The most expensive mistake we see on Alachua County parcels is not a bad quote. It is an owner who cleared first and found out about the tree ordinance afterward. Removing a regulated tree without approval can mean mitigation requirements, replanting and a fine, and none of that is negotiable after the tree is down.
The rules are workable once you know them. There are two separate systems, and which one applies depends entirely on whether your parcel sits inside Gainesville city limits.
Unincorporated Alachua County
The county's Unified Land Development Code prohibits land clearing and regulated tree removal without prior approval. What counts as regulated depends on your land use and parcel size:
| Property type | Permit required for |
|---|---|
| Single-family residential, 1 acre or less | Native trees 20 inches diameter or greater, laurel and water oaks 30 inches or greater, plus specimen trees |
| Single-family residential over 1 acre, plus commercial, institutional, multifamily and HOA property | All trees 8 inches diameter or greater, plus specimen trees |
That second row catches most rural parcels around Newberry, Archer, Alachua and High Springs. If you own five wooded acres and plan to clear, assume every tree over eight inches needs to be on a permit.
The county also protects heritage trees (native trees 20 inches and up, 30 inches for laurel and water oak), landmark live oaks (45 inches and up with a condition rating of 4 or better) and champion trees, which are the largest known of their species in the region.
How to apply
- Application fee is $90 as of 2026, and multiple trees can go on a single permit
- Applications go through the county's online CitizenServe system
- County forester: 352-374-5249, or email treepermit@alachuacounty.us
- You need the parcel owner's signature, a description of the work, and the location and extent of everything being removed, including offsite areas like utility easements
Inside Gainesville City Limits
The city runs its own ordinance under Land Development Code section 30-8.7, and the residential exemption is genuinely useful: on property with a single-family dwelling, a permit is required only for champion or heritage trees. Everything else on a single-family lot can come down without a city permit.
Other property classes are stricter. No living regulated tree can be removed without a permit, and mitigation is required for each one. Mitigation trees must be nursery grown, roughly 2 inches in diameter and Florida Nursery Grade #1. After a hurricane or windstorm, the city manager can waive permits for damaged trees, but the waiver is temporary and specific.
The Other Approvals That Catch People
Tree permits are the common one. These three show up often enough on Alachua County parcels to check before you schedule work:
- Gopher tortoise. Burrows are common in the sandhill soil around Gainesville. Any work within 25 feet of a burrow counts as a disturbance, and tortoises must be relocated under an FWC permit by an authorized agent before clearing. This has a real timeline, so it needs finding at the quote stage, not the morning the machines arrive.
- Wetlands. If any part of the parcel is wet, the Suwannee River or St. Johns River water management district may have jurisdiction. A delineation settles it.
- Burning. You can burn yard waste generated on your own property without authorization only if the pile is 8 feet in diameter or smaller, you meet setbacks, no local ordinance prohibits it, you light after 9 a.m. Eastern and the fire is out an hour before sunset. Anything bigger than an 8-foot pile requires a Florida Forest Service authorization and suppression equipment on hand.
What This Means For Your Project
None of this stops a clearing job. It changes the sequence. Permit first, clear second, and build the approval time into your schedule instead of discovering it mid-project. On the jobs we quote, we identify regulated trees during the site walk and handle the county permit as part of the work, so the paperwork is not something you have to chase.
If your project is a homesite, the permit conversation belongs at the very start, alongside the rest of the lot prep sequence.
FAQs
Can I clear my own land in Alachua County without a permit?
Not if regulated trees are involved. On unincorporated single-family parcels over one acre, that means any tree 8 inches in diameter or larger. Ownership does not exempt you from the ordinance.
What does a tree permit cost?
The county application fee is $90 as of 2026, and multiple trees can go on one permit. City of Gainesville permits carry mitigation requirements rather than a simple flat fee.
How long does approval take?
It varies with workload and how complete the application is. Ask the county forester at 352-374-5249 for current timing, and plan the work around it rather than assuming same-week turnaround.
What if a tree is dangerous?
The county can issue a removal permit for a regulated tree that is under attack from insects or fungus, poses an immediate safety hazard, or is causing progressive structural damage with no reasonable fix other than removal.
Does this apply to agricultural land?
Agricultural operations are treated differently from development clearing, but the specifics depend on your parcel's classification and what you are doing. Confirm with the county before assuming an exemption covers you.
Rules summarized here reflect Alachua County and City of Gainesville code as published in August 2026 and are general information, not legal advice. Ordinances change. Confirm current requirements with the county forester at 352-374-5249 or your city planning department before removing anything.