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Do You Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Savannah?

Published November 6, 2026 · Savannah Tree Removal Pros

Savannah has a reputation for protecting its trees, and it's earned. The city has a full landscape and tree protection ordinance and a department whose job is the urban forest. So a lot of homeowners assume that taking down any big tree in their own yard needs a permit.

For most people living in an existing house inside city limits, that isn't what the ordinance says. But there are important exceptions, and the answer changes as soon as you cross into Pooler, Richmond Hill or unincorporated Chatham County. Here's what we found when we read the rules ourselves.

Inside Savannah city limits: house lots are mostly exempt

The City of Savannah's Landscape and Tree Protection Ordinance applies to all land in the city. As a starting point, it requires a permit to clear land or remove trees. On developed property, the protection covers trees 12 inches in diameter or larger, measured 4.5 feet above the ground.

The ordinance then carves out an exemption for "Residential Lots with an existing single family or duplex" home. That exemption lasts until the property is converted to a non-residential or multifamily use. The 12-inch protection for developed property also excludes single-family lots.

In plain terms: if you own a house or a duplex in the city and you want to take down a tree on your own lot, the ordinance's permit requirement generally doesn't apply. The larger "specimen" and "exceptional" tree rules apply mainly to commercial, industrial, institutional and multifamily property, and to land being developed.

Two caveats:

Street trees are the city's, not yours

This is the part that catches people. Trees in the public right-of-way belong to the city, and that includes the "tree lawn" between the sidewalk and the curb. Under the ordinance, no one may trim, prune or remove a public tree without written approval from the city's administrator. Damage includes cutting, attaching things to a tree, and harming the roots during construction or by parking on them.

The penalties are real. Someone who damages a public tree can be charged the difference in its value before and after, plus the cost of evaluation, corrective work, stump removal and replacement. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.

The good news is that the city maintains those trees. Its Park and Tree Department handles pruning, hazard removal and stump grinding for trees in the right-of-way. If a street tree is dead, leaning toward your house, or dropping limbs, report it through 311 during business hours. After hours, an emergency such as a tree across the road goes to the city's 24-hour dispatch center at (912) 351-3434.

One more thing: the city doesn't pick up tree debris from private property. If your crew cuts a tree in your yard, haul-away should be in the quote.

Hazard trees

The ordinance exempts trees that an ISA Certified Arborist has determined to be hazardous or an imminent threat to public safety. There's a catch, though: the arborist's written tree assessment has to be submitted to the city before the tree comes down. This mostly matters for properties that aren't already exempt, such as rentals with several units, commercial lots and land under development. If that's your situation, get the assessment in writing first.

Pooler: a permit is part of the process

Pooler is its own city with its own rules. It regulates tree removal under its tree protection ordinance, Chapter 42, Article VI of the city code. Its tree removal permit application asks for each tree's species, location and trunk diameter, plus the replacement planting you're proposing. Applications go to Pooler's Planning & Development Department.

Many Pooler homes are in newer subdivisions: about three in four were built in 2000 or later, according to Census figures. That often means HOA landscape rules and required lot trees as well. Check both before you cut.

Richmond Hill

The City of Richmond Hill, in Bryan County, keeps its planning applications and permit forms in one place on its website. We didn't find a plain-language summary of when a homeowner needs a permit for a single tree, so call the city before removing a large tree. That goes double on a newer lot with landscaping requirements from when the subdivision was approved.

Wilmington Island, Isle of Hope, Skidaway Island and other "Savannah" addresses

A lot of homes with a Savannah mailing address aren't in the City of Savannah at all. Wilmington Island, Isle of Hope and Skidaway Island are unincorporated communities, and they fall under Chatham County rather than the city. Rules there come from the county, and some neighborhoods, especially on Skidaway Island, have strict association rules on trees. Check with Chatham County and your association, not the city.

What we'd do before removing a big tree

  1. Confirm who governs your address. Is it the City of Savannah, Pooler, Richmond Hill or the county? Your property tax bill or the county's property records will tell you.
  2. Work out whether the tree is yours. If it's between the sidewalk and the curb, or along the street, it's probably the city's. Call 311.
  3. Check your HOA or covenants.
  4. Ask whether the tree really needs to come out. A declining laurel oak may need to go. A healthy live oak may only need pruning. An assessment by an ISA Certified Arborist, ideally one who isn't quoting the removal, can tell you.
  5. Get the quote in writing, with stump grinding and haul-away spelled out, and ask the crew for a certificate of insurance sent straight from their insurer.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, and the office that governs your address has the final word.

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