How to Choose a Tree Service: 10 Questions, $400 to $1,200

Most states do not license tree work statewide, so the check depends on where you live. These are examples, not a complete list; ask your city and state.

Is it urgent? When a tree job cannot wait for three bids

• Call the utility, not a tree service: a tree or limb is on a power line. FPL says to stay at least 10 feet from neighborhood lines, to treat downed wires as energized and to call 911. Only specially trained line-clearing crews should work there.
• Today: a tree came down on the house or a car, or blocks the only way out. If it hit the house, photograph it first, call your insurer and never sign over the claim; the steps are on tree fell on house. The Maryland Insurance Administration says to make only repairs needed to prevent further damage until the adjuster sees it.
• This week: deep cracks in the trunk, mushrooms at the base, or soil lifting beside a leaning tree. ISA lists these among the signs to have a certified arborist examine the tree.
• Can wait for bids: routine trimming, a dead tree away from the house, or a stump.

Emergency work costs more. HomeGuide says same-day or next-day tree service often costs 2 to 3 times the standard rate, and Fixr puts emergency removal at $450 to $5,000. More on that in emergency tree removal.

How do I check a tree service's license?

Ask which license your state or city requires, then ask for that number and the company's ISA certification number, and look both up before work starts. In Maryland, the Department of Natural Resources says anyone performing tree care or removal for hire must hold its license; the card shows a three-digit license number and DNR keeps a complete list of holders. Maryland DNR also warns that a company calling itself "bonded and insured" without the license is violating the law.

Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection requires an arborist license for anyone advertising, soliciting or contracting to do arboriculture, and arborists must register their business; questions go to its Pesticide Management Program at (860) 424-3369. Where the state is silent, cities often step in: Minneapolis issues a tree servicing license. Denver issues a tree service license that names one licensed individual for the company. Seattle requires commercial tree work to be done by a registered tree service provider. The Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle pages cover each city's rules.

ISA certification is a separate check. ISA says it is voluntary and nongovernmental and that certified arborists must keep up continuing education; its Verify a Credential tool confirms a number in a minute. Some permits lean on it: Florida law (s. 163.045) lets a homeowner skip local permits to remove a tree that an ISA certified arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect documents as an unacceptable risk.

What questions should I ask a tree service before hiring?

Ask who holds the license or ISA credential, how the tree will come down, who pulls the permit, and what the price includes; ISA's own hiring guide starts with the credential and proof of insurance.

• Who on the crew is an ISA Certified Arborist, and what is the number? ISA says to check the credential.
• Can you send proof of insurance, and may I call the insurer? ISA says to do both. OSHA's Region III review found struck-by accidents caused 63% of tree work fatality inspections, so coverage matters.
• Does my state or city license tree work, and what is your number? Maryland, Connecticut, Minneapolis and Denver all do.
• Do I need a permit, and who gets it? Angi says permits run $60 to $150 and are typically needed for trees over 10 feet; in Denver the licensed contractor is responsible for the street tree permit.
• Will you top the tree? The right answer is no. ISA says topping removes 50% to 100% of the leaf-bearing crown and can starve a tree.
• Do you prune to ANSI A300 and work to ANSI Z133? Miami-Dade exempts selective pruning to ANSI A300 from its permit, and ANSI Z133-2026, the arboriculture safety standard, became available in May 2026 (ISA).
• Is the tree near a power line or the service drop to the house? Ameren says trees near the service drop are the owner's job and it will disconnect the drop by appointment so they can be trimmed safely.
• Will you need a crane or a bucket truck? Angi puts a crane at about $500.
• Is stump grinding, chipping and haul-away in the price? Get each item on the written estimate; stump removal cost has the add-on prices.
• Who calls 811 before the stump grinder goes in? HomeGuide's stump grinding guide says to ask whether the contractor will call to locate buried utilities.
• Can I have references from recent jobs like mine? ISA suggests asking for them.

What are the red flags? Warning signs when hiring a tree service

Walk away from door-to-door crews offering bargains, anyone who proposes topping, and anyone who will cut near power lines without the utility; ISA, the FTC and Maryland DNR all warn about these.

• A crew at the door after a storm offering a deal. ISA says to be wary of people who go door to door and offer bargains; the FTC lists "in the area" door knocking as a scam sign.
• Topping offered as trimming. ISA says branch failure of a topped tree may lead to a finding of negligence, and Miami-Dade treats topping that destroys a tree as a violation.
• "Bonded and insured" with no license in a state that requires one. Maryland DNR says that company is violating the law.
• Willing to cut limbs touching power lines. ISA says never remove branches from or near power lines, and FPL says only specially trained line-clearing professionals should.
• Pressure to decide now, or cash only and all up front (FTC). Maryland DNR says not to pay in full until the work in the signed contract is done.
• No written estimate. ISA says get it in writing.
• The lowest bid by a wide margin. ISA says not to always accept the lowest bid, and the FTC says not to choose the lowest bidder automatically.
• Asks you to pull the permit. The FTC lists that among the signs of a home improvement scam.

How much should a tree service charge for the first visit?

Most tree removals cost $400 to $1,200 in HomeGuide's 2026 guide, with a $200 minimum for small, easy jobs; trimming companies set minimum job fees of $100 to $300 or more.

National figures from cost guides, shown side by side and not averaged.

Where a permit needs an arborist report, Angi puts it at about $860 on average. More prices are on tree removal cost and tree trimming cost.

What should be in a written tree service contract?

The contract should list each tree, the work on it, the price, cleanup and stump terms, the permit and the start date; Maryland DNR says to get a written contract stating the work and the cost.

• Company name, address, phone and license number, and start and completion dates (FTC).
• Each tree by location and species, and what happens to it: removal, pruning type, or cabling.
• Pruning method, with no topping (ISA).
• Cleanup: chipping, log length if wood stays, haul-away, and stump grinding depth.
• Permit and arborist report: who obtains each, and the fee.
• Damage: who pays for lawn, fence or driveway damage from equipment.
• Payment: Maryland DNR says not to pay the full amount until all the work is done; the FTC says never make the final payment until you are satisfied.

If you sign at home, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule usually gives you 3 days to cancel sales of $25 or more, so ask for the cancellation form.

Where do I complain about a tree service?

Report unlicensed or bad work to the agency that licenses tree work where you live, and to the state attorney general's consumer office.

• Maryland: Maryland Forest Service, 410-260-8511, or its online complaint form.
• Connecticut: DEEP Pesticide Management Program, (860) 424-3369.
• Cities that license tree work: the licensing office in Minneapolis, Denver or Seattle.
• Storm damage claims: your state insurance department; the Maryland Insurance Administration suggests getting estimates from at least two licensed contractors.
• Anywhere: the state attorney general or local consumer protection office (FTC).

The call line on this page connects you to an independent local tree service that serves your area and pays us for the referral; hours vary. We do not license, inspect or rate these companies, so run the same checks on whoever answers. How calls work. Ask for its ISA certification number, any local license number and proof of insurance on the call.

What to do before you hire a tree service

1. If anything touches a power line, stay back and call the utility first.
2. Photograph the tree from a few angles, and the damage if it already fell.
3. Check whether your state or city licenses tree work, and whether the tree needs a permit.
4. Get two or three written estimates, as ISA and Maryland DNR advise.
5. Verify the ISA number and any license, and call the insurer named on the certificate.
6. Sign a contract that lists every tree, the cleanup and the stump, and pay the balance only when the job is done.