Do you need a permit?
No permit required for most private trees
Goose Creek does not regulate the removal of trees on developed residential property, and no permit is required. The city does ask that you call Planning and Zoning first so staff can visit the site and advise how best to meet the city's tree ordinance. Clear cutting is expressly prohibited citywide, and undeveloped land is different — land clearing needs an approved permit before any disturbance.
Worth knowing
- The city's own answer: "The city does not regulate the removal of trees on a developed residential property."
- Clear cutting of trees is expressly prohibited within the city.
- A land clearing permit must be approved before any land disturbance, so that both state stormwater regulations and the city's tree ordinance are satisfied.
- If your tree sits inside a drainage easement, contact Berkeley County's Roads and Bridges office about an encroachment permit before working on it.
What we could not confirm
We would rather tell you what we don't know than guess. Call the office below to confirm these before you cut.
- — The citation and text of the tree ordinance itself, including any protected species or diameter thresholds that apply on undeveloped parcels.
- — Land clearing permit fees and penalties for clear cutting.