Do You Need a Tree Removal Permit in Tallahassee?

The short answer for single-family homes

Inside City of Tallahassee limits, the permit categories on the City's own Tree Removal Permit Application are split by property type. For single-family detached residential — the situation most homeowners are in — the threshold that triggers a permit is a tree measuring 36 inches DBH or greater.

DBH means diameter at breast height: the trunk's diameter measured at roughly 4.5 feet above the ground. A 36-inch DBH tree is a genuinely large one — about 9 feet 5 inches around. Most residential removals never reach it.

That said, size is not the only trigger. Several categories require a permit regardless of how big the tree is, and those catch people out far more often than the 36-inch rule does.

• 36 inches DBH or greater on a single-family detached lot — permit required
• A wetland tree of any size — permit required
• A state-recognized Patriarch Tree — permit required
• Any tree within 100 feet of a canopy road centerline — separate review required
• Under 36 inches DBH, not in a wetland, not on a canopy road — usually no permit

How to measure DBH yourself in two minutes

You do not need a professional to find out whether you are near the threshold. All you need is a tape measure and a piece of string.

Measure 4.5 feet up the trunk from the ground on the uphill side. Wrap the string around the trunk at that height, mark it, then measure the string. That number is the circumference. Divide it by 3.14 to get the diameter.

If the tree splits into multiple trunks below 4.5 feet, measure the narrowest point below the split. If it is close to the line — say you calculate 33 to 38 inches — treat it as a permit case and call the City before scheduling. The penalty for guessing wrong is steep.

• Measure at 4.5 feet above ground level
• Circumference ÷ 3.14 = diameter (DBH)
• 36 inches DBH ≈ 113 inches (9 ft 5 in) around
• Multi-trunk tree: measure the narrowest point below the split
• Within a few inches of the threshold? Call before you cut

Different rules for non-single-family property

If the property is multi-family, commercial, or industrial, the thresholds drop sharply and far more trees are regulated. The City's application lists separate categories for these property types.

This matters for landlords, HOA-managed parcels, and anyone removing a tree from a rental duplex or small commercial lot — the 36-inch allowance does not apply to you.

• Hardwood or longleaf pine 12 inches DBH or greater
• Dogwood 4 inches DBH or greater
• Any tree over 4 inches DBH in a lot perimeter zone
• Other species 18 inches DBH or greater
• Wetland trees of any size, on any property type

Where to apply and who to ask

Tree removal permit applications inside city limits go through the Growth Management Department, Land Use & Environmental Services Division. They are the office that can give you a definitive answer for your specific parcel — which is worth a phone call before a large removal.

Have your Parcel ID and site address ready. If your question is specifically about a canopy road, ask for an Environmental Inspector instead.

• Growth Management — Land Use & Environmental Services Division
• Phone: (850) 891-7001, Option 4 (permits)
• Phone: (850) 891-7001, Option 3 (canopy road questions)
• Office: 435 N. Macomb Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301
• Bring: Parcel ID, site address, and photos of the tree

If a permit is required: compensation options

An approved permit usually comes with a compensation requirement — the City's way of keeping canopy coverage stable when a regulated tree comes down. The application offers three routes, and the reviewer sets the amount.

If you plan to replant, the size, quantity, species, and location of the replacement trees need to be shown on your site map when you apply. Deciding this up front is faster than being asked for it later.

• Fee-in-lieu-of — pay rather than replant
• Tree replanting — show species, size, quantity, and location on the site map
• Trees preserved on site — credit for canopy you are keeping

What happens if you skip the permit

Removing a regulated tree without a permit is not a slap on the wrist. Replacement requirements escalate for repeat violations — a first offense can carry up to three times the replacement that would otherwise have been required, and subsequent offenses substantially more.

The practical risk is that a neighbor reports it, or the removal shows up during a later permit review for a fence, addition, or sale. The tree is already gone at that point, which removes every cheaper option from the table.

The hazardous-tree route

There is a separate path under Florida law for trees that genuinely threaten people or property. If you hold documentation from an ISA-certified arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect stating the tree poses an unacceptable risk, local governments cannot require a permit, fee, or mitigation for its removal.

This is a real exemption with real requirements, and it is the right route for a compromised tree over a house. It is covered in detail on our Florida hazardous tree permit exemption page.