation ordinance on private residential property in unincorporated areas. Texas is generally a home-rule state, and tree protection has historically been a municipal function rather than a county one. Counties in Texas lack the broad zoning authority that cities enjoy under Local Government Code Chapter 211, which limits their ability to regulate tree removal on private land. If your property falls within the city limits of Dallas, replacement is required under Dallas City Code Article X (Tree Preservation), which uses a caliper-inch replacement formula — typically inch-for-inch replacement for protected trees removed, or payment into a reforestation fund. Plano, Richardson, Garland, Irving, Carrollton, and other Dallas County cities maintain similar ordinances with their own caliper ratios and fee schedules. Texas Property Code 202.007 limits HOA authority to prohibit drought-resistant landscaping but does not preempt tree replacement rules. The Texas A&M Forest Service provides free urban forestry guidance and recommends native replacement species such as live oak, cedar elm, bur oak, and Texas red oak. For public right-of-way trees and county-maintained roadsides, the Dallas County Public Works Department handles removal and replacement at its discretion.