Registry
Land & Water
Tree removal / land clearing
Removing trees or clearing vegetation.
inferredHB 803: n/areviewed never
Who can pull the permit
- SPEC-TREETree Removal / Landscaping (county specialty)
- SPEC-EXCAVATIONExcavation / Land Clearing (county specialty — Collier retired this category 7/1/2025)
- CGCCertified General Contractor
- CBCCertified Building Contractor
- CRCCertified Residential Contractor
- NONENo contractor license
- OWNER-BUILDEROwner-occupied 1–2 family (FS 489.103(7))
Decision — first matching row wins
| # | When | Permit | Type | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | protected is yes | yes | Vegetation Removal Permit (+ FDEP for mangroves) | Protected native vegetation and mangroves require county vegetation removal permits and, for mangroves, FDEP authorization. |
| 2 | acres > 1 | yes | Vegetation Removal / Land Clearing Permit | Clearing beyond a single-family building envelope requires a county land-clearing permit; SFWMD ERP may apply. |
| 3 | otherwise | conditional | Often none for individual non-protected trees on a homesteaded lot | Both counties exempt some single-family tree removal but protect specific species and sizes. Reviewer to confirm species/size thresholds. |
Inputs the rule needs
- protectedNative/protected species or mangroves involved?
- acresArea cleared (acres)
Documents (base)
- Owner authorization / signed permit application (owner or agent signature, notarized where the authority requires)
- Site plan / survey showing property lines, setbacks, easements, septic and the proposed work with trees marked
- Vegetation inventory / arborist letter for protected species
- Contractor registration current with the county (license, GL insurance, workers' comp or exemption on file)