The City of Tampa's code states that no person shall cut down, remove, relocate, damage, or destroy any protected tree unless approved and permitted by the Natural Resources Department.
If you are looking to plant, prune, or remove trees not associated with a building project see the Homeowners Page.
Construction Related Tree Removal or Pruning Permits
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.
Questions About What Trees Require a Permit?
All trees 5” or greater in diameter at breast height (DBH) require a permit for removal, with the exception of invasive species. See below for a list of common invasive or unprotected species found in Tampa:
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Australian pine | Casuarina spp. |
| Brazilian pepper | Schinus terebinthifolius |
| Cherry laurel | Prunis caroliniana |
| Chinaberry | Prunis caroliniana |
| Chinese tallow | Sapium sebiferum |
| Citrus | Citrus spp. |
| Earleaf acacia | Acacia auriculiformis |
| Ear tree | Enterolobium contortisiliquum |
| Eucalyptus tree | Eucalyptus spp. |
| Lead tree | Leucaena leucocephala |
| Mimosa, woman's tongue | Albizia spp. |
| Monkey puzzle | Auracaria wrightii |
| Mulberry, Male | Broussonetia papyrifera |
| Punk tree | Melaleuca quinquenervia |
| Queen palm | Syagres romanzoffiana |
| Rosewood | Dalbergia sissoo |
| Silk oak tree | Grevillea robusta |
| Surinam cherry | Eugenia uniflora |
| Wild cherry | Prunis serotina |
Become a Self-Certified Private Arborist
The SCPA Program is currently still in the pilot stage. City staff are working out the curriculum, training sessions, and details for the rollout of the final program. This page will be updated as new information is available, but if you would like to express your interest in the program please send an email to Treequestions@tampagov.net. See the SCPA Program page for more details.