Tree Removal Permit in Miami, FL
Permit Summary
Do You Need a Tree Removal Permit?
Exemptions
Miami's permit guidance states that hardwood trees below the City's minimum regulated size of 2 inches DBH and 12 feet in height, and palms below 6 inches DBH and 16 feet in height, do not need a removal permit. Florida Statute 163.045 also bars a local permit, fee, approval, notice, or mitigation requirement for a tree on qualifying single-family residential property when the owner has the required signed risk documentation from an ISA-certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect showing that the tree poses an unacceptable risk. Chapter 17 also contains limited exemptions for specified emergency and other situations.
Protected Trees & Removal Eligibility
Protected Tree Rules
Chapter 17 regulates removal, relocation, pruning, and trimming of qualifying trees within the City of Miami unless an exemption applies. The City's minimum size rules distinguish hardwood trees and palms, and development review is intended to preserve existing trees and maximize tree canopy. Additional protections can apply in environmental preservation areas and to other specially regulated resources.
When Removal Is Allowed
Environmental Resources reviews regulated removal through the tree-permit process and may require corrections, relocation, replacement, or other permit conditions before issuing an intended decision. Final approval follows the appeal period. A qualifying single-family residential tree documented under Florida Statute 163.045 as posing an unacceptable risk is exempt from local permit, fee, and mitigation requirements.
Replacement Requirements
Replacement Rules
A scaled tree replacement/landscape plan may be required. When the minimum replacement requirement cannot be planted onsite, Miami directs applicants to alternative compliance such as off-site planting or the Tree Trust Fund. Florida Statute 163.045 prohibits a local replanting requirement for a qualifying documented unacceptable-risk residential-tree removal. City guidance states that prohibited or dead trees will most likely not require replacement planting.
Arborist & Professional Requirements
Professional Requirements
For a standalone application, an arborist report is not always required but may be requested during review, and a commercial tree/boundary survey must be prepared by a Florida licensed surveyor. For new construction, Miami requires a Certified Arborist Report that is no more than three months old; commercial tree disposition, replacement, and protection plans must be prepared by a registered landscape architect, while single-family and duplex plans may be prepared by the owner or authorized representative. Florida Statute 163.045 risk documentation must be signed by an ISA-certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect.
Public Notice Requirements
Notice Rules
After an intended tree-permit decision, the City provides an appeal period before final approval. Chapter 17 requires notice of the intended decision to be posted on or adjacent to the subject property where it is visible to the public and sent to registered homeowners' associations in the area. The ordinary appeal period is 10 calendar days; current City guidance states 15 days for a City project.
Emergency Tree Removal
Chapter 17 provides a limited exemption for immediate removal of a tree presenting a life-safety issue after the condition is demonstrated to the City and reviewed by the department; supporting photographs or other documentation may be required. The City Manager or designee may also determine in writing that tree-permitting requirements would impede work to restore order after a declared emergency. Separately, Florida Statute 163.045 preempts local permitting and mitigation for qualifying unacceptable-risk trees on covered single-family residential property when the owner possesses the required professional documentation.
Development & Special Areas
Development-Related Rules
Tree activity associated with new construction must be submitted with the master building-permit application and processed as a tree sub-permit. The application must include the required tree survey, disposition, replacement, protection, and arborist materials, and no tree activity may begin until the tree permit is pulled. Miami's 2026 residential building-permit exemption process expressly states that a building-permit exemption does not authorize tree removal, tree trimming, root damage, or work that impacts protected trees.
Special Zone Rules
Tree work affecting Environmental Preservation Districts or scenic transportation corridors may require a separate Certificate of Approval from Miami's Historic & Environmental Preservation Office when protected lands or environmental features are involved. Mangroves remain subject to separately delegated mangrove-protection authority; Florida Statute 163.045 expressly does not displace that authority.
What You Need Before Applying
Requirements
For regulated tree removal, apply through iBuild before work begins and select the TREE PERMIT job category for a standalone project. Provide the required tree information and plans, complete Environmental Resources review and the intended-decision appeal period, pay the applicable fees, and pull/print the permit before starting work. Tree activity tied to construction is handled with the master permit as a tree sub-permit.
Required Documents
For a standalone permit, principal materials include a written statement explaining the tree work; a tree/boundary survey or scaled site plan showing onsite and right-of-way trees with species, location, height, spread, and diameter; a tree replacement/landscape plan when applicable; and tree photographs and/or an arborist report when requested. Commercial tree/boundary surveys must be prepared by a Florida licensed surveyor. Construction-related tree permits also require a tree disposition/site plan, tree protection/planting/maintenance details, and a current Certified Arborist Report.