Tree replacement requirements in Texas
Mitigation obligations across 16 verified Texas cities, ranked ascending by replacement ratio. Numbers come directly from each city's published ordinance — heritage and specimen trees typically carry higher ratios than standard protected trees.
Replacement obligations across 16 verified cities are published as text rules rather than fixed numeric ratios — see each row below for the underlying ordinance language.
Replacement obligation comparison
Sorted ascending by minimum n:1 ratio. Cities with text-only or retention-percentage rules appear last. Click a city for the full ordinance page or the ordinance link for the underlying municipal code.
| City | Replacement ratio | Replacement details | In-lieu fee/tree | Processing | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Based on caliper inches removed (site-specific) | Trees replaced on-site or mitigation fees paid to Houston Parks Board Tree Mitigation Bank. | — | 3-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Carrollton | Caliper-inch mitigation based on removed DBH | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Tree Mitigation Fund accepted when infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Denton | Caliper-inch mitigation based on removed DBH | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Tree Mitigation Fund when infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Garland | Caliper-inch mitigation based on removed DBH | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Tree Mitigation Fund when infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Irving | Caliper-inch mitigation based on removed DBH | On-site replacement preferred; Tree Mitigation Fund accepts in-lieu payments. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Richardson | Caliper-inch mitigation based on removed DBH | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Tree Mitigation Fund when infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Frisco | Caliper-inch mitigation based on removed DBH with on-site preference | On-site replacement required; payment to Tree Mitigation Fund accepted when on-site replanting is infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Arlington | Caliper-inch mitigation with enhanced ratio for heritage trees | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Arlington Urban Forestry Fund when infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| College Station | Caliper-inch mitigation with enhanced ratio for heritage trees | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Tree Mitigation Fund when infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Round Rock | Caliper-inch mitigation with enhanced ratio for heritage trees | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Tree Mitigation Fund when infeasible. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Fort Worth | Caliper-inch mitigation: 1:1 for protected trees, 2:1 for significant, 3:1 for legacy | On-site replacement preferred; payment to Urban Forestry Fund when infeasible. | — | 4-8 weeks | Ordinance |
| McKinney | Caliper-inch replacement on-site or Tree Mitigation Fund payment | Replacement required on-site to the extent feasible; in-lieu fees paid to Tree Mitigation Fund. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Plano | Caliper-inch replacement with on-site preference | — | — | — | Ordinance |
| San Antonio | Inch-for-inch caliper mitigation | On-site replacement preferred; Tree Mitigation Fund accepts in-lieu payments. | — | 4-8 weeks | Ordinance |
| Dallas | Inch-for-inch caliper replacement or mitigation payment | Replacement on-site with same-species preference or payment to Reforestation Fund. | — | 4-6 weeks | Ordinance |
| Austin | Inch-for-inch mitigation based on diameter removed | Mitigation required at inch-for-inch replacement or payment to Urban Forest Replenishment Fund. | — | 4-8 weeks | Ordinance |
How Texas replacement obligations work
- Which city requires the highest replacement ratio in Texas?
- Replacement ratios in Texas are published as text rules rather than fixed numeric ratios — see each row for the underlying ordinance language.
- What's the typical replacement obligation when a tree is removed?
- Replacement obligations in Texas are published as text rules — most reference retention percentages or assessed-value mitigation rather than fixed n:1 ratios. Check each city's row for the exact ordinance language.
- Can I pay an in-lieu fee instead of replanting trees in Texas?
- Most cities in Texas accept in-lieu mitigation deposits to a tree planting fund when on-site replanting isn't feasible, but the per-tree dollar amount isn't published as a flat fee — it's calculated case-by-case (often based on caliper inches or assessed value). Verify with the municipal forester.
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