How to Navigate the City of Atlanta Tree Protection Ordinance (Removal Permits)
Most private-property tree removal inside the City of Atlanta requires an application to the Arborist Division, and removing a healthy protected tree can trigger a recompense fee — roughly $100 per tree plus $30 per inch of DBH under the 2025 formula. Dead, dying, and hazardous trees follow a faster, separate track.
Yes, Atlanta Regulates Tree Removal
The City of Atlanta takes its tree canopy seriously. Under the city's tree protection ordinance, most removal of trees on private property requires an application to the Arborist Division — even in your own backyard. It surprises a lot of homeowners, but the rule exists to preserve the urban forest that defines the city.
The key thing to understand is that not all trees and not all situations are treated the same. A healthy, large hardwood is handled very differently from a dead or hazardous tree.
Understanding DBH and Recompense
Atlanta measures trees by DBH — diameter at breast height, taken about 4.5 feet up the trunk. That single number drives a lot of the process. Removing a healthy tree above a certain DBH can trigger a recompense requirement, which is the city's way of accounting for lost canopy.
As of 2025, the recompense formula runs about $100 per tree plus $30 per inch of DBH for healthy trees removed without another qualifying reason. On a large oak, that adds up quickly — which is exactly why it's worth understanding before you commit.
Dead, Dying, and Hazardous Trees Are Different
If a tree is dead, dying, or poses a genuine hazard, it follows a separate, faster path with different requirements. The city doesn't want dangerous trees standing any more than you do. Documentation of the tree's condition typically supports these applications.
This is where an experienced local crew helps. We assess which category your tree falls into, gather the documentation, and steer you toward the right application so you're not caught off guard by a fee or a stop-work order.
What About the Surrounding Counties?
Outside the City of Atlanta, the rules change. Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties each have their own thresholds and processes, and some suburban cities like Decatur and Roswell add their own canopy protections on top. A tree that needs no permit in one jurisdiction might require one a mile away.
The bottom line: before you remove a significant tree anywhere in metro Atlanta, it pays to confirm the local rules. We handle that coordination as part of the job.
What Determines Whether You Need a Permit
- Is the tree on private property inside Atlanta city limits? Most removals there are regulated.
- Is it healthy and above the protected DBH threshold? Recompense may apply.
- Is it dead, dying, or hazardous? A faster application path usually applies with documentation.
- What's the DBH — diameter measured about 4.5 feet up the trunk? It drives any fee.
- Are you in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, or Gwinnett county instead? Each has its own rules.
- Who submits the Arborist Division paperwork — you or your tree contractor?
What Happens If You Skip the Permit
Removing a regulated Atlanta tree without the required Arborist Division approval can bring stop-work orders, fines, and mandatory replanting or recompense after the fact — often costing far more than doing it right the first time. Code enforcement does respond to neighbor complaints, and a freshly cut stump is hard to explain away.
The safer path is a quick check before the saw runs. Confirming whether your tree is regulated, and whether it qualifies for the faster hazard track, takes a phone call and a look at the tree — cheap insurance against a citation on a project you can't undo.
Who Handles the Arborist Division Paperwork
One of the first questions to settle with any tree company is who prepares and submits the application, and whether that administrative work is included in the quote or billed separately. A vague answer here is a red flag; a good contractor names the process and the responsibility up front.
We assess which category your tree falls into, gather the documentation the city expects, and steer the application so you're not learning the rules by trial and error. You still make the decisions — you're just not standing in line at the permit office to make them.
The Bottom Line
Atlanta's tree rules exist to protect the canopy that defines the city, and knowing whether your removal needs a permit — and what recompense might apply — saves you from a surprise fee or a stop-work order. We assess the tree, advise on the right application, and handle the paperwork. Call (855) 615-0568 before any saw runs.
How Costeño Tree Services Can Help
Related services and areas covered in this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Dead and hazardous trees follow a faster, separate process from healthy-tree removal, but documentation is still typically required. We help determine and prepare what applies to your tree.
It's the City of Atlanta's charge for removing a healthy tree above a set size — roughly $100 per tree plus $30 per inch of DBH as of 2025 — to account for lost canopy.
We assess the tree, advise on the right application, and help gather documentation. Final permits are issued by the city, but we make the process far smoother. Call (855) 615-0568.
About the Author
Costeño Tree Services
Costeño Tree Services is a locally owned, fully licensed and insured tree care company serving metro Atlanta since 2019. Our crews perform tree removal, pruning, stump grinding, and 24/7 storm response every day across Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties, following ANSI A300 pruning practices and ANSI Z133 safety standards. This guide is reviewed and updated as Atlanta rules and conditions change.
