Charlotte Tree Removal Permit & Ordinance Guide

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Verified

Protected Tree Definition

8.0" DBH minimum for protection

Charlotte Tree Ordinance (Zoning Ordinance Chapter 21) regulates tree preservation and planting on commercial, multi-family, institutional, and mixed-use development sites. Protected large trees ≥8 inches DBH and specimen/heritage trees designated by the City Arborist receive enhanced review. Single-family residential lots are generally exempt from the removal permit except where heritage-tree or tree-save-area overlays apply. The Mecklenburg County Tree Ordinance also applies to qualifying sites within Charlotte and provides tree-save-area standards.

Protected Species

Heritage/specimen designations commonly include willow oak (Quercus phellos) white oak (Quercus alba) southern red oak (Quercus falcata) American beech (Fagus grandifolia) tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and other designated native canopy species.

Heritage / Landmark Trees

Specimen/heritage trees designated by the City Arborist receive enhanced protection; removal requires demonstrated hardship, hazard, or approved site plan with enhanced mitigation. The city maintains a Historic Tree list of designated specimens.

Permit Requirements

Tree Removal Permit or tree-save-area plan required for protected trees on commercial, multi-family, institutional, and mixed-use development sites. Tree-save-area percentages vary by zoning district. Public street trees regulated regardless of development category. Applications reviewed by the Charlotte Urban Forestry / City Arborist.

Who can apply: Property owner, authorized agent, or licensed tree service; landscape plans for commercial and multi-family projects typically prepared by a registered landscape architect

Required Report Sections

Tree survey with species, DBH, condition, and disposition; tree-save-area plan with preservation percentages; replacement/mitigation plan; arborist report for specimen or heritage trees

Replacement Requirements

Inch-for-inch replacement for standard protected trees; enhanced ratios (2:1 or greater) for specimen/heritage trees per Tree Ordinance

On-site replacement preferred with approved native canopy species; in-lieu payment to the Tree Mitigation Fund accepted when on-site replacement is infeasible.

Fees & Fines

Processing Time

3-6 weeks for tree plan review as part of development submittal

Required Certifications

ISA Certified Arborist; commercial tree work should be performed by licensed tree service familiar with Charlotte Tree Ordinance and Mecklenburg County standards.

Municipal Code

Charlotte Zoning Ordinance Chapter 21 (Tree Ordinance); Mecklenburg County Tree Ordinance overlay for qualifying sites

View full ordinance

Contact

Charlotte Planning, Design and Development / Urban Forestry

(704) 336-2205

Nearby Cities in Mecklenburg County

Huntersville Matthews

Other North Carolina cities

Apex Cary Durham Fayetteville Gastonia Kannapolis Rocky Mount Winston-Salem
See all North Carolina cities →

Compare with nearby cities

Data last verified: April 2026. This information is provided as a reference. Always verify requirements directly with Charlotte before submitting permits or reports.

Ready to apply? How to apply for a permit in Charlotte →

See North Carolina replacement obligations compared: How Charlotte's replacement ratio ranks in North Carolina →

See North Carolina heritage criteria compared: How Charlotte's heritage designation ranks in North Carolina →

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