Tree Planting
If you are looking to plant a new tree on your own property, there is no permit required. See the latest Florida Exotic Plant Species list for tree species banned in the state of Florida. See the following planting guidelines:
- 6’ distance from underground utilities
- Vegetation that exceeds twenty-five (25) feet in height at maturity shall not be planted closer than thirty (30) feet from the vertical plane of an
- existing power line, excluding service wires
- Do not plant under existing canopy
- And always Call Before You Dig, by calling 811 or visiting www.sunshine811.com.
- If you are looking to plant a new tree in the city right-of-way you can request a free tree planting through the Tree-Mendous Tampa program.
Tree Pruning
- If you are looking to prune a tree on your property that is 23” or under in diameter at breast height (DBH), then no permit is required.
- If the tree is 24” or greater in DBH, then you must first obtain a permit. All tree pruning permits will be inspected by a Forester from Natural Resources prior to release. Alternatively, you can hire a City of Tampa Self-Certified Private Arborist to perform the inspection and submit their report, to be reviewed by Natural Resources. See SCPA program page for more details.
- All pruning performed should be in accordance with all International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards.
- If you are looking to prune a tree in the city right-of-way, you must first obtain permission from City of Tampa Parks Department Forestry Division.
Tree Removal
- All removals of trees 5” in DBH or above (excluding invasive species) require a permit for removal (Apply Online).
- Grand Trees* (32” or greater in DBH) require special circumstances for removal – if the tree is not in hazardous condition, it may require a Variance Review Board, City Council, or other public process decision to allow the removal.
- All tree removals are subject to mitigation, or replacement tree plantings, depending on the size and health of the tree being removed, and the number of other trees being retained on the property. The mitigation value is determined by Natural Resources during review. If there is no room to reasonably plant replacement trees on site, you can pay into the tree fund.
- All tree removal permits will be reviewed by a Forester from Natural Resources prior to release. Alternatively, you can hire a City of Tampa Self-Certified Private Arborist to perform the inspection and submit a report to be reviewed by Natural Resources. See SCPA program page for more details. Note: Prior to removal of Grand Trees, an applicant must first go through Public Notice.
Construction Related Tree Removal or Pruning Projects
- If you are planning a future construction project (addition, pool, accessory structure, new residence, etc.) that will require tree removal, you do not need a separate Tree Removal Permit (TRE) – the removal will be evaluated under the Building Permit (BLD), by marking the tree as a removal on the Site Plan.
- If you have already been issued a Building Permit and during construction you find that you will need to request additional tree removal(s) on your Site Plan, you will need to submit a Building Plan Revision (REV) identifying the additional trees as removals.
Additional Resources
- Tree Table
- Grand Tree protection diagram
- Specimen/Protected tree protection diagram
- Tree Protection Notes
- Tree Removal Zone (TRZ) Diagram
- City of Tampa - Wetland Setback Application
- City of Tampa - Urban Ecological Analysis and Management Plan 2010-2012
- National Arbor Day Foundation - Find out about historic trees and trees of note. Get special trees and join in the planting.
- Alliance for Community Trees - Comprehensive guide to Urban Forestry presents a tree identification guide, community forestry event calendars, and national arbor news
- Florida Chapter of the ISA - Find local certified arborist, good information on hiring and arborist and tree grade and standards for Florida.
- Florida Urban Forestry Council - Find a membership application, details on the state's grant program, articles on building a sustainable urban forest, and other resources.
- Tree City USA is greening communities across the country. This program is a great opportunity to celebrate the importance of an urban tree canopy and improve care of these vital city tree