Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Florida?

This is one of the most common questions we get before a removal, and the honest answer has two parts: it depends on the city, and it depends on the tree.

The general rule

Most Broward cities require a permit to remove a healthy tree above a certain trunk diameter — the exact threshold and process vary from one municipality to the next, so a rule that applies in Fort Lauderdale isn't guaranteed to match Plantation or Coral Springs. Some cities also protect specific species, like grand or historic trees, more strictly than others regardless of size. We check the rule for your address before we schedule, rather than assume.

The dangerous-tree exception

Florida law (section 163.045, Florida Statutes) preempts local tree-removal permitting for a tree that presents a danger to persons or property, when that's supported by documentation from a Florida-licensed arborist or landscape architect, or from a licensed contractor authorized to do the work. In plain terms: a genuinely hazardous tree — dead, structurally compromised, or a clear risk to a structure — generally doesn't need a city permit before it comes down, as long as that risk is documented. It's not a loophole to skip paperwork on a tree you simply don't want anymore; it's specifically for trees that are actually dangerous, and the documentation is what makes it legitimate.

HOA rules are separate from city rules

A city permit and an HOA's approval are two different things, and clearing one doesn't clear the other. Plenty of Broward communities — Weston and Pembroke Pines especially — have their own architectural or landscaping review on top of whatever the city requires. We write our estimates so they can go straight to a board for approval, but the approval itself still has to come from the HOA.

What this means for your call

• Tell us the city when you call — permit rules are set locally, not countywide
• If the tree is dead, storm-damaged, or leaning toward a structure, say so — that's the documentation path that can avoid a permit delay
• If you're in an HOA, plan for that approval separately from any city permit
• We handle what's ours to handle — checking the local rule and providing documentation where it applies — as part of the estimate, not as a surprise add-on

None of this is legal advice for your specific property — city ordinances change, and the details matter. When you call for an estimate, we'll tell you what applies before anything gets scheduled.