Tree Removal Houston: $500 to $900 + Permit Rules (2026)

The Houston row is Angi's city range; national rows are labeled. City permit fees vary by tree size and location.

Do this now: a tree on the house or a power line

1. Stay at least 35 feet from a downed line, as CenterPoint advises, and treat it as live. Report downed lines to CenterPoint at 713-207-2222.
2. If anyone is hurt, or the house is no longer safe (a crushed roof, a gas smell, sparking), get everyone out and call 911.
3. Call your insurer before you hire anyone, because a tree on the house may be a claim. Photograph the tree, the roof and the yard before anything is moved, and make only the repairs needed to stop more damage (Maryland Insurance Administration).
4. Do not climb onto the roof or cut a bent limb yourself. ISA warns that broken limbs and uprooted trees under tension can move unexpectedly when cut.

Is it an emergency? Signs a Houston tree needs help today

A tree needs attention the same day when its lean passes 15 degrees or suddenly changes, the trunk has deep cracks, soil is cracking or lifting at the roots, or a broken limb hangs over the house, a driveway or a wire (HomeGuide and ISA warning signs). In Houston, hurricanes and summer storms are when trees fail: Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 knocked out power to 2.26 million CenterPoint customers, which CenterPoint called the largest outage in its history (ABC13).

Same-day or next-day service often costs 2 to 3 times the standard rate, HomeGuide says, and Angi puts emergency removal as high as $5,000. A dead branch over open lawn, or a healthy tree you simply want gone, can wait for a normal booking at the lower price. After a storm, ask for the price in writing before the crew starts, since demand is highest then.

Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Houston?

A permit is required to remove a tree on city property in Houston, which the Permitting Center defines as trees planted on rights of way, medians, parks and other city property, or on a setback. Parks and Recreation issues it from 901 Bagby Street. It needs plan review and an inspection, takes about 10 business days, is good for one year, and must be posted for 20 days before the tree is removed or trimmed. Fees depend on the tree's size and location.

The permit page covers city property and setbacks; it does not list a permit for a tree standing in your own backyard. If you see a crew removing trees from a street easement, the page lists the Urban Park Rangers dispatch at 832-395-7100, staffed 24 hours.

Who hauls the wood? Houston's tree waste rule

Houston Solid Waste does not collect tree waste left by contractors: its tree waste rules say waste from a company trimming or removing trees at a home is that company's responsibility. Make sure the written price says the crew hauls everything away. Angi puts a fallen tree cut up and hauled at $300 to $500 nationally.

If you cut limbs yourself, the same rules sheet (revised in 2016) caps curbside tree and junk waste at 8 cubic yards per collection day and says not to stack it under low wires or on meters. Check the current tree waste schedule with Houston 311 before you set anything out.

Tree trimming in Houston: cost and storm prep

Tree trimming costs $400 to $900 per tree on average nationally, with a $650 average, HomeGuide reported in January 2026; Fixr's range is $175 to $750. Before hurricane season, have dead and weakly attached limbs over the roof removed; ISA says that kind of light cleaning can be done any time of year. Do not let a crew top a tree to make it storm-proof. ISA says regrowth on a topped tree can reach 20 feet in a year and breaks easily. Branches near CenterPoint's lines are a job for the utility or a line-clearance crew, not a homeowner with a pole saw. More on tree trimming.

Local tree rules and contacts for Houston, from official city, state and utility pages unless marked.

More Houston repair guides

Tree through the roof: emergency roof repair in Houston and roof repair in Houston. Rain getting in: water damage restoration in Houston. Meter or service line torn loose: electrician in Houston. Compare tree removal in Dallas and tree removal in Phoenix. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).