Roswell, Georgia
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Roswell
Roswell homeowners with a lot of one acre or more outside the Chattahoochee River Corridor need a tree removal permit to cut any tree larger than 3 inches in diameter or any specimen tree. Dead or damaged trees can come down without a permit, but the city asks owners to notify the City Arborist first.
- County
- Fulton
- Tree rules
- Roswell Unified Development Code Article 12; City Arborist
- Key local rule
- Permit for trees over 3 inches and specimen trees on lots of an acre or more; residential and commercial projects
- Electric utility
- Georgia Power
- Main hazards
- Tall pines and oaks over houses, river corridor slopes, summer storms
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Roswell?
If your property is one acre or more and outside the Chattahoochee River Corridor, yes, for any tree over 3 inches in diameter and any specimen tree. Building projects, residential or commercial, also need a tree removal permit with a tree survey, protection plan and replacement plan when such trees will be removed.
- Lots of an acre or more
- Permit for trees over 3 inches and specimen trees.
- Dead or damaged trees
- No permit, but notify the City Arborist.
- Pruning
- No permit needed.
North Fulton warning signs
Pines with fading crowns
Drought stress and beetles.
Oaks with mushrooms at the base
Root decay.
Trees leaning on creek banks
Erosion undercutting roots.
Large limbs over the house
Storm risk.
Historic Roswell and the river
Roswell grew around a 19th century mill town on Vickery Creek, and its historic district keeps old oaks and magnolias around antebellum homes. Newer neighborhoods spread across wooded hills toward the Chattahoochee, where many homes sit among tall pines and hardwoods.
Slopes along the river and its creeks are steep, and the river corridor rules protect vegetation there to limit erosion into the Chattahoochee.
Like much of north Fulton, Roswell's subdivisions from the 1970s to 1990s now have pines 80 feet or taller over roofs.
City rules and exemptions
Article 12 of the Unified Development Code defines specimen trees and sets the permit process. Applications for building projects include a tree survey, tree protection plan and tree replacement plan as applicable. The city's homeowner guidance adds that any tree threatening life or property may be removed or pruned with the City Arborist's approval.
Trees within the Chattahoochee River Corridor follow additional state and regional rules under the Metropolitan River Protection Act.
Getting a Roswell tree permit
Check lot size and location
An acre or more, inside or outside the river corridor.
Measure and identify
Trees over 3 inches and specimen trees.
Apply
Through the city's engineering division.
Plan replacement
If required.
Roswell rules at a glance
| Situation | Permit? |
|---|---|
| Lot under one acre, no construction | Generally not under the homeowner rule |
| Lot of one acre or more, tree over 3 inches | Yes |
| Any specimen tree on a regulated lot | Yes |
| Dead or damaged tree | No, notify the City Arborist |
| Pruning | No |
Building projects follow the construction permit path. Confirm current rules with the city.
Roswell tree questions
Do I need a permit to prune trees in Roswell?
No. Pruning does not require a permit.
What counts as a specimen tree?
Specimen trees are defined in Article 12 of the Unified Development Code by species and size.
Does the river corridor change the rules?
Yes. Property in the Chattahoochee River Corridor follows additional protections.
Can I remove a dead tree without telling anyone?
No permit is needed, but the city asks you to notify the City Arborist to confirm it cannot be saved.
Is a permit needed for construction on a smaller lot?
Building projects, residential or commercial, need a tree removal permit when regulated trees will be removed, whatever the lot size.
What should I plant after removing a pine?
Hardwoods such as white oak, willow oak or tulip poplar placed farther from the house, or smaller native trees near it.
Reach a tree service in Roswell
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Roswell area, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
Limbwright is a referral service. Your call goes to an independent tree service company that sets its own schedule and terms. Ask for proof of insurance and a written scope before work starts. How this works
Call now
Talk to a tree service provider in your area. Have the tree's location and what it is near ready.
(844) 955-1716Call nowCall availability varies by area and time of day