Tree Removal Permit (County, St. Petersburg, Clearwater) in Pinellas County
Tree removal permitting in Pinellas County depends on where the property sits. Unincorporated Pinellas County requires a Tree Removal/Habitat Permit under Chapter 58 of the county code, with new simplified regulations effective Jan. 23, 2026. The City of St. Petersburg and the City of Clearwater each run their own tree removal permits. Statewide, Florida Statute 163.045 lets owners of single-family detached residential property remove a dangerous tree without a local permit when a certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect documents the risk.
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Who needs this
Property owners or contractors removing protected trees. Unincorporated county: trees 4 inches or greater trunk diameter and palms over 6 feet tall need a permit, except on homesteaded, actively occupied single-family properties where only trees greater than 24 inches DBH are protected (effective Jan. 23, 2026). St. Petersburg: any shade tree 4 inches or larger DBH or understory tree 8 inches or larger DBH is code-protected. Clearwater requires a tree removal permit through its own permitting system.
Steps
- 1
Determine your jurisdiction
The county's permit covers unincorporated Pinellas County plus Belleair Bluffs and Belleair Shore (use the county address lookup). Inside St. Petersburg, Clearwater, or another city, apply through that city instead.
pinellas.gov/services/apply-for-a-tree-removal-habitat-permi - 2
Unincorporated county: apply for a Tree Removal/Habitat Permit
Create an account or log into the Pinellas County Access Portal, select Develop, then Create an Application, then Tree Removal/Habitat Permit, and upload the Habitat & Tree Management Permit Application plus a site plan or survey showing tree locations. Staff typically conduct an initial site inspection within one to two business days of a complete application. Tree Desk: (727) 464-3480, [email protected].
aca-prod.accela.com/pinellas/Default.aspx - 3
St. Petersburg: apply through the city
A tree removal permit is required for code-protected trees (shade trees 4+ inches DBH, understory trees 8+ inches DBH; Grand Trees are 30+ inches DBH excluding Laurel Oaks, and Signature Trees like Banyan, Kapok, Jacaranda, and Royal Poinciana get extra protection). Apply via the city's Building Permit Portal, [email protected], or 727-463-5680. Initial inspection fee is $25, the city targets inspection within two weeks of payment, permits are valid 6 months and must be posted visibly from the street.
stpete.org/residents/sustainability/trees.php - 4
Clearwater: apply through the city
Clearwater takes tree removal permit applications online through its Accela Citizen Access portal (epermit.myclearwater.com) and publishes a Tree Removal Application Checklist and fillable application. For storm-damage removals, specify which hurricane caused the damage. Planning & Development: 100 S. Myrtle Avenue, Clearwater, FL 33756.
myclearwater.com/Business-Development/Permits-and-Inspection - 5
Dangerous trees on single-family homes: FS 163.045 exemption
No local notice, application, approval, permit, fee, or mitigation may be required to prune, trim, or remove a tree on a single-family, detached residential property when the owner has documentation: an onsite assessment by an ISA-certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect, performed per Best Management Practices - Tree Risk Assessment, Second Edition (2017), finding that removal is the only means of practically mitigating the tree's risk below moderate. Local governments also may not require replanting. St. Petersburg asks that this documentation be emailed to [email protected] for each tree removed.
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&
Requirements
- Determine the property jurisdiction before selecting any application. County, St. Petersburg and Clearwater have distinct permit offices; most other Pinellas municipalities require direct city guidance.
- Review the correct local tree-protection thresholds, protected species and applicable approvals for the confirmed jurisdiction before removal. The scoped filing step provides the location-specific instructions.
- Florida Statute 163.045 may exempt qualifying dangerous trees on detached single-family homes only when the statutory signed onsite risk assessment is obtained; this is not a blanket exemption for every property or tree.
Documents
- The required application and supporting checklist published by the verified city or county authority (only resources for the resolved jurisdiction qualify)
- Site plan or survey showing tree location and any other locally required supporting materials
- If claiming Florida Statute 163.045 exemption: required signed onsite risk documentation from an ISA-certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect
Fees
Previous fiscal-year fee amounts are shown below for a rough cost reference. They are not current quotes or guaranteed estimates, and actual fees may have changed. Confirm today's charge with the issuing building department or official payment portal.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| St. Petersburg initial tree inspection fee | $25 | City targets inspection within two weeks of payment; permit valid 6 months |
| Unincorporated Pinellas County Tree Removal/Habitat Permit | $50 single-family/duplex/triplex lots; $290 commercial and multi-family (four or more) lots; invasive species verification freeHistorical FY26 rate. Current permit fee not verified. | Historical FY26 rate. Current permit fee not verified. This earlier amount is shown for ballpark context, not as today's payable charge. Historical FY26 Adopted User Fees Schedule effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. FY26 has expired. The FY27 county budget was adopted September 24, 2026, but a final adopted FY27 tree-permit-specific charge is not independently verified. These FY26 figures are a dated ballpark only, NOT a current quote. Verify the live fee with Pinellas Building and Development Review Services.Historical source |
| Clearwater tree removal permit | $15 for up to five trees plus $3 each additional tree (non-refundable) | Clearwater tree removal application form (accessed 2026-09-01) |
Good to know
The county's Jan. 23, 2026 rewrite consolidated tree rules into a stand-alone Chapter 58; the homestead relief (only 24+ inch DBH trees protected) applies only to actively occupied homesteads, not vacant, rented, or to-be-demolished homes. The county permit portal also serves Belleair Bluffs and Belleair Shore. FS 163.045 covers only single-family detached homes and does not extend to mangroves, which are regulated separately (county mangrove trimming permits are $575 single-family). St. Petersburg will ask for the FS 163.045 documentation for each and every tree removed, so get the signed assessment before cutting. Clearwater's protected-tree size thresholds could not be verified from accessible official pages; confirm with the city before removal.