The rule in one paragraph
On a developed residential lot outside a locally designated historic district, a tree that is not in the public right-of-way needs no permit. The City says so in exactly those words. Every exception is specific: a tree in the right-of-way (the street side of the sidewalk, or on City property) needs a permit from the Mobile Tree Commission; a Heritage Tree of 8 inches or more inside a historic district needs one, whether the lot is developed or not; a live oak of 18 inches or more on an undeveloped residential lot needs one; and commercial property with a tree or landscape plan approved through earlier development needs one for Heritage Trees of 18 inches or more (8 inches inside a historic district). The permit is $75 per tree, capped at 3 trees ($225) for a residence and 9 trees ($675) for commercial property, and it's applied for online through the City's Build Mobile Citizen Self Service portal, where accounts can take up to 24 hours to be approved and Urban Forestry inspects before the permit is issued or denied.
What's a Heritage Tree?
Any of these species at 18 inches or more in diameter at breast height (4.5 feet up): hickory (Carya), longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), magnolia (Magnolia), oak (Quercus) excluding water oak (Quercus nigra), river birch (Betula nigra), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). Inside a historic district the same species qualify at 8 inches. Water oak is the one oak left off the list, which tells you how the City feels about it. Loblolly and slash pine, pecan, crape myrtle, palms, redbay and cedar are not Heritage Trees anywhere.
Am I in a historic district?
The City's My Place tool at cityofmobile.gov/services/mapping/my-place/ shows any address's historic-district status and zoning. The locally designated districts cluster in Midtown and downtown: the Oakleigh Garden District, Old Dauphin Way, Leinkauf, Ashland Place, De Tonti Square, Church Street East and their neighbors. If you're in one, the 8-inch rule applies and so does the Architectural Review Board for the house itself. We check every address during the estimate.
Right-of-way trees
A City tree is any tree within the city right-of-way or on City-owned property, and the oak between the sidewalk and the curb in front of your house is one. To report a problem with it, call Mobile 311 at 251-208-5311 or use the online portal; Urban Forestry handles removal, trimming and stump requests prioritized by public safety. For a tree blocking a road after hours, call Mobile Police at 251-208-7211. If you'd rather not wait, you can hire a company to do the work under a Tree Commission permit, and Section 65-9 of the City Code requires that the work be done by a properly certified, licensed and bonded arborist.
Who can do permitted work
That § 65-9 requirement is the one that matters when you hire. The City defines a certified arborist as a professional certified by the International Society of Arboriculture, and points homeowners to treesaregood.org/findanarborist to verify a credential. Our ISA Certified Arborist plans and supervises permitted work, and the crew is insured and bonded. Ask any company for the certification and the certificate of insurance before they start; the City's requirement is your protection, not red tape.
Outside the city
| Where | Residential-lot trees | Street and city trees | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Mobile | No permit on a developed lot outside a historic district; 8-in. Heritage Trees in historic districts and 18-in. live oaks on undeveloped lots need one | Tree Commission permit, $75, certified arborist required | Check My Place for district status |
| Unincorporated Mobile County (Theodore, Grand Bay, Irvington, much of Tillmans Corner) | No tree permit | County right-of-way; no City trash pickup | County debris program only after declared storms |
| Semmes, Saraland, Satsuma, Creola, Prichard, Chickasaw | No tree permit | Each city's own right-of-way rules | Grading and building permits through each city |
| Fairhope | Generally the owner's; a Landscape Plan is required when removal is tied to a building or development permit | Tree Removal Permit from the City Horticulturist under Ordinance No. 1444; Tree Committee review; restitution for city trees | Central Business District exempt; appeals to Municipal Court |
| Daphne, Spanish Fort | Generally no permit on a residential lot | City approval for right-of-way and development trees | Each city enforces its own tree and landscape rules |
The other permit: Alabama 811
Not a tree permit, but the law. Alabama requires notifying 811 before any excavation, and a stump grinder or a planting hole counts. The utility sends a locator to mark buried lines with paint and flags. We call before every stump and every planting.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to trim my own tree?
Same rule as removal: no on a developed lot outside a historic district and off the right-of-way; yes for right-of-way trees, 8-inch Heritage Trees in historic districts and 18-inch live oaks on undeveloped lots. Pruning a City tree without a permit is the common mistake.
How long does the permit take?
The portal account can take up to 24 hours to be approved, then Urban Forestry inspects and issues or denies. Plan on a week or two; longer after a storm. Emergency removal of a tree that has failed is handled differently; call us and we'll coordinate with the City.
Can the City deny the permit?
Yes, after inspection. A healthy Heritage Tree being removed for convenience is the kind that gets denied. A hazardous one, or one in the path of a permitted improvement, usually isn't.
Who pays for a City tree that's a hazard?
The City handles its own trees through 311, prioritized by public safety, at no cost to you. If you want it faster, you can hire the work done under a permit at your expense.
Is a pine ever a Heritage Tree?
Longleaf pine is, at 18 inches (8 in a historic district). Loblolly and slash are not.
What happens if I cut a Heritage Tree without a permit?
The Code provides for enforcement and the City can require mitigation. More to the point, a company that will cut a protected tree without a permit is a company that will cut corners on your roof too.
Related: Live oak pruning · Tree removal · Midtown Mobile · Fairhope · FAQ