Do You Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Memphis, TN?
Most house lots in Memphis do not need a permit to take down a tree. Some cases do have rules, and this page covers them in plain words. It is general information, not legal advice.
- Free on-site estimates
- Phone answered 7 days a week
- Climbers on every job
- Full cleanup
Tree removal permit rules in Memphis, in short
Tree removal permit is a permission from a city or county to cut down a tree. In Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County, the rule works through a notice that goes to the planning office, and it is aimed at trees 10 inches wide or wider on lots that are not exempt.
The county form exempts a residential lot of 10 acres or less with a house on it that people use as a home. That fits most houses in the city. The rules matter more for vacant land, big parcels and building projects. We found no separate rule for one tree on a home lot in the sources we could open. Always confirm with the office before you cut a large tree.
What do the city and the county say?
They run one shared process for trees. The Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development publishes a Notice of Intent form for tree removal, and it applies in the City of Memphis and in unincorporated Shelby County. Read on the form: trees 10 inches wide or wider (measured at chest height) on lots that are not exempt. A tree service in Memphis can look at the tree, but the planning office decides on the rule.
The form says the notice goes in at least 10 and no more than 45 working days before cutting starts, and the office has 10 working days to respond. A flowchart on the same form says only days, so ask the office which it means. The form is dated 2018, so ask for the current version.
The form also lists a $50 notice fee, with higher fees for tree surveys. It names no dollar penalty, only that failing to follow the ordinance can bring significant penalties, including a court order.
Who files the notice?
The property owner does. The form asks the owner, a company president or an equal officer to sign a certification, and a timber contractor has to sign one too. Nothing on the form says a tree crew files it for you. If your land might need one, ask the planning office first.
Do you need a permit for one tree on a home lot?
Usually no. The first exemption is a residential lot of 10 acres or less that has a dwelling on it used as a dwelling. A normal house lot with a normal yard tree fits that.
The form lists other exemptions that can help on land that does not fit the first one:
- Removing under 10 percent of the trees on a residential parcel of 2 acres or less.
- Removing no more than five trees per acre on a lot with an existing structure.
- Removal that is part of an approved site plan, special use permit, variance or planned development.
For land that is not exempt, the form has a table of how many trees may come out. A single-family lot under 10,000 square feet can lose all its interior trees but none on the 30-foot perimeter strip. If your tree sits on a vacant lot or you are about to build, call the office before you hire anyone.
What about street trees and trees near power lines?
The City of Memphis says it is only responsible for removing trees in the street itself, so a tree outside the street is usually on the owner. If a limb or tree is blocking the road, report it to 311.
For power lines, MLGW trims on a three-year cycle. It clears 10 feet on each side of single-phase lines, 15 feet on each side of three-phase lines, and keeps 5 feet around service lines to houses. It does not remove a tree just for touching the service line from the pole to your house. It may remove a tree whose trunk is within 10 to 15 feet of a pole line and endangers it, and with your written consent it can take a dead or diseased tree it sees as a hazard. MLGW does not clear storm debris.
Never trim a limb that is near or touching a line. Call the Customer Care Center at (901) 544-6549 about a tree on a line. That line is for service requests and billing, weekdays 9 to 3. For downed or sparking wires, call the MLGW emergency line at (901) 528-4465, and call 911 for fire or injury. See also storm first steps.
Are there protected or heritage trees?
We could not confirm a heritage tree list or a protected-species rule for Memphis. One code summary site we checked mentions a heritage tree section, but we could not open the code text to verify it, so we are not repeating it as a rule. The county form speaks only about trunk size and lot type.
If a very large old tree might be protected, ask the planning office at (901) 576-6619 first. An arborist can judge the tree's health, which is a separate question.
What about historic districts and new construction?
Construction is covered. The form sets tree-removal limits for lots that are not exempt, and it exempts removal that is part of an approved site plan, special use permit, variance or planned development.
Historic districts: we found no statement about trees in the sources we opened, so we cannot say. If your home is in a historic or overlay district, ask the planning office before removing a large tree.
What are the rules in the towns around Memphis?
Different, because each town writes its own, and the Memphis and Shelby County notice does not cover them. Each town page has its own rules block:
- Bartlett, TN
- Germantown, TN
- Collierville, TN
- Cordova, TN
- Lakeland, TN
- Arlington, TN
- Millington, TN
- Atoka, TN
Across the state line, see Southaven, MS, Olive Branch, MS, Horn Lake, MS, Hernando, MS and West Memphis, AR. Unincorporated Shelby County uses the notice described above.
Who hauls the wood after the tree comes down?
You cannot count on the city to haul it. A City of Memphis bulletin says contractors must remove the limbs they cut, and if they do not, the owner pays the city's removal and disposal costs. If you cut and haul your own debris, pieces must be under 5 feet long and under 13 inches across, or you can get a code violation notice. Call 311 with questions.
So ask every crew who hauls the wood. For more on how a job goes, see tree removal in Memphis.
What happens if you remove a tree without a permit?
The form we read names no dollar fine. It says failing to comply with the ordinance can bring significant penalties, including the possibility of an injunction, which is a court order to stop or fix the work. We could not open the penalty section of the code, so call the planning office before you cut if you are not sure your lot is exempt.
Who do you call to ask?
Start with the planning office, which runs the process.
- Tree notice and rules
- Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development, City Hall, 125 North Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103. (901) 576-6619.
- Tree in the street
- City of Memphis 311
- Tree on a power line
- MLGW Customer Care Center, (901) 544-6549
- Downed or sparking wires
- MLGW (901) 528-4465, and 911 for fire or injury
- Power outage
- MLGW (901) 544-6500
Where did these rules come from?
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and forms change, and our reading is of public pages only. Pages we opened are listed below, all read 1 Nov 2026. We could not open the Unified Development Code text, the City of Memphis garbage and yard waste page, or the Memphis ordinance chapter on trees. Anything we could not read is marked as unconfirmed above.
Sources: Notice of Intent Application for Tree Removal, Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Development (form dated 27 July 2018, read 1 Nov 2026), City of Memphis street maintenance page (read 1 Nov 2026), MLGW tree trimming (read 1 Nov 2026), City of Memphis bulletin “How to Handle Storm Debris”, sent 6 July 2023 (read 1 Nov 2026).
Dead or leaning tree and not sure what to do? See signs of a dead tree and what to do with a tree on a house.
Memphis tree permit questions
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in my yard in Memphis?
Usually not. The Memphis and Shelby County tree notice form exempts a residential lot of 10 acres or less that already has a house on it. Vacant lots, bigger parcels and land being developed are different, so call the planning office before you cut a big tree.
What size tree does the Memphis and Shelby County rule cover?
The county form covers trees with a trunk diameter of 10 inches or more, measured at breast height. Street tree and power line rules apply to trees of any size.
Who removes a fallen tree in the street in Memphis?
The City of Memphis says it is only responsible for removing trees in the street itself. A tree outside the street is the property owner’s job. Report a tree in the road to 311.
Will the city pick up the limbs after a tree service cuts my tree?
No. A City of Memphis bulletin says contractors must remove the limbs they cut. If they do not, the owner can be billed for the city’s removal and disposal. Ask any crew who is hauling the wood before you say yes.
Who do I call if a tree is touching a power line?
Call the MLGW Customer Care Center at (901) 544-6549 to report a tree touching or leaning on a line. For downed or sparking wires, call the MLGW emergency line at (901) 528-4465, and call 911 for fire or injury. Never trim near a power line yourself.
Want a crew to look at the tree?
Call for a free estimate. We pick up 7 days a week. Check the rules with the planning office too.