Tree Removal Permits in Roswell, GA

Verified against Roswell city sources · last checked 2026-08-06

Do you need a permit?

Yes — a permit is required

Roswell has the lowest threshold of any city in this list. The city says it plainly: "A Tree Removal Permit is required for the removal of any tree larger than 3 inches in diameter." That is not tied to construction, and Roswell publishes a dedicated single-family-residential tree permit fee line to prove homeowners actually file these. Specimen trees are protected on every property with no exemption at all, and even the exemptions that exist still require you to file an application to show the exemption applies.

Size threshold

UDC 12.1.1.B.3: "No person may remove, cause to be removed, poison, damage, trim or transplant any tree with a trunk diameter of 3 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH) which normally attains a mature height of 15 feet or more without first obtaining a permit as provided in this UDC." Note the verbs — trimming and damaging are covered, not just felling.

What's protected in Roswell

Specimen trees, protected on all properties with no exemption: "1) 8" dbh - Small trees such as dogwood, sourwood, cherry, etc. 2) 16" dbh - Midstory trees such as maple, birch, magnolia, holly, etc. 3) 20" dbh - Overstory hardwoods such as oak, hickory, sweetgum, ash, etc. 4) 30" dbh - Overstory softwoods such as pine, etc.," each in fair or better condition.
Neighbour trees. UDC 12.1.2.A.4 requires specimen trees and their critical root zones to be labelled "even if the tree trunk is not on the subject property," including abutting root zones that fall on your land.
Trees in the River Corridor Overlay — a 50-foot natural vegetative buffer along the Chattahoochee and 35 feet along any stream, with structures and impervious surfaces set back 150 feet from the river.
Trees in any buffer, which UDC 12.1.2.A.8 requires be delineated as tree save areas: "Land disturbance within any buffer must be approved by the City Arborist."
Trees on erosion-prone ground, where removal is banned outright rather than permitted.

How to apply in Roswell

1
Apply online through the Roswell Permitting and Licensing HUB, the city's Tyler EnerGov self-service portal. Tree permits are listed there as their own permit type.
2
Submit, as applicable, a Tree Survey, a Tree Protection Plan and a Tree Replacement Plan. For a specimen tree, add the written alternatives analysis that UDC 12.1.3.B.1 requires.
3
If your property is within 2,000 feet of the Chattahoochee River, call Planning and Zoning at (770) 817-6720 before removing any trees. The city states this as a hard first step for River Corridor properties.
4
Pay fees at submittal. Applications can alternatively go by email to engineering@roswellgov.com or in person from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
5
Expect an inspection: "Within 10 working days following the receipt of a tree survey, the City Arborist will conduct an inspection of the proposed development site."
6
A specimen tree does not go over the counter. Removal requires Engineering Director approval on the City Arborist's recommendation.

Fees, penalties, and the ordinance

Fee: Roswell prices this openly. From the Land Development Permit Fees adopted December 9, 2024 and effective January 1, 2025, under "Tree Removal Permits - Single Family Residential": Application $25, Tree Plan Review $25, Tree Removal Permit $50, Specimen Tree Removal $500 per density unit, Tree Inspections $100 per acre to a $500 maximum. All fees are paid at time of submittal and are non-refundable unless the city made the error. A separate Roswell Tree Bank contribution of $220 per tree density unit applies as a fee in lieu of replacement planting.
Penalties: UDC 13.14.4.G: "Any person who violates any provision of this UDC, or any permit condition or limitation established pursuant to this UDC ... will be liable for a fine not to exceed $2,000 per day... Each day during which violation or failure or refusal to comply continues is a separate violation." Taking a specimen tree without a permit doubles the Tree Bank charge to "$1,000 per tree density unit," and UDC 12.1.3.B.3.b builds in a punitive evidentiary presumption: if you cannot document what you cut, "if no stumps are present an average of 20-inches in DBH shall be presumed for each tree removed," and "each tree removed will be considered to be in fair or better condition." A 30-inch specimen oak is 7.5 density units, so $7,500 to the Tree Bank before any court fine. The city may also forfeit bonds, withhold utilities and a certificate of occupancy, and refuse all other city permits to that owner or their agents until the violation is abated.
Ordinance: City of Roswell Unified Development Code, Article 12 (Environmental Protection), Section 12.1 — Tree Protection, subsections 12.1.1 through 12.1.9. The current tree ordinance was adopted by Ord. No. 2019-08-28, section 1, 8-26-2019; the fee-in-lieu provision at 12.1.7 derives from Ord. No. 2017-04-03, 4-10-2017; enforcement at 13.14 from Ord. No. 2020-06-07, 6-8-2020. The UDC took effect June 1, 2014. Municode currency: codified through Ordinance No. 2024-02-04, enacted February 26, 2024.

Worth knowing

The tree company is regulated alongside you. UDC 12.1.3.A.1 applies the tree removal provisions to "any person removing trees on behalf of any other person, including all tree removal companies, utility companies or persons in the business of removing trees or construction," and 12.1.3.A.2 makes it "unlawful for any person or company to remove any tree or undertake any work for which a Land Disturbance Permit is required unless a valid permit is in effect and displayed on the site." Look for the posted permit before the saws start.
Cleanup is on the contractor by ordinance: "All tree removal companies, utility companies or persons in the business of removing trees or construction must remove from the site any trees, stumps, limbs or debris caused by tree removal activities."
The exemptions do not excuse you from applying. UDC 12.1.1.C says so directly: "While the following activities are exempt from the remaining tree protection provisions, a tree removal permit application is required to demonstrate the exemption applies." The residential exemption relieves lots under one acre of tree density and replacement obligations for non-specimen trees; it does not relieve you of the application, and specimen trees stay fully protected.
One acre is the practical dividing line. UDC 12.1.5.A applies minimum tree density to "all detached house or attached house lots 1 acre or greater in size" — 20 units per acre in Estate and Suburban Residential character areas, 30 in all other character areas.
Topping is prohibited, not permitted: "removal of more than one-third of the leaves and branches of a tree, as measured from the lowest branch on the trunk of the tree to the top of the tree, is prohibited." On a single-family lot that applies to specimen trees. All pruning must follow ANSI A300.
A hazard tree is exempt only when the City Arborist says so — UDC 12.1.1.C.6 turns on a tree becoming a danger "as determined by the City Arborist," not on your own or your tree company's judgement. Utilities get a genuine after-the-fact route with written report within three working days; homeowners do not.
Roswell's historic district does not separately review tree removal. Article 5, the Downtown Historic Districts article, contains no occurrence of the word tree, and no certificate of appropriateness is required for a removal.
There is no per-year allowance of free trees anywhere in the UDC.
The tree rules live in the Unified Development Code, which is a separate Municode product from the Roswell Code of Ordinances. Searching only the Code of Ordinances misses the tree ordinance entirely.

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.

— There is a codification gap. Municode's Roswell UDC is current only through Ordinance No. 2024-02-04 of February 26, 2024. Any tree amendment adopted since then would not appear in the text read here. No evidence of one was found, but ask Engineering at (770) 641-3780 whether Section 12.1 has changed since February 2024.
— What a homeowner with one dead oak and no construction project actually has to submit. The Engineering page hedges the Tree Survey, Protection Plan and Replacement Plan with "as applicable," and no simplified residential checklist is published. This is the best question to ask on the phone.
— No standalone tree permit application PDF or homeowner handout exists on roswellgov.com. Every application link redirects to the general permitting portal, which sits behind a login.
— The current City Arborist by name, and a direct email. The city staff directory lists no Arborist or Landscape Architect entry.
— Whether the permit requirement is genuinely standalone or ultimately tied to development review. UDC 12.1.1.B.3 is a flat prohibition with no construction trigger, while UDC 12.1.1.B.1 says the tree protection requirements "apply to any activity that requires a review under Article 13." What resolves it toward the flat reading is that UDC 13.8.2.A makes tree removal itself a land disturbance activity requiring a permit. Both provisions are reported.
— Roswell publishes two different phone numbers for Community Development: (770) 641-3727 on the tree FAQ and (770) 641-3780 on the Engineering page, fee schedule and staff directory. Both are reported; the latter is the one attached to tree and land development permits.
— The adopting ordinances for UDC 12.1.5, 12.1.6 and 12.1.9 specifically. Those three subsections carry no trailing ordinance history line in the codified text.
— Whether the Atlanta Regional Commission separately requires its own approval inside the 2,000-foot river corridor, on top of the city's Planning and Zoning step.

Sources

Who to contact in Roswell

Engineering Division, Roswell Community Development Department

(770) 641-3780. For tree-specific questions the city routes residents to the City Landscape Architect at (770) 594-6445. River Corridor properties: Planning and Zoning, (770) 817-6720. engineering@roswellgov.com Official page

38 Hill Street, Suite G-30, Roswell, GA 30075

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Size threshold

What's protected in Roswell

Specimen trees, protected on all properties with no exemption: "1) 8" dbh - Small trees such as dogwood, sourwood, cherry, etc. 2) 16" dbh - Midstory trees such as maple, birch, magnolia, holly, etc. 3) 20" dbh - Overstory hardwoods such as oak, hickory, sweetgum, ash, etc. 4) 30" dbh - Overstory softwoods such as pine, etc.," each in fair or better condition.

Neighbour trees. UDC 12.1.2.A.4 requires specimen trees and their critical root zones to be labelled "even if the tree trunk is not on the subject property," including abutting root zones that fall on your land.

Trees in the River Corridor Overlay — a 50-foot natural vegetative buffer along the Chattahoochee and 35 feet along any stream, with structures and impervious surfaces set back 150 feet from the river.

Trees in any buffer, which UDC 12.1.2.A.8 requires be delineated as tree save areas: "Land disturbance within any buffer must be approved by the City Arborist."

Trees on erosion-prone ground, where removal is banned outright rather than permitted.

How to apply in Roswell

1
Apply online through the Roswell Permitting and Licensing HUB, the city's Tyler EnerGov self-service portal. Tree permits are listed there as their own permit type.
2
Submit, as applicable, a Tree Survey, a Tree Protection Plan and a Tree Replacement Plan. For a specimen tree, add the written alternatives analysis that UDC 12.1.3.B.1 requires.
3
If your property is within 2,000 feet of the Chattahoochee River, call Planning and Zoning at (770) 817-6720 before removing any trees. The city states this as a hard first step for River Corridor properties.
4
Pay fees at submittal. Applications can alternatively go by email to engineering@roswellgov.com or in person from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
5
Expect an inspection: "Within 10 working days following the receipt of a tree survey, the City Arborist will conduct an inspection of the proposed development site."
6
A specimen tree does not go over the counter. Removal requires Engineering Director approval on the City Arborist's recommendation.

Fees, penalties, and the ordinance

Fee

Roswell prices this openly. From the Land Development Permit Fees adopted December 9, 2024 and effective January 1, 2025, under "Tree Removal Permits - Single Family Residential": Application $25, Tree Plan Review $25, Tree Removal Permit $50, Specimen Tree Removal $500 per density unit, Tree Inspections $100 per acre to a $500 maximum. All fees are paid at time of submittal and are non-refundable unless the city made the error. A separate Roswell Tree Bank contribution of $220 per tree density unit applies as a fee in lieu of replacement planting.

Penalties

UDC 13.14.4.G: "Any person who violates any provision of this UDC, or any permit condition or limitation established pursuant to this UDC ... will be liable for a fine not to exceed $2,000 per day... Each day during which violation or failure or refusal to comply continues is a separate violation." Taking a specimen tree without a permit doubles the Tree Bank charge to "$1,000 per tree density unit," and UDC 12.1.3.B.3.b builds in a punitive evidentiary presumption: if you cannot document what you cut, "if no stumps are present an average of 20-inches in DBH shall be presumed for each tree removed," and "each tree removed will be considered to be in fair or better condition." A 30-inch specimen oak is 7.5 density units, so $7,500 to the Tree Bank before any court fine. The city may also forfeit bonds, withhold utilities and a certificate of occupancy, and refuse all other city permits to that owner or their agents until the violation is abated.

Ordinance

City of Roswell Unified Development Code, Article 12 (Environmental Protection), Section 12.1 — Tree Protection, subsections 12.1.1 through 12.1.9. The current tree ordinance was adopted by Ord. No. 2019-08-28, section 1, 8-26-2019; the fee-in-lieu provision at 12.1.7 derives from Ord. No. 2017-04-03, 4-10-2017; enforcement at 13.14 from Ord. No. 2020-06-07, 6-8-2020. The UDC took effect June 1, 2014. Municode currency: codified through Ordinance No. 2024-02-04, enacted February 26, 2024.

Worth knowing

The tree company is regulated alongside you. UDC 12.1.3.A.1 applies the tree removal provisions to "any person removing trees on behalf of any other person, including all tree removal companies, utility companies or persons in the business of removing trees or construction," and 12.1.3.A.2 makes it "unlawful for any person or company to remove any tree or undertake any work for which a Land Disturbance Permit is required unless a valid permit is in effect and displayed on the site." Look for the posted permit before the saws start.
Cleanup is on the contractor by ordinance: "All tree removal companies, utility companies or persons in the business of removing trees or construction must remove from the site any trees, stumps, limbs or debris caused by tree removal activities."
The exemptions do not excuse you from applying. UDC 12.1.1.C says so directly: "While the following activities are exempt from the remaining tree protection provisions, a tree removal permit application is required to demonstrate the exemption applies." The residential exemption relieves lots under one acre of tree density and replacement obligations for non-specimen trees; it does not relieve you of the application, and specimen trees stay fully protected.
One acre is the practical dividing line. UDC 12.1.5.A applies minimum tree density to "all detached house or attached house lots 1 acre or greater in size" — 20 units per acre in Estate and Suburban Residential character areas, 30 in all other character areas.
Topping is prohibited, not permitted: "removal of more than one-third of the leaves and branches of a tree, as measured from the lowest branch on the trunk of the tree to the top of the tree, is prohibited." On a single-family lot that applies to specimen trees. All pruning must follow ANSI A300.
A hazard tree is exempt only when the City Arborist says so — UDC 12.1.1.C.6 turns on a tree becoming a danger "as determined by the City Arborist," not on your own or your tree company's judgement. Utilities get a genuine after-the-fact route with written report within three working days; homeowners do not.
Roswell's historic district does not separately review tree removal. Article 5, the Downtown Historic Districts article, contains no occurrence of the word tree, and no certificate of appropriateness is required for a removal.
There is no per-year allowance of free trees anywhere in the UDC.
The tree rules live in the Unified Development Code, which is a separate Municode product from the Roswell Code of Ordinances. Searching only the Code of Ordinances misses the tree ordinance entirely.

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.

— There is a codification gap. Municode's Roswell UDC is current only through Ordinance No. 2024-02-04 of February 26, 2024. Any tree amendment adopted since then would not appear in the text read here. No evidence of one was found, but ask Engineering at (770) 641-3780 whether Section 12.1 has changed since February 2024.
— What a homeowner with one dead oak and no construction project actually has to submit. The Engineering page hedges the Tree Survey, Protection Plan and Replacement Plan with "as applicable," and no simplified residential checklist is published. This is the best question to ask on the phone.
— No standalone tree permit application PDF or homeowner handout exists on roswellgov.com. Every application link redirects to the general permitting portal, which sits behind a login.
— The current City Arborist by name, and a direct email. The city staff directory lists no Arborist or Landscape Architect entry.
— Whether the permit requirement is genuinely standalone or ultimately tied to development review. UDC 12.1.1.B.3 is a flat prohibition with no construction trigger, while UDC 12.1.1.B.1 says the tree protection requirements "apply to any activity that requires a review under Article 13." What resolves it toward the flat reading is that UDC 13.8.2.A makes tree removal itself a land disturbance activity requiring a permit. Both provisions are reported.
— Roswell publishes two different phone numbers for Community Development: (770) 641-3727 on the tree FAQ and (770) 641-3780 on the Engineering page, fee schedule and staff directory. Both are reported; the latter is the one attached to tree and land development permits.
— The adopting ordinances for UDC 12.1.5, 12.1.6 and 12.1.9 specifically. Those three subsections carry no trailing ordinance history line in the codified text.
— Whether the Atlanta Regional Commission separately requires its own approval inside the 2,000-foot river corridor, on top of the city's Planning and Zoning step.