In most cases, homeowners with single-family or duplex property in Davidson County do not need a Metro permit to remove a tree on their own land. Permits are required for trees in the public right-of-way, for protected or heritage trees tied to a site or subdivision plan, and in a few other specific situations covered below.
This is general information, not legal advice. For anything genuinely disputed, a fine, a neighbor threatening legal action, or a project tied to a subdivision plan, talk to Metro’s Urban Forestry Division directly or bring in an attorney.
The Quick Answer
Metro Nashville’s tree ordinance is designed to protect public trees and trees associated with development projects, not to regulate every tree on private residential property. If you own a single-family or duplex home and the tree is on your property, outside the public right of way, not designated as a protected or heritage tree, and not part of an active subdivision or approved site plan, you generally do not need a Metro permit to remove it.
However, there are important exceptions. Here’s when a permit is required and what you should check before removing a tree.
When You Do Need a Permit
Public trees and right-of-way trees. Any tree growing in the tree row or public right-of-way, the strip of land between the sidewalk and the street, is covered by Metro Code Chapter 2.104. Removing, damaging, or heavily pruning one of these without a permit from the Urban Forester is a violation, and the ordinance can require repair or replacement done to International Society of Arboriculture standards.
Protected, heritage, or retained trees. Metro’s zoning code protects specific trees registered as part of a property’s approved landscape or site plan, common on newer subdivisions, multi-family developments, and commercial sites, and less common on an older single-family lot that predates those requirements. If a tree on your property was registered through the Historic and Specimen Trees Program or shows up as a protected tree on your site’s landscape plan, you’ll need a permit from the zoning administrator before removing it.
Property tied to an active development or subdivision. If your lot is part of a project still under landscape plan review, a new subdivision, or an addition that triggered a new site plan, different rules apply. See our companion post on the Urban Forestry inspection process for what that involves.
HOA covenants. This isn’t a Metro law, but it’s worth its own line. A homeowners association can impose stricter tree rules than the city does, through a deed restriction or covenant. Metro won’t enforce those, but your HOA can, so it’s worth checking before assuming “the city doesn’t require a permit” is the whole answer.
| Tree Type | Permit Required | Who Regulates It |
| Tree on your own single-family or duplex lot, not protected | Generally no | N/A |
| Tree in the public right of way | Yes | Metro Urban Forester |
| Protected, heritage, or retained tree on a site plan | Yes | Metro zoning administrator |
| Tree on a lot under active subdivision or site plan review | Depends, check first | Metro Urban Forestry |
| Tree covered by an HOA covenant | Depends on the covenant | Your HOA, not Metro |
| Storm-damaged or dead hazard tree | Generally no | N/A, documentation still recommended |
Expert Tip: Photograph a hazardous or storm-damaged tree from multiple angles before removal. If a neighbor or insurer ever questions the decision later, dated photos are far more useful than a memory of how bad it looked.
When You Generally Don’t Need One
If none of the above applies, most straightforward homeowner situations don’t require a Metro permit.
- Removing a tree on your own single-family or duplex lot that isn’t in the right of way or registered as protected
- Removing a storm-damaged or dead tree that poses a safety risk. Photographing the damage and, for anything ambiguous, getting a written arborist assessment first is smart protection if a neighbor or insurer ever questions the removal later
- Routine pruning of trees on your own property, outside the right of way
Trees on the Property Line: What Tennessee Law Actually Says
This is where most real-world disputes happen, and it’s governed by state law, not Metro’s ordinance.
Ownership follows the trunk. If a tree’s trunk stands entirely on your property, it’s your tree, even if branches or roots cross into a neighbor’s yard. If the trunk sits directly on the boundary line, ownership and maintenance responsibility are shared, and neither owner can remove it without the other’s consent.
You can trim encroaching branches and roots yourself, up to the property line. Tennessee courts have long recognized this “self-help” right. If your neighbor’s tree hangs over your yard, you can trim it back to the line at your own expense, without asking permission. You can’t go onto their property to do it, and you can’t cut beyond the line.
You generally can’t force your neighbor to pay for the trim unless the tree has caused real, demonstrable harm. In the landmark case Lane v. W.J. Curry & Sons (Tenn. 2002), the Tennessee Supreme Court held that an encroaching tree can become a legal “nuisance,” opening the door to compensation, when it causes actual damage or a real threat of harm, not just shade, leaf drop, or the annoyance of overhanging limbs.
Storm damage generally follows the healthy tree rule. If a neighbor’s healthy tree falls on your property during a storm, that’s typically treated as an act of nature, and you’re generally responsible for your own cleanup. If the tree was visibly dead, diseased, or neglected beforehand, liability can shift to the tree’s owner.
Metro doesn’t referee these disputes. The city has been direct about this: overhanging branches and similar neighbor disagreements are treated as private civil matters, not code enforcement issues.
What Happens If You Skip a Required Permit
For the trees that do require one, public, right of way, or protected trees, removing or damaging them without a permit can trigger a required repair or replacement, done to accepted arboriculture standards, plus a fine. The specifics of what that costs, and how construction projects avoid it entirely, get their own breakdown in our post on avoiding tree preservation fines during construction.
A Practical Decision Checklist
- Is the tree in the public right of way, between the sidewalk and street? A permit is likely required.
- Is it registered as a protected, heritage, or retained tree on a site or landscape plan? A permit is required.
- Is your property part of an active subdivision or site plan under review? Check with Urban Forestry before proceeding.
- Does your HOA have its own tree covenant? Check it, separately from Metro’s rules.
- None of the above? A Metro permit generally isn’t required, but documenting a dead or hazardous tree with photos or an arborist report is still smart practice.
When to Call a Professional Instead of Guessing
A licensed, insured tree service can tell you in minutes whether a specific tree is likely to be regulated. They see these situations constantly and know what a protected tree designation actually looks like on the ground. For anything involving a neighbor dispute, an HOA conflict, or a fine you’re contesting, that’s the point to bring in an attorney instead of relying on a blog post, including this one.
Crews working across Davidson County run into these questions on a regular basis, from a homeowner in a newer Hermitage subdivision unsure whether a backyard oak was registered as protected, to a Belle Meade property owner dealing with a neighbor’s overhanging limbs after a storm. In most of those cases, a quick site visit settles the question faster than searching ordinance language alone, since a protected tree designation isn’t always obvious just by looking at a tree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my own property in Nashville?
In most cases, no. If you own a single-family or duplex property and the tree isn’t in the public right of way or registered as a protected or heritage tree, Metro doesn’t require a permit. Check your HOA covenant separately, since it can impose stricter rules than the city does.
Can I trim my neighbor’s tree if it hangs over my yard?
Yes. Tennessee law gives property owners a self-help right to trim encroaching branches and roots back to the property line, at their own expense, without the neighbor’s permission. You can’t cross onto their property or cut beyond the line.
Who’s responsible if my neighbor’s tree falls on my house?
If the tree was healthy and fell due to a storm or other natural event, Tennessee generally treats that as an act of nature and the property owner where the damage occurred is typically responsible. If the tree was visibly dead, diseased, or neglected, liability can shift to the tree’s owner.
What’s a protected or heritage tree in Nashville?
It’s a tree specifically designated for protection through a property’s approved landscape or site plan, or registered through Nashville’s Historic and Specimen Trees Program. These are more common on newer developments and commercial sites than on older single-family lots.
Does Metro Nashville get involved in tree disputes between neighbors?
No. The city treats overhanging branches and similar disagreements as private civil matters between property owners, not code enforcement issues.
Know the Rules Before You Remove a Tree
Most Nashville homeowners can remove a tree on their own property without a Metro permit, but overlooking the exceptions can lead to costly mistakes. Before cutting down any tree, review the checklist above. If the tree is near the public right of way, sits on a property line, or may be covered by a site or landscape plan, it’s worth getting professional guidance first. At Chop Nashville, we help homeowners across Davidson County understand local tree regulations and identify potential permit requirements before work begins, helping avoid unnecessary delays, fines, and surprises.
