Short answer: if the tree is entirely on your own residential lot inside Chattanooga, you usually don’t need a city permit to remove it. Trees on public land are a different story, and new development has its own rules. Here’s how it breaks down.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm with the city or your town before work starts.
Trees on your own lot
The City of Chattanooga updated its tree ordinance in April 2025. According to the city, the new rules do not stop homeowners from removing trees on their own private property. They are aimed mainly at new development. So for a typical homeowner taking down a dead oak in the backyard, no city tree permit is needed.
Trees in the right-of-way or on city land
This is where people get caught out. The strip between the sidewalk and the street, and sometimes the first few feet of a front yard, is often public right-of-way rather than your property. The city requires a tree permit for planting or any work affecting existing trees in the right-of-way or on city-owned parcels. The city lists the fee at $500, and the application needs a site plan.
If you’re not sure where your property line is, check your survey or plat before anyone cuts. For questions, call 311 and ask for the city’s urban forestry staff.
New development and lot clearing
If you’re developing land inside the city, the 2025 ordinance sets tree requirements per acre. Developers must account for 36 inches of tree caliper for every acre developed, roughly 18 new trees, by preserving existing trees, planting new ones or paying into the city’s tree bank. Projects next to residential areas also need buffer plantings. Your engineer or builder should handle this, but ask early.
Other towns, HOAs and Georgia
Chattanooga’s rules only apply inside city limits. Signal Mountain, Lookout Mountain, Red Bank, East Ridge, Collegedale, Soddy-Daisy and the Georgia towns each have their own codes, and many neighborhoods have HOA covenants that restrict tree removal. If you’re outside the city or in an HOA, call town hall or check your covenants before work starts. It takes ten minutes and can save a fine.
Burning the brush
Removal itself may not need a permit, but burning the debris does. In Hamilton County, burning brush from your own property needs a seasonal permit from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau, and the season runs October 1 to April 30. Most tree crews chip or haul the debris instead.
Trees on or near the property line
A tree whose trunk sits on the property line belongs to both neighbors, so you need your neighbor’s agreement before removing it. Get it in writing. If your neighbor’s tree hangs over your yard, Tennessee generally lets you trim branches back to the property line at your own expense, as long as you don’t kill or seriously damage the tree. Removing the whole tree needs the owner’s permission.
Utility lines
You don’t need a permit to remove a tree near a power line on your property, but you should not do it yourself. Call EPB or your utility first. They may handle trimming near their lines or temporarily disconnect your service line so a crew can work safely.
Before the crew starts
- Confirm the tree is fully on your property
- Check HOA covenants or town rules if you’re outside Chattanooga city limits
- Get your neighbor’s written agreement for shared trees
- Make sure the crew has liability insurance and workers’ compensation
- For stump grinding, make sure buried lines are marked through Tennessee 811 or Georgia 811
Need a tree crew around Chattanooga?
Call (423) 275-4820 or send a few details. We’ll match you with an independent local crew for a free written estimate, usually the same day.