Do you need a permit?
Yes — a permit is required
Summerville has one of the strictest tree ordinances in South Carolina. Every tree of every species at eight inches DBH or larger needs a removal permit — including dead trees. At 16 inches and above the removal must be approved by the Town's Tree Protection Board. The application costs $10 and is paid online.
Size threshold
All trees, all species, at 8 inches DBH or greater require a removal permit, including dead trees. Trees 16 inches DBH or greater must be approved by the Town's Tree Protection Board.
What's protected in Summerville
- Every species at 8" DBH or greater, including dead trees
- Trees 16" DBH or greater, which require Tree Protection Board approval
How to apply in Summerville
- 1
Submit the tree removal permit application through the town's online CitizenServe portal.
- 2
Pay the non-refundable $10 application fee online.
- 3
If the tree is 16 inches DBH or larger, the application goes to the Tree Protection Board for approval.
Fees, penalties, and the ordinance
- Fee
- A non-refundable $10 application fee, paid online.
- Ordinance
- Town of Summerville Tree Protection Ordinance, part of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO)
Worth knowing
- Town Council has an emergency-conditions subsection of the Tree Protection Ordinance it can activate after storms. If you are calling after a storm, ask whether it is currently in effect.
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 a permit.
- — Replacement or mitigation requirements after an approved removal.
- — How long Tree Protection Board review takes.