2026 Ordinance Update
The 2026 Atlanta Tree Protection Ordinance,
in plain English.
The City of Atlanta rewrote the Tree Protection Ordinance in 2026. The replacement-tree fee jumped 4.5×, the work has to come from a registered tree professional, and the paperwork is real now. EastLake is registered, current, and writes the documents the new rules require.
What Changed in the 2026 Atlanta Tree Ordinance
The biggest change is the money.
Before 2026, removing a healthy protected tree in Atlanta cost about $30 per inch of trunk diameter in city replacement fees. Under the new ordinance, that figure is $140 per inch, flat, a 4.5× increase, and the largest jump to Atlanta’s tree rules in more than two decades. A 24-inch oak that used to come with about $720 in replacement fees now comes with $3,360. Starting January 1, 2027, that rate adjusts annually with Atlanta-area CPI.
The ordinance also gives you a way to bring it down. Replanting credits 1.25 times the caliper inches you put back in the groundagainst the recompense fee, so a homeowner who replants thoughtfully can offset a meaningful share of what’s owed.
The other four changes are procedural, but they matter:
- The City now keeps an annual public list of registered tree professionals. If your contractor isn’t on it, the work isn’t allowed under the new rules.
- Written arborist documents, TRAQ reports, prescriptions, tree protection plans, impact statements, are now required for most regulated tree work, not just for big construction sites.
- Quarterly compliance reportingis part of staying in good standing on the registry. EastLake files what’s required.
- The City’s tree assistance program for low-income seniors doubled, from $200,000 a year to $400,000.
The ordinance didn’t change which trees are protected. It changed who’s allowed to do the work, what paperwork has to come with it, and what it costs when a healthy protected tree comes down.
Before vs After: 2026 Rules at a Glance
| Item | Before 2026 | After 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Permit pathway | Routed through the City Arborist Division by job type | DDH and most regulated work coordinated through the Arborist Division; new field arborists added in Department of City Planning |
| Required documentation | Site plans for construction; minimal written documentation for most residential removals | Written arborist deliverables required for most regulated tree work |
| Contractor registration | No City registry, ISA certification was sufficient | Annual registration required on the Atlanta Tree Registry |
| Quarterly reporting | Not required | Compliance reporting filed under the registered tree professional program |
| Replacement-tree fee | About $30 per DBH inch (older formula) | $140 per DBH inch, flat, annual CPI escalation starting 2027 |
| TRAP funding | $200,000 per year | $400,000 per year |
The Big Homeowner Surprise
DDH permits still apply, even for trees that are already dead.
A dead, dying, diseased, or hazardous tree still needs a permit in Atlanta. That hasn’t changed. What changed is how seriously the documentation gets reviewed.
The replacement fee is waived for DDH trees, but the application still has to come with photos, an arborist’s written assessment of the condition, and the right form filed in the right window. Calls go to the Arborist Division at 404-546-6874 for verbal approval, with same-day photos and the formal application within five business days. A new wrinkle: removing seven or more undesirable or invasive trees on a DDH application triggers a landscape plan and replacement requirement.
EastLake handles all of this as part of any regulated removal.
EastLake is on the Atlanta Tree Registry.
EastLake Tree Services is registered and current on the City of Atlanta’s annual list of tree professionals authorized to do regulated work under the 2026 ordinance. We were already producing TRAQ reports, tree protection plans, prescriptions, and impact statements before any of it was mandatory, so the new rules didn’t change what we hand the homeowner, just who’s allowed to hand it.
See if you qualify for TRAP funding →Atlanta Tree Permit FAQ
What changed in the 2026 Atlanta Tree Protection Ordinance?+
Four big procedural changes plus the replacement-tree fee. The City now maintains an annual list of registered tree professionals, if your contractor isn't on it, the work isn't allowed. Most regulated tree jobs require written arborist documents (TRAQ reports, prescriptions, tree protection plans, impact statements). Compliance reporting is part of staying on the registry. The Tree Removal Assistance Program for low-income seniors doubled to $400,000 a year. And the replacement fee for healthy protected trees jumped to $140 per DBH inch, with a 1.25× planting credit available to offset it.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my property in Atlanta?+
If the tree is six inches in diameter or larger, almost always yes, even if it's dead. Atlanta's ordinance protects trees by size, not by health. Removal of a healthy protected tree triggers the $140-per-inch replacement fee, paid to the City. Dead, dying, diseased, or hazardous trees (DDH) still require a permit but the replacement fee is waived. EastLake files the paperwork and produces the arborist documents as part of any regulated removal, homeowners don't navigate the application themselves.
What is a DDH permit?+
DDH stands for Dead, Dying, Diseased, or Hazardous. It's the designation for trees that qualify for removal without paying the replacement fee, because the tree no longer functions as part of the canopy or because it poses a real hazard. The application goes through the City Arborist Division, verbal approval first, then same-day photos and a written arborist assessment, then the formal application within five business days. EastLake produces the documentation; the homeowner doesn't put the package together.
Who is a 'registered tree professional' under the 2026 ordinance?+
Under §158-33, the City keeps an annual public registry of arborists, foresters, landscape architects, and tree service companies authorized to prepare site plans, write prescriptions, obtain DDH permits, or remove trees in Atlanta. Registration is a minimum operating requirement, not a credential, your contractor either is on the registry or they aren't allowed to do the work. EastLake is registered and current. James Minor II is an ISA-Certified Arborist (#GO-0110A) and TRAQ-Qualified.
What is the Tree Removal Assistance Program (TRAP)?+
TRAP is the City of Atlanta's funded removal program for low-income senior homeowners who own and occupy their home in the city limits and need a dangerous or declining tree removed. The 2026 ordinance doubled the annual budget to $400,000 and the program is delivered through a non-profit partner. It's not a general program for income-qualified homeowners; it's specifically for low-income seniors. Applications go through the City Arborist Division at 404-546-6874. See /atlanta-tree-removal-assistance for the candidacy walkthrough.
What documents does my contractor need to file?+
The four most common arborist deliverables under the 2026 ordinance: TRAQ tree risk assessments (formal risk ratings on individual trees), arboriculture prescriptions (care plans for protected trees during construction or PHC programs), tree protection plans (site-specific protection specs for contractors during construction), and tree impact statements (assessments tied to building or land-disturbance permits). DDH permit applications come with their own photo and written-assessment package. EastLake produces all four as part of regular work, they were standard practice here before the ordinance made them mandatory.
How long does a tree permit take to issue in Atlanta?+
Typical turnaround under the 2026 ordinance ranges from a few business days for routine DDH applications to several weeks for permits tied to construction. EastLake calibrates the timeline at the assessment so the homeowner knows what to plan around.
What happens if I cut down a regulated tree without a permit?+
Atlanta's enforcement schedule under §158-86 is steep. The minimum fine is $500 for the first illegally removed tree, $1,000 for each additional, plus the $140-per-inch replacement fee. If the City can't verify the original tree count on a cleared site, it assumes 1,000 DBH inches per acre, which works out to a $200,000-per-acre maximum. Appeals must be filed within 30 calendar days of the violation notice. Two new field arborists in the Department of City Planning give the City more capacity to inspect than it had before.
Download the homeowner ordinance explainer
One-pager covering the 2026 ordinance, DDH permits, and TRAP qualifying criteria. Produced by James Minor, ISA-Certified Arborist.
Download PDF (placeholder)Book a Free 30-Minute Briefing
Walk through the 2026 ordinance with James Minor, ISA-Certified Arborist. Bring your address and any tree concerns. Or call 404-850-1174.