Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Mount Pleasant?

Which trees need a permit

On a residential lot, the Town protects trees 16 inches or more in diameter, measured 4½ feet above the ground. You can check it yourself: wrap a tape around the trunk at that height and divide by 3.14. A trunk about 50 inches around is right at the line.

• Most trees 16 inches and up need approval before they come down.
• Pines are protected from 24 inches.
• Historic trees, 24 inches and larger, need an arborist's report, and sometimes a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals.
• A tree in a buffer, a critical area, an easement or a right-of-way can be protected at any size and any species.

The trees that never need one

The Town exempts sweet gum, Callery pear (the Bradford pear is one), river birch, mimosa, chinaberry, Chinese tallow, camphor and white poplar at any size, and its tree permit FAQ adds mulberry and Leyland cypress. Pines under 24 inches are exempt too.

How the permit works

1. 01Request it online through OPAL, the Town's permitting system. There's a $50 application fee, and it isn't refunded.
2. 02The Town inspects the tree: its health, whether it can come out, and whether you'll need to plant replacements, which the Town calls mitigation.
3. 03A passed inspection isn't the permit. You sign back into OPAL, read the inspector's comments and name the tree company doing the work. If replacements are required, you sign a mitigation affidavit.
4. 04Once the permit is issued, it goes up where it can be seen from outside, such as a front window or storm door, while the work is done.

If the tree is coming out for construction, a new house or a pool say, it's reviewed with the building permit instead. And Town staff won't come out to tell you whether a tree is healthy. That opinion comes from an arborist.

Dead, damaged and storm-hit trees

A declining or damaged tree goes through the same request if it's a protected size and species. After a declared emergency, Mount Pleasant can waive the process for fallen and severely damaged trees (Zoning Code §156.704). Either way, photograph the tree before anything is cut, in case you're asked to show its condition afterwards.

What happens if you skip it

Removing a protected tree without approval and a posted permit brings a fine, and the Town fines the homeowner and the tree company both. It's why we ask about the permit before a date goes on the calendar.

What are the tree rules elsewhere around Charleston?

Each town sets its own line. The City of Charleston, which covers West Ashley, Daniel Island and parts of James and Johns Island, regulates grand trees of 24 inches and up, not counting pines and sweet gums. The Town of James Island draws the line at 18 inches, Isle of Palms reviews most trees over 8 inches, and Sullivan's Island protects trees from 6 inches. These change, so the town is always the one to confirm with.

Who has the final word

The Town does. Tree questions go to trees@tompsc.com or (843) 884-1229. If your neighborhood has an HOA, it may have rules of its own on top of the Town's.

What Josiah looks at on a visit

What is around it (roof, fence, drive) and how much room there is to work.