Baltimore, Maryland
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Baltimore
In Baltimore you may remove a tree that is entirely on your own property without a city permit. A tree in or along a public street requires a written permit from Recreation and Parks, and whoever does either job must hold a Maryland tree expert license.
- Jurisdiction
- Baltimore City, an independent city
- Tree rules
- Department of Recreation and Parks, Forestry Division
- Key local rule
- Written permit required to remove or work on a street tree. None for trees wholly on private property.
- Electric utility
- BGE
- Main hazards
- Derechos, thunderstorms, tropical systems, harbor flooding
Baltimore's street tree permit
The city code prohibits removing a tree in or along a public street without a written permit from the Department of Recreation and Parks. The department has 20 business days from a request to approve it, deny it or ask for more information. Pruning and planting in the right-of-way are covered by permit as well.
Trees that stand entirely on your property and do not border the road can be removed without a city permit. Two overlays change that: land within 1,000 feet of tidal water around the harbor and Middle Branch is in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, and larger land-disturbing projects trigger forest conservation review.
State law applies everywhere in the city. Tree work for hire must be performed by a Maryland Licensed Tree Expert or under one, and the license requires liability insurance.
Rowhouse blocks and leafy districts
Two thirds of Baltimore's housing is rowhouses. In Canton, Hampden, Charles Village and Federal Hill a rear yard may be twelve feet wide and reached only by a narrow alley. Trees there are dismantled by hand and carried out, or lifted over the row by a crane set in the street or alley.
North of the rowhouse belt the picture reverses. Roland Park, Guilford, Homeland and Mount Washington were laid out a century ago under existing oaks and tulip poplars, and those trees now stand 90 to 110 feet over slate roofs. Removals are large, planned jobs.
Alleys matter in both settings. Overhead electric and communication lines usually run down them, and a truck that blocks an alley blocks every garage on it. Good companies notify neighbors beforehand.
Storms Baltimore remembers
- June 29, 2012 derecho
- Hundreds of thousands of BGE customers lost power for up to a week in extreme heat.
- Isabel, 2003
- A record surge flooded Fells Point and the Inner Harbor, and soaked ground let large oaks topple.
- Summer thunderstorms
- The ordinary cause of tree failures, several times a season.
- Heavy wet snow
- The February 2010 blizzards broke evergreens and brittle ornamentals across the city.
Common Baltimore trees
| Tree | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tulip poplar | North Baltimore and stream valleys | The tallest tree in most yards. Tops fail in storms. |
| White, red and pin oak | Older neighborhoods and parks | Affected by the regional oak decline since about 2019 |
| Callery pear | Street plantings from the 1980s and 1990s | Splits apart. Being replaced. |
| Tree-of-heaven and mulberry | Alleys, fences and vacant lots | Fast, weak and often growing through structures |
| Ash | Scattered | Nearly all dead or treated |
Alley and fence-line trees to deal with early
A trunk growing against a wall or garage
It will crack the masonry as it thickens.
Limbs in the alley wires
Call the utility about primary lines. Service drops are the owner's concern.
A volunteer tree already taller than the house
Removal gets harder quickly with height in a confined yard.
Roots lifting the yard slab
Expect them to reach drains and foundations next.
Hiring for a Baltimore tree job
Check the license
Look up the Licensed Tree Expert number on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources list.
Settle ownership
Sidewalk and street-edge trees need the city permit. Party-line trees need the neighbor's agreement.
Ask about access
Through the house, down the alley, or by crane. Each changes how the job is planned.
Get disposal in writing
In a rowhouse yard, hauling every piece out by hand is most of the labor.
Baltimore tree service questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Baltimore City?
Not for a tree entirely on your own property away from the street. You need a written city permit for any tree in or along a public street.
How long does a Baltimore street tree permit take?
The department has 20 business days to respond to a request. Emergencies involving public trees are reported to 311.
Can the city remove a dead street tree in front of my house?
Yes. Report it through 311 and the Forestry Division will inspect and schedule it.
Is a Baltimore County tree company allowed to work in the city?
Yes, if it holds the Maryland Licensed Tree Expert credential and insurance. The license is statewide.
Reach a tree service in Baltimore
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Baltimore 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