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Limbwright Tree Removal Services
Climber working near the crown of a palm at dusk

Key West, Florida

Tree Removal and Tree Service in Key West

In Key West, a property owner who wants a tree on their own lot removed, trimmed or transplanted applies to the city's Urban Forestry Division. Requests to remove broadleaf trees go before the city's Tree Commission at a public meeting, and approval usually comes with a requirement to plant a replacement.

Call (844) 955-1716
County
Monroe
Tree rules
City of Key West tree protection code; Urban Forestry Division; Tree Commission
Key local rule
Tree permit application to remove, trim or transplant; Tree Commission review for dicot removals
Electric utility
Keys Energy Services
Main hazards
Hurricanes and storm surge, salt spray, shallow limestone soil, tight historic lots

Do I need a permit for tree work in Key West?

For most removals, significant trimming and transplanting, yes. The owner submits a tree permit application to Urban Forestry, which evaluates the tree. Removal of dicot trees, meaning broadleaf trees such as mahogany, gumbo limbo or tropical almond, is reviewed by the Tree Commission, which meets publicly and may approve, deny or add conditions.

Broadleaf trees
Tree Commission review for removal, with submission deadlines before each meeting.
Palms
Palms are monocots, handled through the Urban Forestry permit process. Ask staff which route applies.
After the work
A job completion form closes the permit.

City process and the state exemption

Applications are filed in person at City Hall on White Street or by email to Urban Forestry. If the owner cannot attend the Tree Commission meeting, pick up the permit or post it on the property, a representation form lets a tree company act for them. Replanting an approved tree is a common condition of removal.

Florida Statute 163.045 lets residential owners remove a tree without a local permit if an ISA-certified arborist or Florida-licensed landscape architect documents that it poses an unacceptable risk, meaning removal is the only practical way to bring its risk below moderate under the ISA tree risk assessment method. Without that documentation, the city process applies.

Trees of Old Town and beyond

Gloved hands running a chainsaw through a limb as chips spray
Image for illustration.
Gumbo limbo
Native, with peeling red bark. One of the most wind-tolerant trees in South Florida.
West Indian mahogany
Native and long-lived, with heavy limbs over old houses.
Tropical almond
Large spreading tree, often a century old in Old Town yards, and frequently debated at the Tree Commission.
Royal poinciana
Flamboyant red summer flowers and brittle wood.
Coconut and royal palms
Nuts and heavy fronds are routine safety work.
Sapodilla and Spanish lime
Fruit trees common in historic yards.

Storms on a low island

Key West sits only a few feet above sea level on shallow limestone. Hurricane Wilma's surge flooded much of the island in October 2005, and salt left behind killed trees for months afterward. Hurricane Irma in September 2017 made landfall in the Lower Keys and stripped canopies across the island.

Shallow soil means roots spread wide rather than deep, so large trees can tip out of the ground in high wind. Pruning that keeps crowns structurally sound, rather than stripped, holds up best. See storm preparation pruning.

Tight Old Town lots, with houses a few feet apart and overhead lines in the lanes, mean most removals are done piece by piece with rope and a small crew.

Warning signs on Keys trees

  • Dieback months after a surge

    Salt damage to roots.

  • Cracks in royal poinciana limbs

    Brittle wood that fails in wind.

  • Lifted sidewalks and cisterns

    Roots of large trees in thin soil.

  • Coconuts over walkways

    Remove before they fall.

Getting a Tree Commission decision

  1. Submit the application

    To Urban Forestry, with photos and the reason for the request.

  2. Meet the deadline

    Dicot removals must be filed by the posted deadline before each meeting.

  3. Attend or send a representative

    Use the representation form if you cannot attend.

  4. Post the permit

    On the property once issued.

  5. Replant and close

    Plant any required tree and file the job completion form.

Key West tree questions

Can I trim my own tree in Key West?

Trimming is part of the city's permit process. Ask Urban Forestry what level of pruning needs an application before you cut.

Does the Tree Commission always approve removals?

No. It weighs the tree's condition, value and the reason for removal. Some removals of old trees have passed narrowly and drawn public criticism.

Do I have to plant a new tree?

Replanting an approved tree is a common condition of removal.

How do I check my permit status?

Contact the Urban Forestry Division or visit City Hall.

Florida Keys and Miami pages

Reach a tree service in Key West

Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Key West area, or leave your number and one will call you back.

(844) 955-1716

Call availability varies by area and time of day

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Call availability varies by area and time of day

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