How to Get a Tree Removal Permit in Pinellas County, Florida

Sep 20

39 min read

Updated: Sep 28

By Forest, Property Intelligence Specialist, Ken's Tree Service. Published September 20, 2026. Last reviewed September 28, 2026. Next review due March 27, 2027.

If your property is in unincorporated Pinellas County, the permit you need to remove a protected tree is called a Habitat Permit. That is the first thing that sends people in circles. The county files tree removal under habitat permitting, so searching the county site for a tree removal permit turns up very little, while the page you actually need is titled Apply for a Tree Removal/Habitat Permit.

Not sure whether an address answers to the county or to a city? Start with our guide to which tree removal permit rules apply in north Pinellas, then come back here for the county's own rules.

The second thing is that the rules changed recently. The county consolidated tree protection into Chapter 58, Article XIX of the county code, adopted January 20, 2026 as Ordinance 26-3 and effective January 23, 2026. Most guidance published before that date describes rules that no longer apply, including some of the county's own pages. If something you read elsewhere does not match what follows, that is the likely reason.

On the same date the county rewrote its habitat rules. Chapter 166, Article II, Habitat Management and Protection, was amended in its entirety by Ordinance 26-2 on January 20, 2026, and it is the part of the code that governs clearing, grubbing, specimen tree stands, wetlands and protecting trees during construction. If you are building, developing, or managing a commercial, multifamily, HOA or institutional property, both chapters apply to you, and the second half of this article is written for you.

Which trees are protected

Section 58-813(a) of the current code lists the protected trees, and Section 58-813(b) requires a tree permit to remove, effectively remove, or transplant any of them unless the article itself exempts it. Protected trees are:

Any tree with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of four inches or larger, measured at four and a half feet above the ground
All palms six feet in height or larger, regardless of species

The code's definition of a tree adds a test of its own: a self-supporting, woody, perennial plant with a single or multiple stems that will reach ten feet or more in height with one or more stems measuring four inches DBH or greater. Palms more than six feet in height are trees under the same definition.

There is one large exception for homesteaded property, covered next, and two categories that run on separate tracks: mangroves, and anything in the county right-of-way. Both are further down.

How to measure your own tree in about thirty seconds

Diameter is measured at four and a half feet above the ground, which is why you will see it written as DBH, for diameter at breast height. You do not need a special tool. Put a tape measure around the trunk at that height to get the circumference, then divide by 3.14. That is your diameter.

A trunk measuring 13 inches around is roughly 4 inches in diameter, which is the threshold. A trunk measuring 63 inches around is roughly 20 inches in diameter.

The homestead exception, which changes the answer for most homeowners

On residential property with a homestead exemption from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser, with an existing single-family detached residence actively used for single-family residential purposes, only trees greater than 24 inches DBH are protected.

That is a very large difference. On a qualifying homesteaded house, a 20-inch oak is not a protected tree. On the identical lot next door without that status, the same tree is.

Every part of that rule is doing work. The exemption has to be on file with the county Property Appraiser. The residence has to be detached, so a homesteaded townhouse or villa does not qualify. It has to already exist, so a lot being cleared for construction does not qualify. And it has to be actively used as a single-family residence, which the county explains as not vacant, not rented, and not being demolished for redevelopment. A rental house in a single-family neighborhood does not get the exception, even though it looks exactly like the house beside it that does.

Palms: the rule changed in January 2026

Every palm six feet or taller is protected, regardless of species.

That is worth stating plainly, because it is a change and because the old rule is still widely repeated. Under the previous county code, only sabal palms, also called cabbage palms, were protected, and other palm species were not. The January 2026 ordinance dropped the species restriction. Section 58-813(a)(2) now protects all palms six feet in height or larger, with no species named. A queen palm, a washingtonia, a pygmy date palm: if it is six feet or taller, it is a protected tree in unincorporated Pinellas County.

If a landscaper or a tree service tells you that palms other than sabals do not need a permit, they are describing the rule as it stood before January 23, 2026, or they are describing a city rule rather than the county's. The City of Dunedin, for one, still protects only cabbage and sabal palms and exempts every other species, so the same crew can be right in one jurisdiction and wrong a mile away.

One wording difference is worth knowing. The definitions section, 58-807, says all palms more than six feet in height. The protected trees list, 58-813(a)(2), says six feet in height or larger. A palm that is exactly six feet is covered by the protection list and not by the definition. Where the two differ, the protection list is the operative one. The county's own pages split the same way: its tree code page says palms more than 6 feet in height, and its residential FAQ says palms that are 6 feet in height or taller.

Palms on a homesteaded property

Palms are trees under the ordinance, so the homestead threshold applies to a palm the same way it applies to an oak. On a qualifying homesteaded property, only trees over 24 inches DBH are protected, and very few palms in Pinellas County reach 24 inches of trunk diameter.

The county has not published a worked example of that combination. If a palm is unusually large, or the property's homestead status is not clear cut, get the county's answer in writing before anything is cut. The Tree Desk is (727) 464-3480 or [email protected].

The state law route that can replace the county permit entirely

Florida Statutes 163.045 is a statewide path that sits above the county ordinance. A local government may not require notice, application, approval, permit, fee or mitigation to prune, trim or remove a tree on residential property when the owner holds documentation from an ISA Certified Arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect that the tree poses an unacceptable risk to persons or property. It also may not require replanting afterward.

The standard is narrow. Removal has to be the only means of practically mitigating the tree's risk below moderate, determined under the tree risk assessment procedures in Best Management Practices, Tree Risk Assessment, Second Edition (2017). The assessment has to be performed on site and signed by the certified arborist or the licensed landscape architect.

The scope limits matter as much as the exemption. The statute defines residential property as a single-family detached building on a lot actively used for single-family residential purposes, and either a conforming use or a legally recognized nonconforming use. It does not reach commercial property, HOA common areas, multifamily or institutional sites. It does not reach mangroves either, because the statute expressly excludes delegated mangrove protection, which is the authority Pinellas County holds.

Said plainly, because it is where homeowners get talked into trouble: the test is the assessed risk, and the onsite assessment decides it. Where pruning or another measure can bring a tree's risk below moderate, removal is not the only means and the statute does not apply. Branches touching a roof or a service drop are often in that position. Removing a tree on the strength of the statute without documentation that meets it is how a straightforward removal turns into a code violation.

Where a tree genuinely does meet that standard, the signed report is something we arrange as part of the job. You are not sent off to find an arborist on your own.

Removal covers more than cutting a tree down

A permit is required to remove, effectively remove, or transplant a protected tree. The code defines effective removal as removing branches, foliage or stems to an extent that the tree's natural function and form is severely impacted, and states that this includes topping, defoliating, or excessive root pruning.

That has a practical consequence. Cutting roots for a driveway, a pool or a utility trench can require a permit even though the tree is still standing when the crew leaves.

Routine pruning is not regulated. The county states that no permit is required for routine tree trimming or pruning, and that pruning should follow ANSI A300 standards to avoid compliance issues caused by excessive pruning or effective removal. Proper pruning needs no permit. Abusive pruning is treated as though the tree had been removed, and penalized that way.

A permit application is not an automatic approval

This is the part that changes what a removal actually costs, and it is missing from most explanations of the county rules.

Once an application is in, a tree outside wetlands and native vegetative communities is rated 0 through 3 under Table 58-813(a). County staff perform the rating, or an applicant may pay a qualified professional to prepare one, with the county making the final determination. The code defines a qualified professional as a certified arborist, certified landscape architect, professional forester, professional wetland scientist or individual with similar training and experience who is qualified to assess tree health.

Grade 0, poor. Dead or dying, a nuisance or invasive species, or a condition rating below 40 percent. May be removed with an approved permit, no replacement trees are required, and the minimum landscape requirements do not apply.
Grade 1, fair. Condition rating 40 to 59 percent. May be removed with an approved permit. Replacement trees are required, and the minimum landscape requirements apply.
Grade 2, good. Condition rating 60 to 79 percent. May be removed only where the tree interferes with proposed or existing improvements, interferes with underground or overhead utilities, or poses a threat to public health, safety or welfare as verified by county staff. Replacement trees and the minimum landscape requirements apply.
Grade 3, excellent. Condition rating 80 percent or above, which also captures trees with historical significance, unusual or rare species, and hardwoods over 36 inches DBH and softwoods under 20 inches DBH that would otherwise be grade 2. May be removed only where the tree prevents development of or access to a lot, interferes with underground or overhead utilities, or removal is necessary to protect public health, safety or welfare as verified by county staff. Replacement trees and the minimum landscape requirements apply.

The code applies the rating to trees outside wetlands and native vegetative communities only, and does not say how a tree inside one is rated. Chapter 166 defines native vegetative communities to include sandhill, xeric hammock, upland hardwood forest, pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub and wetlands, and any activity that may adversely affect one needs a Chapter 166 permit of its own, covered further down.

A healthy tree is not removable on request. That is the single most consequential thing in the ordinance for anyone planning a project around a tree.

Replacement counts scale with size and grade under Table 58-813(b), and a grade 0 tree owes none. The number of replants owed for each tree removed:

4 to 14 inches DBH: 1 at grade 1, 2 at grade 2, 3 at grade 3
14.1 to 24 inches DBH: 2, 4 and 6
24.1 to 34 inches DBH: 3, 6 and 9
Over 34 inches DBH: 4, 8 and 12

Replants go on the same site the tree came from. Each replant tree has to be at least 1.5 inches DBH per stem and six feet tall at inspection, Florida Grade No. 1 or better, and drawn from the approved species under Section 138-3664, never from the nuisance and invasive list. At least 60 percent of the tree species have to be native, one additional species is required for every 10 replant trees, no more than 25 percent of the required trees may be small trees, and no more than 25 percent may be palms. In a market shortage the county may approve a smaller size.

Two provisions reduce what is owed. A tree whose trunk sits inside the proposed building footprint, which the code defines to include additions to an existing primary structure, is exempt from replanting when the impact is unavoidable and alternatives to removal are not feasible. And a replant tree planted with at least two other native species, forming a native vegetative community at least 10 feet in diameter centered on the tree, counts double, provided the paired planting reaches 80 percent coverage within one year.

Replanting is separate from the minimum number of landscape trees a lot has to carry. Section 58-813(b)(4) requires both, and a site already short of its minimum landscaping under Sections 138-3658 and 138-3659 can be required to add landscape trees to come into compliance.

Where replanting on the subject site is not feasible, the code allows four alternatives: a monetary contribution to a formally adopted tree mitigation fund at a rate set by the Board of County Commissioners; transplanting the tree on the same site, on a different site under the same ownership, or into common areas with written permission from the property owners association; replants on other sites under the same ownership, or on sites under different ownership in the same jurisdiction with that owner's written permission; or replants in common areas with the association's written permission. The rate is not in the code. The code also says permit decisions are made without regard to the tree bank fund or offers of donations to it.

The permit can carry conditions. Section 58-813(b)(8) names five the county may attach, without limiting itself to them: the permit expires 90 days from issuance unless it says otherwise, with extensions requested in writing; existing trees remaining on the site must be protected with tree barricades; other protected vegetation stays unless authorized for removal; a final inspection may verify that protected vegetation remained and replants went in; and monitoring reports or inspections at set intervals may be required to verify survival. A replant tree that dies during the establishment period has to be replaced within 30 days.

Invasive species: no fee, but still a permit

Removing a listed nuisance or invasive species still requires a permit. It is issued at no fee, which is why the requirement gets forgotten, but the application still has to go in before the saw comes out.

The list is Section 138-3653 of the Land Development Code, published by the county as the Undesirable Plant Species List, in two tiers.

Tier 1 may not be planted in Pinellas County at all, and has to be removed as part of site development, building renovation or new construction to the greatest extent practicable: Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, carrotwood, catclaw mimosa, Chinese privet (except the cultivars Variegatum and Sunshine), Chinese tallow, punk tree (melaleuca) and shoebutton ardisia. Existing single-family detached, single-family attached, two-family and three-family dwellings in residential districts RA through R-5 are exempt from that mandatory removal requirement. An apartment community or a commercial site is not.

Tier 2 may be planted and may remain, but earns no landscaping credit: citrus, ear, eucalyptus (except the silver dollar variety), ficus (except Ficus citrifolia), jacaranda, mimosa, Norfolk Island pine, royal poinciana, silk oak and trumpet tree, plus the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Category I and II lists.

There is an incentive worth knowing about. Removing a nuisance or invasive tree that you were not otherwise required to remove earns credit against replanting you owe elsewhere, under Table 58-813(c): one credit for a 4 to 14 inch tree, two for 14.1 to 24 inches, three for 24.1 to 34 inches, and four above 34 inches. Taking out a large Brazilian pepper can reduce what you have to plant back after removing something else. Invasive trees removed that way have to be maintained to prevent regrowth.

And here is where a common belief is justified. On a qualifying homesteaded property, only trees over 24 inches DBH are protected at all, so a Brazilian pepper with a 12-inch trunk there is not a protected tree and there is nothing to permit. That is the ordinary residential case. It is true because of the homestead threshold, not because the tree is invasive. Change either fact, a rental property or a 30-inch trunk, and the answer changes.

Mangroves go to a separate permit, and buttonwood is not settled

Mangrove trimming and alteration run through their own permit. Under Chapter 58, Article XVI, in its current form from Ordinance 26-9 of February 17, 2026, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has delegated its authority over mangrove trimming and alteration to the county, and no more than one permit for mangrove trimming or alteration may be required. The code names the Pinellas County Public Works Department as the department that administers it, while the county's FAQ names its Division of Environmental Management. The state law route described above does not reach mangroves either, because the statute expressly excludes delegated mangrove protection.

Buttonwood is where the code disagrees with itself. The mangrove article defines a mangrove as white, red or black mangrove only, so buttonwood is outside it. The tree article's definition of a tree includes any mangrove or buttonwood specimen, Chapter 166 defines mangrove to include buttonwood, and the county's FAQ lists all mangrove and buttonwood trees as protected. The code does not settle which permit a buttonwood needs, so get the county's answer before any work.

If mangroves are involved, that is a different permit and a different conversation. Start with the county's environmental management staff rather than the tree desk.

For a crew that trims mangroves, Section 58-608 limits professional mangrove trimmer status to seven groups: certified arborists certified by the International Society of Arboriculture; professional wetland scientists certified by the Society of Wetland Scientists; certified environmental professionals; certified ecologists; landscape architects licensed and certified in Florida; people who show the department a sufficient level of competence from mangrove trimming in their business or employment; and people qualified through the county's mangrove trimming program. Every professional mangrove trimmer working in the county has to register, at $50.00 the first time and $25.00 a year after, notify the department before any trimming or alteration, including exempt trimming, and be on site while trimming under their supervision is done.

What removing a protected tree without a permit costs

Section 58-810(c) sets the penalty at $150.00 per DBH inch of the affected tree, paid into the county's tree bank fund, and states that replant requirements still apply on top of it. On a 20-inch tree, the penalty calculation is $3,000, before any replanting.

The county does not need the stump to establish size. The code allows DBH to be determined from surveys, field inspections, interpretation of aerial imagery, or statistical analysis of similar trees on adjacent properties.

Two provisions catch people out. Liability under Section 58-810(b) is joint and several and reaches any person who caused or contributed to the violation, which on its face includes a contractor who did the work, as well as anyone who held a legal, beneficial or equitable interest in the property at any time during which the violation existed, so it does not disappear when the property is sold. And under Section 58-810(a) the county may require replacement, a tree bank contribution or both, withhold a permit or reject an application while a violation on the site is unresolved, issue a stop work order, or issue an after-the-fact permit subject to after-the-fact fees.

How to apply

Applications go through the Pinellas County Access Portal. The county's published sequence:

Confirm your property is in unincorporated Pinellas County, Belleair Bluffs or Belleair Shore, using the county's address lookup tool
Create an account or log into the Access Portal
Select Develop, then Create an Application
Read and accept the terms, then continue
For license type, select your license type, or None Applicable for a homeowner permit
Scroll down and select Tree Removal/Habitat Permit
Complete the application
Upload your documents

Two uploads are required: the Habitat and Tree Management Permit Application, and a site plan or survey showing the location of the tree or structure. If you do not have a survey or site plan, ask the county what level of sketch or plan it will accept for your scope before you file.

Four things the county states that save time:

You do not need to hire an arborist to apply, though you may choose to.
You may authorize a tree service or contractor to apply on your behalf. The application package includes an authorization form signed by the property owner and the authorized party.
The county will not come out to tell you whether a permit is required before you apply. Staff do not perform pre-application site visits.
The permit comes back by email once approved, and the county specifically suggests checking your spam folder.

Questions on an application go to [email protected]. If your address is protected from public record, call (727) 464-3888 rather than applying online.

What it costs and how long it takes

The county's tree pages do not publish a dollar figure for a tree permit, and neither does the code. Section 58-813(b)(1) requires an application fee as established by the Board of County Commissioners, the county's FAQ says current fees are set in the annual operating budget, and the county asks applicants to request an estimate by emailing [email protected] with the property address, the size and approximate location of the tree, and the reason for removal. Additional mitigation costs can apply depending on the tree.

On timing, the county publishes an inspection benchmark rather than a decision deadline: once a complete application is received, staff typically conduct an initial site inspection within one to two business days. Make sure the site is accessible, pets are secured, and the trees proposed for removal are clearly marked. If staff cannot complete the inspection, the application form warns of delays and a reinspection fee. If more information or mitigation is required, that comes back by email through the county's Accela system.

If you manage a commercial, multifamily, HOA or institutional property

Everything above applies to your property, with three differences that matter. First, the homestead exception does not. It is written for residential property with a homestead exemption and an existing single-family detached residence actively used as one, so on an apartment community, a condominium or HOA common area, an office park, a church or a school, every tree of four inches DBH or larger and every palm six feet or larger is protected. Second, Florida Statute 163.045 does not reach these properties either, as the next sections explain. Third, Tier 1 invasive species have to be removed as part of site development, building renovation or new construction to the greatest extent practicable, and the exemption from that rule covers only existing one to three family dwellings in districts RA through R-5.

Fees and replacement do not change with the property type. The tree permit fee is set by the Board of County Commissioners for every applicant, and no separate non-residential fee appears in the code or on the county's tree pages. Table 58-813(b) is one schedule for every property, with the same replant specifications and the same mitigation fund alternative at a rate the Board sets.

Trees planted under an earlier approval. A tree planted, relocated or replaced under Article XIX is a tree under the code's own definition. Under Section 138-3651(b), an existing developed site can be required to show it still has the landscaping a previously approved site plan required, with missing landscaping replaced by the same or similar species, and Section 138-179 requires development to be maintained in strict compliance with the approved final site plan. The code does not protect a tree below four inches just because it appears on an approved landscape plan; the size and palm thresholds in Section 58-813(a) still decide what needs a tree permit. Removing a plan tree can still put a site out of compliance with its site plan, and Section 166-56 treats inappropriate pruning of required plant material that leaves it stunted or abnormal as destruction of that material, with replacement possible.

Common areas. The code names association common areas directly: replants and transplants may go into common areas with written permission from the property owners association, and on a single-family development the required landscape trees may be planted in common areas the same way. Required landscaping has to be maintained in good condition by the owner, tenant or their agent.

Who can apply for an association, a commercial owner or a contractor

Section 58-813(b)(1) requires proof of ownership or authorization to perform the proposed work as part of the application, alongside a tree survey, a tree risk assessment and anything else the county requests. The county's application form handles authorization in five sections:

Section D. The owner or authorized representative certifies having, before the work, all necessary approvals or permissions from all persons with a legal interest in the property, and assumes legal responsibility for any code violation on the property for the duration of the permit.
Section E. The owner names the person authorized to apply and to act on the owner's behalf in matters pertaining to the permit.
Section F. An agent, representative or contractor certifies under penalty of perjury that it has entered into a contract with the owner or the owner's agent to perform the work, and that the owner will be informed of every condition of approval.
Section H. The property owner's signature, always required. For a corporation, the form asks for the name or title of the person signing.
Section I. Required when an agent, representative or contractor is applying.

For an association or a company, check who can sign for it before the form goes in, and have the manager or contractor who is applying complete Sections E, F and I. In the Access Portal, the license type step asks for your license type, or None Applicable for a homeowner permit.

Florida Statute 163.045 does not reach these properties

The statewide route described earlier is limited by its own definition. Florida Statutes 163.045 defines residential property as “a single-family, detached building located on a lot that is actively used for single-family residential purposes and that is either a conforming use or a legally recognized nonconforming use in accordance with the local jurisdiction’s applicable land development regulations.” An apartment building, a condominium, HOA common area, a commercial or institutional site, or a vacant lot does not meet that definition, so the county permit applies there however hazardous a tree is judged to be.

When a tree permit becomes part of a development project

Chapter 166 defines development activity broadly: the construction, installation, alteration, demolition or removal of a structure or an impervious surface; clearing, scraping, grubbing or otherwise removing, altering or destroying the vegetation of a site; and adding, removing, exposing, excavating, leveling, grading, digging, burrowing, dumping, piling, dredging, or otherwise significantly disturbing the soils or altering the natural topographic elevations of the site. The maintenance of a lawn and its ancillary vegetation is exempted, excluding the uplands Section 166-50 requires.

The county's application page says the Tree Removal/Habitat Permit is the process for removing trees on private property for commercial, multi-family or new single-family home uses, and that the same form is used for projects involving ground work such as digging, pavers and pouring concrete. That second sentence is the one contractors miss: a paver patio, a slab or a trench near a protected tree can bring the habitat permit into the job even when no tree is coming out.

Whether a project needs a site plan decides how the rest is reviewed. Under Section 138-176, site plan review is required for all new construction except a single-family dwelling, duplex or triplex built on an established individual lot and its accessory structures; for new buildings or additions of 3,000 square feet or more of building footprint, or more than 7,500 square feet of impervious surface; for subdivision plats other than minor subdivisions; for all new roadways and streets; for uses generating more than 150 additional peak hour trips; for a change to a more intensive use; and for land excavation or fill under Section 138-3341. All other development activity goes through the building permit process, with staff deciding the level of minor site plan review.

Sequencing. The code does not say in so many words that a building permit waits for the tree permit. It reaches the same result through other provisions. Under Section 166-45 the county may withhold the certificate of occupancy, or permits and inspections, on development permitted under Chapter 166 until that article and every permit condition is met. Under Section 58-810(a)(2) it may withhold a permit or reject an application while a tree violation on the site is unresolved. Under Section 138-3658 a single-family to three-family lot has to meet its minimum tree count before the certificate of occupancy or final inspection. And a right-of-way permit associated with a site plan is filed concurrently with the site plan review.

No trees on site. Where there is no protected vegetation on the site or within ten feet of it, and no preservation area within 50 feet, Section 166-83(d) has the applicant say so in the application.

Clocks. A site plan approval lapses after 12 months unless construction starts and continues in good faith (Section 138-180), with up to two 12-month extensions at the county's discretion. A Chapter 166 permit expires if work has not started within 90 days, and stays valid only while the authorized activity is continuous with no interruption of more than 60 days (Section 166-86). The tree permit's own default is 90 days from issuance.

What a development application has to show

Section 166-83(b) lists six items the county may require with a Chapter 166 application:

the shape and dimensions of the lot or parcel, with the existing and proposed locations of structures and improvements
a statement and drawing showing how vegetation that stays will be protected during land clearing and construction, with the protective barrier diagrammed
the locations and dimensions of all setbacks and easements Chapter 138 requires
a topographical survey sealed by a registered engineer or surveyor showing proposed grade changes, unless the grade changes are limited to beneath the floor area of the dwelling unit
every wetland, native vegetative community and buffer on or within ten feet of the site, with vegetation marked to remain, be transplanted or be removed, and preservation areas within 50 feet where applicable
all proposed landscaping and replacement vegetation by species and size, with the type of ground cover

Projects that need a site plan add plan sheets with a tabulation of existing protected vegetation, vegetation to be impacted and replacement vegetation (Section 166-83(c)). The tree application itself calls for a tree survey, which Section 58-807 defines as a document prepared by a qualified professional giving the accurate locations of all trees on the site with the species and DBH of each, plus a rating where applicable. Because the code defines a tree by a four inch stem or, for palms, a height of more than six feet, the survey covers every such tree on the site. Wetlands are exempt from the tree survey but have to be named and have their boundaries surveyed.

Who has to prepare what, in the code's own words. Property surveys and legal descriptions by a licensed professional surveyor, and development, grading and utility plans by an appropriate professional licensed to conduct work in the State of Florida (Section 138-178(b)); the topographical survey sealed by a registered engineer or surveyor; right-of-way drawings signed and sealed by a registered professional civil engineer; and in the Downtown Palm Harbor and Lealman form-based code districts, any alternative landscape plan prepared by a licensed landscape architect. A tree survey or tree rating may be prepared by a qualified professional as the code defines it.

Imperiled species. Where field review of the site plan finds imperiled plant or animal species, the applicant has to obtain written comments from the appropriate agency, such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and meet all state and federal permit conditions before site development (Section 166-52).

Which trees a development site has to keep

The county code sets no canopy retention percentage for a development site, and it has no Grand Tree or heritage tree class. Preservation is decided tree by tree through the rating system above. A grade 2 tree can come out when it interferes with proposed or existing improvements or utilities, or is a verified threat. A grade 3 tree can come out only when it prevents development of or access to a lot, interferes with utilities, or removal is necessary to protect public health, safety or welfare as verified by county staff.

Specimen tree stands. Removing or altering a specimen tree stand needs its own Chapter 166 permit. The code defines one as a contiguous grouping of trees determined by a professional forester, horticulturalist or other suitable professional to be of high aesthetic or ecological value, and lists five criteria, joined as written: a relatively mature even-aged stand; and a stand with purity of species composition or of a rare or unusual nature; or a stand of historical significance; or a stand with exceptional aesthetic quality; or a stand providing wildlife habitat diversity important for species existence.

Wetland buffers. Buffers are shown on the site plan and preserved during site development. Table 166-50.a sets four types: 15 feet for isolated wetlands; 15 feet outside the top of bank or contiguous wetlands, whichever is greater, for creeks, channels, ditches, canals and other waterways connected with waters of the state and not designated as preservation; 15 feet from the edge of the wetland to the top of bank for county approved retention ponds adjacent to wetlands; and 50 feet for all other wetlands, or 25 feet with an enhanced buffer. Portions may be reduced to 15 feet if the overall average still complies, except on R-A, R-E and R-R properties with active livestock activities next to the wetland. Individual single-family lots are exempt, but replats and subdivisions are not. Removal of native vegetation in a buffer, including mowing or trimming, is prohibited except under a habitat management permit.

The ten criteria. Before granting a Chapter 166 permit, the county weighs the potential for significant adverse impacts on groundwater and surface water stabilization, water quality and aquifer recharge, ecological systems, noise, air movement, air quality, wildlife habitat, aesthetics and neighborhood property values, imperiled species, and soil stabilization. Under Section 166-83(f) it may waive those criteria when the vegetation stands where a structure or improvement may be placed under an approved site plan and preserving it would unreasonably restrict the economic enjoyment of the property, or the site is a recognized redevelopment or infill site; when the vegetation is diseased, injured, too close to existing or proposed structures, interferes with existing utility service, creates unsafe vision clearance or conflicts with other regulations; or when removing it is in the welfare of the general public for another reason. A denial under either chapter has to state its basis specifically.

Designing around a tree. The county may require special construction techniques that keep oxygen, water and nutrients reaching protected vegetation, such as tree wells, turf or paving block, aeration systems and stem walls (Section 166-84). Under Chapter 138, Article II, Division 7, landscaping and tree preservation requirements may be adjusted by up to 50 percent, up to 30 percent at department level and from 30 to 50 percent by the county administrator or designee, or varied by the Board of Adjustment and Appeals after a public hearing, and landscaping standards may be waived for areas where other on-site vegetation serves the same purpose. Economic hardship is not a reason to grant any of them, and the hardship behind a variance or waiver cannot be self-imposed. In the Downtown Palm Harbor district the code adds that where specimen trees exist on a site proposed for development, deference shall be given to preserving them.

Protecting retained trees during construction

Section 166-49 is the construction rule, and it binds anyone engaged in development activity. It is unlawful to place solvents, construction material, construction machinery or temporary soil deposits within six feet or two-thirds of the dripline, whichever is greater, of any tree to be retained of four inches DBH or greater, or within six feet of other protected vegetation. The dripline is the imaginary line straight down from the outermost tips of the canopy to the ground.

Before development activity starts, the owner or the owner's agent has to put up protective barriers around all protected vegetation, built of wood, metal or other substantial material, with placards posted on them stating the purpose of the barriers and the penalties for unauthorized removal. The barriers stay until the county authorizes their removal or final lot grading and final ground cover are complete. Removing vegetation inside the barriers needs department approval, and doing it without approval is a violation. Nothing may be attached or wired to protected vegetation during construction. Diagrams of suitable barriers and placards are available from the department.

The county may require a pre-construction inspection to confirm the barriers and erosion control are in place, silt or similar erosion barriers wherever erosion or siltation could harm protected vegetation, and a final inspection of the landscaping before the certificate of occupancy is released (Section 166-84). A tree permit can also carry a barricade condition of its own under Section 58-813(b)(8).

The code has no root pruning procedure. Its only reference to roots is that excessive root pruning is effective removal, which needs a tree permit and carries the same $150.00 per DBH inch penalty as removal when done without one. A trench, footing or slab edge cut through the roots of a protected tree can therefore be a permit question before it is a construction question.

Replanting and landscape minimums on a development site

Replants follow Table 58-813(b) above, on the same site, to the same specifications. On top of them, under Section 138-3658, every single-family, two-family or three-family lot has to carry a minimum number of landscape trees, planted or retained, before the certificate of occupancy or final inspection:

up to 2,500 square feet: 1 tree
2,501 to 5,000 square feet: 2
5,001 to 7,500 square feet: 3
7,501 to 10,000 square feet: 4
over 10,001 square feet: 4 plus one tree per 3,000, with no more than 15 trees required

Preserved trees count toward that minimum: one credit for a tree of 4 to 14 inches DBH, two for 14.1 to 24 inches, three for 24.1 to 34 inches, and four above 34 inches. Up to 40 percent of the landscape tree requirement can be met by a contribution to the tree mitigation fund at the Board's rate, and the trees can go into common areas with the association's written permission.

Non-residential and multifamily sites follow Section 138-3659 instead. Its tree requirements include three landscape trees per 100 linear feet in perimeter parking lot buffers; in lots of more than ten spaces, interior islands every 24 spaces on average, each with one landscape tree per 150 square feet of planting area and at least one; in lots of more than 250 spaces, landscaped divider medians with three trees per 100 linear feet; and three trees per 100 linear feet along street-facing fences and walls. Required landscaping may go into common areas where the association allows it, or be replaced by a contribution to the tree mitigation fund at the Board's rate.

Landscape material has to be at least 60 percent native, with one additional species for every ten landscape trees and each species at least ten percent of the total (Section 138-3655). Replant trees and required plant material that die during establishment are replaced within 30 days, and installed or preserved landscaping that dies after the development is complete is replaced within 30 days.

What development review costs

The code sets no dollar figures. Tree permit, Chapter 166 permit, site plan review, right-of-way permit and appeal filing fees are each established by the Board of County Commissioners, and the site plan fee schedule is available from the designated county department. After-the-fact permits carry after-the-fact fees, and a failed site inspection can bring a reinspection fee.

Clearing, grubbing, grading and fill

Clearing is its own instrument. Section 166-81 requires a Chapter 166 permit, on developed or undeveloped property, for habitat management activities including alteration of vegetation, grading and herbicide application; preliminary land clearing or grubbing; removal or alteration of a specimen tree stand; and any activity which may have an adverse impact on wetlands or native vegetative communities. Permits for removal of trees stay under Article XIX. Grubbing is the effective removal of understory vegetation from a site.

Preliminary land clearing is narrow. It is permitted, after application, review and issuance of a permit, only within designated road rights-of-way, drainage and utility areas shown on a site plan, before buildings go up, and only where the county has no objection and requires no site plan changes that could substantially change the remaining protected vegetation.

Land excavation or fill of five cubic yards or more falls under Section 138-3341. From five to under 1,000 cubic yards it needs a zoning clearance and a site plan; at 1,000 cubic yards or more it may be permitted under the table of uses for the zoning district, with a site plan. Less than five cubic yards is outside the section, as are class III sanitary landfills, solid waste landfills and excavate-fill balanced sites.

One separate waiver exists. Section 166-42 lets the county administrator waive the requirements of Chapter 166, Article II in emergencies such as a hurricane, windstorm, flood or freeze, on finding that the waiver is necessary so work to restore order is not impeded. Article XIX has no emergency provision of its own, so after a storm ask the county how it is treating tree permits before relying on the habitat waiver.

What a contractor is answerable for

The county code sets no license, registration or insurance requirement for a tree service or tree trimming company. What it does set is liability. Under Section 58-810(b), any person who caused or contributed to a tree violation is jointly and severally liable for it, alongside anyone with an interest in the property. Chapter 166 holds jointly and severally liable anyone with an interest in the facility or instrumentality causing or contributing to a habitat violation. And under the zoning chapter, Section 138-54, enforcement may be brought against the owner and persons or entities in control of the property, including a contractor working on the property, with a fine not to exceed $1,000.00 on conviction and each day a separate offense.

Four tools stop a job: a stop work order under Article XIX for activity in violation or posing an imminent hazard; a stop work order from the building department, or any department referenced in Section 138-54, when a zoning violation is found during permitted construction; a cease and desist order under Section 166-88, including for any site where work has started without a required permit, which the recipient must comply with immediately; and revocation of a Chapter 166 permit for fraud, misrepresentation, violated conditions or other good cause, after which the applicant has to cease all exterior work. Under Chapter 166 each tree, each protected plant removed or trimmed without a permit, and each day can be a separate offense, and the county may sue for civil damages based on the expense of restoring the damaged habitat, calculated with the Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method, the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers Guide for Plant Appraisal or another professionally accepted method.

The application form adds its own layer: a deviation from the permit, plans or conditions can subject the owner, contractor and anyone else responsible to prosecution under the county's code enforcement procedures. After the fact, the county will not accept a variance, waiver or administrative adjustment to cure unpermitted work except where the owner or contractor made a mistake in the construction or installation that it would be economically impracticable to correct when discovered, the appropriate building permit, zoning clearance or other use permit had been issued, the mistake could not have been avoided by normal construction or business practices, and the case is proven by competent substantial evidence.

For an owner or manager hiring the work, the county does not recommend tree service companies and its code sets no credential to check, so ask for the contractor's general liability and workers compensation certificates.

Where the county's own pages and its code disagree

Worth knowing before you spend an afternoon reading county pages.

The county's tree code page correctly explains that the rules moved into Chapter 58 as of January 23, 2026. But the habitat permit page still has its residential FAQ citing Section 138-3654 as the section that defines protected trees. In the current codified code, Section 138-3654 reads Reserved. It governs nothing. The same page links a street trees section, 138-3657, which is also now reserved. The page's other pointer is sound: it sends readers to Chapter 166, and Chapter 166, Article II is live law, rewritten on January 20, 2026.

That does not mean Chapter 138 disappeared. Section 138-3653 is live and is the nuisance and invasive species list, and Chapter 58 Article XIX cross-references Chapter 138 for procedure, for approved replant species at 138-3664, and for minimum landscaping at 138-3658 and 138-3659. Read Chapter 58 Article XIX first for whether a permit is required, then use the county's application page for process.

The FAQ also describes protected trees as healthy trees with a trunk diameter of 4 inches or greater. The code has no health qualifier: Section 58-813(a)(1) protects any tree of four inches DBH or larger, and the same FAQ says dead trees require a Tree Removal/Habitat Permit.

The county's species list page describes the Tier 1 exemption as covering residential districts AE through R-5. The code, Section 138-3653, says RA through R-5. The code governs.

Two special district codes were not updated when the tree rules moved. The Downtown Palm Harbor Form-Based Code, Section 138-4504, still lists its own protected trees, including “All healthy sabal/cabbage palms six feet in height or larger”, and applies removal and replacement standards from Section 138-3654, a tree bank under Section 166-57 and street tree rules in Section 138-3657, all three now reserved. The Lealman Form-Based Code, Section 138-4022, defines protected trees by reference to Section 138-3654 as well. Article XIX protects every palm six feet or larger, so on a Downtown Palm Harbor site the two texts do not agree on palms. The code does not resolve it; get the county's position in writing before relying on either.

Chapter 166, Article II has cross-references that point nowhere. Section 166-87(b) sends a permit holder whose permit is revoked to the Board of County Commissioners in accordance with Section 166-40, which is reserved. Section 166-46 exempts older active site plans from Section 166-51, also reserved, and applies a subsection (2) that the section does not contain. And Section 166-50 sets wetland buffers by a table it calls Table 138-3660.a, while the table printed in the section is Table 166-50.a. If any of these touches your project, get the county's reading in writing.

The county also publishes two sets of contacts: the habitat page and FAQ give the Tree Desk at (727) 464-3480 and [email protected], while the tree code page gives 727-464-3888 and [email protected].

If your address is inside a city

Section 58-809 says the article applies to property within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county, excluding county-maintained right-of-way, and that where its provisions conflict with a municipal ordinance, the municipal ordinance prevails. The displacement is conflict by conflict rather than wholesale: a city ordinance beats the county rule where the two actually conflict. Chapter 166, Article II has the same rule in Section 166-38, and the mangrove article applies in the incorporated as well as unincorporated areas under Section 58-603.

Pinellas County has 24 incorporated municipalities. Two points of precision. Palm Harbor, East Lake, Crystal Beach and Ozona are unincorporated, so the county rules above are the ones that apply, despite having their own names and their own post offices. Belleair Bluffs and Belleair Shore are incorporated, and the county's application page names them alongside unincorporated county as using the county process.

Everywhere else, check your own city. We have written up what the City of Dunedin requires for a tree removal permit, along with Clearwater's tree removal permit rules, the Tarpon Springs tree permit, Safety Harbor's tree removal permit, Oldsmar's tree removal permit and Largo's tree removal permit, each read from that city's own code. For other cities, the county publishes a directory of municipal building departments.

Use the county's address lookup tool if you are not certain which you are in. Plenty of people who say they live in Clearwater or Tarpon Springs are at an unincorporated address, and the answer changes completely.

Trees in the county right-of-way

A tree in county-maintained right-of-way, typically the strip between the sidewalk and the street, sits outside the reach of the tree ordinance, but that does not make it free to remove. Section 58-809 states that no trees shall be removed from county-maintained right-of-way without an approved permit, and the route for that is a Right-of-Way Utilization Permit. The tree in front of your house may not be on your property in the way you assume.

If your crew is working in the right-of-way. Section 166-54 says no vegetation may be removed from a public right-of-way under the management of the county without a valid permit issued under Section 154-232 or the county administrator's authorization, and compensation for a tree authorized for removal may be required, calculated with the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers Guide for Plant Appraisal or another professionally accepted method. Under Section 154-231, a right-of-way permit is also needed to park or stage equipment, vehicles, trailers, construction or landscape materials or debris in the right-of-way, or to use it as temporary construction or landscaping access.

A right-of-way permit not associated with a site plan is a Type 1 review, and one that is associated is filed concurrently with the site plan review. Section 154-233 requires applications to include drawings and data signed and sealed by a registered professional civil engineer, including a traffic control plan. Work has to begin within 90 days of issuance and finish within 180 days unless an extension is granted before either period runs out. The county may require completion security of at least 110 percent of the estimated installation cost and maintenance security, requires proof of insurance as determined by Pinellas County Risk Management before approval, and writes terms indemnifying the county into each permit. Fees are set by resolution of the Board.

Appeals, variances and adjustments on a development decision

Article XIX sends tree permit applications to review under Chapter 138, Article II, Division 3, and Chapter 166 permits may be reviewed as Type 1. Table 138-77 places Environmental Permits (County) and Right-of-Way Utilization permits in Type 1, Path A, department review, with a first appeal to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals and a second to circuit court. The code does not name the tree permit in that table, so treat that route as our reading and confirm it with the county.

Under Section 134-14, an administrative appeal is filed in writing with the department that issued the decision within 15 calendar days after rendition of the final development order or determination, with the filing fee the Board sets, and it is heard de novo. At a minimum the appeal has to state the code sections the appellant has a reasonable basis to believe were not followed, how the appellant was aggrieved, with specific reasons different in nature and scope from the general public or neighborhood, and whether a pre-hearing conference is requested. Circuit court review follows only after an administrative appeal was filed and denied, within 30 calendar days of the final adverse decision.

Variances, waivers and administrative adjustments for both chapters run through Chapter 138, Article II, Division 7. A variance from landscaping and tree preservation requirements is a Type 2 review before the Board of Adjustment and Appeals, at a public hearing. Any variance, waiver or adjustment expires in two years if construction has not started and continued in good faith, and granting one is not an approval of any permit or site plan the project needs.

What the county does not publish

Stated plainly, because knowing where the published answers stop is useful.

No dollar amount for a tree, habitat, site plan or right-of-way permit. Each fee is left to the Board of County Commissioners, and the number is not in the code.
No decision deadline. Neither Article XIX nor Chapter 166, Article II sets one, and the one to two business day figure on the county's FAQ is the initial site inspection after a complete application, not an approval.
No worked example of a palm on a homesteaded property, and nothing on how the definitions section and the protected trees list interact at exactly six feet.
No license, registration or insurance requirement for a tree service in the county code.
No canopy retention percentage, Grand Tree class or root pruning procedure for a development site.

For the first three, the Tree Desk at (727) 464-3480 or [email protected] is where the answer comes from. For development questions, Building and Development Review Services is at (727) 464-3888 or [email protected], and a pre-application meeting with county staff is optional for Type 1 reviews.

Where this leaves you

Three answers tell you which threshold applies to your property: whether the address is unincorporated, what the trunk measures at four and a half feet, and whether the property is homesteaded with an owner-occupied detached house on it.

If the tree is protected and healthy, the grade 2 and grade 3 criteria are the next thing to look at, because a sound tree needs a reason the county will verify. If the tree is genuinely hazardous, the state law route above can remove the permit question entirely. And sometimes the answer is pruning rather than removal, which is a different question from the one a permit application asks, and what a proper assessment looks at is not the same as what the county reviews.

On a commercial, multifamily, HOA or development site the sequence is longer: whether the work is development activity under Chapter 166, whether it needs a site plan, which trees the rating system will let go, how retained trees are protected before any site work starts, and what has to be planted before the certificate of occupancy.

Ask our agent about your specific property or project, in the chat at the bottom right of this page. It will ask the questions that actually change the answer, your jurisdiction, your homestead status or property type, and the tree's condition, and it will tell you plainly when something is not published rather than guessing at it. If you would like someone to come out and look at the tree, it can take your address and a callback number and pass those to our team.

Ken's Tree Service works within about 20 miles of Tarpon Springs, covering north Pinellas County, west Pasco County and the northwest corner of Hillsborough County.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a permit to remove a tree in unincorporated Pinellas County?

In most cases, yes. Section 58-813(a) of the Pinellas County Code protects any tree of four inches DBH or larger and all palms six feet in height or larger. Section 58-813(b) requires a tree permit, filed as a Tree Removal/Habitat Permit, to remove, effectively remove or transplant a protected tree. On homesteaded property with an existing single-family detached residence actively used as one, only trees greater than 24 inches DBH are protected.

What is the 24-inch homestead exception in Pinellas County?

On residential property with a homestead exemption from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser and an existing single-family detached residence actively used for single-family residential purposes, only trees with a DBH greater than 24 inches are protected. A rental house, a vacant lot, a homesteaded townhouse or villa, and commercial, multifamily or HOA common area property do not qualify.

Do palm trees need a permit in Pinellas County?

Yes. Since January 23, 2026 every palm six feet in height or larger is protected regardless of species; under the previous county code only sabal or cabbage palms were protected. On a qualifying homesteaded property the 24-inch DBH threshold applies to palms as it does to any tree. The Downtown Palm Harbor Form-Based Code still lists only healthy sabal or cabbage palms, a conflict the code does not resolve.

Do you need a permit to remove an invasive tree like Brazilian pepper in Pinellas County?

Yes, but there is no fee. Section 138-3653 lets listed nuisance and invasive species be removed with a no-fee permit. On a qualifying homesteaded property an invasive tree of 24 inches DBH or less is not a protected tree at all.

What is the penalty for removing a tree without a permit in Pinellas County?

Section 58-810(c) sets the penalty at $150.00 per DBH inch of the affected tree, paid into the county tree bank fund, and replant requirements still apply on top of it. On a 20-inch tree the calculation is $3,000 before any replanting. Liability is joint and several and reaches any person who caused or contributed to the violation and anyone who held an interest in the property during it, so it survives a sale.

How much does a Pinellas County tree removal permit cost?

Neither the code nor the county's tree pages give a dollar figure. Section 58-813(b)(1) leaves the application fee to the Board of County Commissioners, the county says fees are set in the annual operating budget, and it asks applicants to request an estimate from [email protected] with the property address, the size and approximate location of the tree, and the reason for removal.

Can an arborist report replace a Pinellas County tree permit?

In narrow circumstances, yes. Florida Statutes 163.045 prohibits a local government from requiring notice, application, approval, permit, fee, mitigation or replanting for removal of a tree on residential property when the owner holds signed documentation from an ISA Certified Arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect, based on an onsite assessment, that the tree poses an unacceptable risk. Removal must be the only practical way to reduce the risk below moderate. The statute reaches only a single-family detached home, and it does not reach mangroves.

Can a healthy tree be removed with a Pinellas County permit?

Not on request. Trees are rated 0 through 3 under Table 58-813(a). A grade 2 tree may be removed only where it interferes with proposed or existing improvements or utilities, or poses a threat to public health, safety or welfare as verified by county staff. A grade 3 tree requires that it prevents development of or access to a lot, interferes with utilities, or that removal is necessary to protect public health, safety or welfare.

Does the homestead exception or Florida Statute 163.045 apply to an HOA, apartment community or commercial property?

No. The homestead exception needs a homestead exemption and an existing single-family detached residence actively used as one, and Florida Statute 163.045 reaches only a single-family, detached building on a lot actively used for single-family residential purposes. On other property every tree of four inches DBH or larger and every palm six feet or larger is protected.

Do I need a county permit to build, pave or dig near a tree in unincorporated Pinellas?

It can apply. The county's application page says the Tree Removal/Habitat Permit form is used for commercial, multi-family and new single-family home uses and for ground work such as digging, pavers and pouring concrete. Section 166-49 makes it unlawful during development activity to place material, machinery or soil within six feet or two-thirds of the dripline, whichever is greater, of a retained tree of four inches DBH or more. Questions go to [email protected] or (727) 464-3888.

Can a contractor apply for a Pinellas County tree permit?

Yes. The county says a tree service or contractor may apply on the owner's behalf. The application needs proof of ownership or authorization, the owner's signature and authorization on the form, Section I when an agent or contractor applies, and the contractor's certification that it has a contract with the owner.

How long do you have to appeal a Pinellas County permit decision?

Under Section 134-14, an administrative appeal is filed in writing within 15 calendar days after rendition of the final development order or determination. Circuit court review follows within 30 calendar days of a final adverse decision. For Type 1 decisions, Table 138-77 sends the first appeal to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals; confirm the route for a tree permit with the county.

Sources

Verified September 27, 2026 against the codified Pinellas County Code as published by Municode, Supplement 124, codified through Ordinance No. 26-13, enacted March 24, 2026: Chapter 58, Articles XVI and XIX; Chapter 166, Article II; Chapter 138, Article II and Article X, Division 3; Chapter 154, Article IV; and Section 134-14; together with the county's tree code, habitat permit, application and species list pages, its permit application form, and Florida Statutes 163.045. Two ordinances pending codification were not read. Ordinances and fees change. This article explains the county's published rules and is not a determination about any specific tree, site or project. Only the county can tell you whether your tree or project requires a permit.