Tree Removal Permit in Orlando, FL
Permit Summary
Do You Need a Tree Removal Permit?
Exemptions
Florida Statutes section 163.045 prohibits a local notice, application, approval, permit, fee, or mitigation requirement for qualifying tree pruning, trimming, or removal on residential property when the owner possesses the required signed professional documentation showing the tree poses an unacceptable risk to persons or property and removal is the only practical means of reducing that risk below moderate. The statute does not apply to specifically delegated mangrove-protection authority.
Protected Trees & Removal Eligibility
Protected Tree Rules
Chapter 60 treats existing trees 10 inches DBH or larger as protected trees, except invasive exotic species, and prohibits their destruction, permanent injury, or removal without the required approval unless exempt under Florida law. The Parks Official may designate protected trees as Specimen or Historic Trees based on size, age, historic association, species, or unique characteristics; removal or encroachment of a designated Specimen or Historic Tree requires a valid tree permit.
When Removal Is Allowed
Under Chapter 65, a Tree Removal Permit may be approved when design modifications are not feasible and a listed circumstance exists, including a tree blocking a necessary street or alley opening, utilities or drainage that cannot feasibly be rerouted, all reasonable property access, or reasonable property use; an invasive exotic species; an unmitigable hazard to life or property; or a dying, dead, diseased, or poor-health tree whose restoration is not practical.
Replacement Requirements
Replacement Rules
For permitted removal, Orlando may require relocation or replacement with trees or caliper inches determined by the Parks Official to provide equivalent environmental benefit, or monetary mitigation under the applicable fee schedule. The City application page states that when replanting is required, the specified replacement tree or trees must be planted within 60 days, and the City must be notified within 60 days of planting. Florida Statutes section 163.045 bars local replanting or mitigation requirements for qualifying exempt residential danger-tree work.
Arborist & Professional Requirements
Professional Requirements
For the Florida Statutes section 163.045 residential exemption, the required documentation must be based on an onsite assessment and signed by an ISA-certified arborist or a Florida-licensed landscape architect; Orlando's application page describes the arborist route as requiring Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ). Tree relocation work under Orlando Code must be performed by, or under the immediate direction of, an ISA-certified arborist, and City code requires tree pruning, trimming, and removal practices to meet the referenced ANSI Z133 and ANSI A300 standards.
Emergency Tree Removal
Orlando Code section 65.643 authorizes the Parks Official to waive all or part of the tree-permit requirements under emergency conditions when the waiver is consistent with the purpose and intent of the tree-protection rules. Separately, qualifying residential danger-tree work meeting Florida Statutes section 163.045 is exempt from local notice, application, approval, permit, fee, and mitigation requirements.
Development & Special Areas
Development-Related Rules
A Tree Removal Permit is separate from other City permits and approvals. If tree removal is part of a larger project, the City directs the applicant to upload the approved tree permit under the corresponding ProjectDox project number. Development must also protect retained trees and their required undisturbed areas; temporary construction activities such as digging, trenching, material laydown, and vehicle parking are prohibited within those areas unless specifically authorized.
Special Zone Rules
Tree removal associated with development in wetlands is also subject to Orlando's Chapter 63 wetland classifications and development limitations, and Waters of the State remain subject to applicable state regulation. Specially planned areas can impose additional landscaping or tree-location standards, so those development controls apply in addition to the tree-permit rules.
What You Need Before Applying
Requirements
The property must be within Orlando city limits. Where a permit is required, submit the Tree Removal Permit application, identify the tree proposed for removal, provide photographs and relevant plans, and mark the tree for City inspection. Tree-removal approval is separate from other permits or approvals that may apply to the property or project.
Required Documents
For a City permit, submit the application with photographs of the tree and any relevant plans. For the Florida Statutes section 163.045 residential exemption, the owner must possess signed documentation based on an onsite assessment by an ISA-certified arborist or Florida-licensed landscape architect using the specified tree-risk-assessment procedures.