Do you need a permit?
Yes — a permit is required
North Charleston requires a Tree Removal Permit, and the city is explicit about who files it: the contractor hired to remove the tree applies, and the owner applies only if removing the tree themselves. An inspector or the Urban Forester looks at the tree before the permit issues. Any healthy tree greater than 10 inches DBH is a "significant tree" and gets extra protection.
Size threshold
A "significant tree" is "any healthy existing tree greater than ten (10) inches in DBH (diameter breast height)."
What's protected in North Charleston
- Significant trees — any healthy existing tree greater than 10 inches DBH
- Large tracts of woodlands, which the ordinance requires be preserved with offsite mitigation if destroyed during construction
How to apply in North Charleston
- 1
Apply through the city's online customer portal at maps.northcharleston.org/CustomerPortal/.
- 2
Attach the proposal or contract showing scope of work and materials and labor costs.
- 3
Attach HOA or architectural review board approval if your property has one.
- 4
Mark the trees with ribbon so the inspector can identify them.
- 5
An inspector and/or the Urban Forester inspects before the permit issues. Permits last 6 months and expire if no inspection was done in that window.
Fees, penalties, and the ordinance
- Fee
- Filing fee is based on the cost of the work: $30 (non-refundable) for projects up to $1,000, then $30 plus $15 for the first $1,000 and $5 for each additional $1,000 up to $50,000, with higher tiers above that. City business license fees are separate.
- Ordinance
- City of North Charleston Code, Chapter 5, Sections 5-310 and 5-311; Zoning Ordinance (Appendix A), Article VI
Worth knowing
- Removal of significant trees is prohibited before a grading and/or building permit is secured.
- If a tree poses a severe or imminent threat to public safety or property, the zoning administrator or a designee may waive the requirement, issuing written findings afterward. Replacement may still be required if negligence caused the hazard.
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.
- — Penalties for removing a tree without the permit.
- — Whether significant-tree protection applies to an established single-family lot with no construction activity, or only alongside grading and building permits.