Tree Removal Philadelphia: $205 to $2,052 + Street Permits

Philadelphia rows are Angi's local figures and the City's policy; national rows are labeled.

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

1. Stay away from any downed wire and assume PECO equipment is energized.
2. Report it to PECO at 1-800-841-4141, and call 911 if the line is in the street.
3. A street tree that has fallen is an emergency: the City says to call 911.
4. Call 911 too if anyone is hurt or the tree has broken into the house.
5. Photograph the damage before anything is moved, and call your insurer before you hire anyone.

Is it an emergency? Signs a Philadelphia tree is failing

A tree that is newly leaning, has a fresh split where two trunks meet, or is lifting the sidewalk and soil on one side needs attention now if it can reach a house, a car or the street. HomeGuide lists a lean over 15 degrees, deep trunk cracks, cavities, and dead branches over more than half the canopy as signs a tree needs removal. ISA says codominant (split) trunks are common failure points and mushrooms at the base indicate decay. Philadelphia's tight lots raise the stakes: Angi notes average lots under 1,300 square feet, so most trees stand close to something. Warning signs in detail: tree removal.

Street trees in Philadelphia: yours to own, the City's to permit

Street trees in Philadelphia are owned by the property owner, but the City has jurisdiction over them, Parks and Recreation says. Parks and Rec plants, prunes and removes street trees, mostly through contracted arborists, and it prunes and removes hazardous street trees for free. It does not remove living, healthy trees, and it does not work on private property, vacant lots or alleys.

• To report a dead or hazardous street tree: 311, or Street Tree Management at (215) 685-4363 or (215) 685-4362. Parks and Rec aims to respond in 7 to 10 working days.
• To do more than light care, such as major pruning or removal, you must get a permit.
• If you hire your own certified arborist for a street tree, the contractor must get a tree work permit from the Street Tree Management office.
• Sidewalks: the Philadelphia Code makes the property owner responsible for a safe sidewalk, with no exception for tree-root damage. Parks and Rec reviews each case, and you may be able to repair the sidewalk without removing the tree.

Trees in the backyard or alley

A tree on private property, in an alley or on a vacant lot is the owner's to deal with: Parks and Rec says owners can hire certified arborists to do this work at their own expense. Angi's Philadelphia guide says permit fees generally apply only for large-scale site clearing. Access is what drives the price behind a rowhouse. Angi notes Philadelphia's living costs run 14% higher than the national average, and a crew that has to carry every piece through the house or down a narrow alley takes longer. Some neighborhoods have underground lines and others do not, and trees near overhead lines cost more.

Tree trimming in Philadelphia: cost and permits

Tree trimming costs $400 to $900 per tree in HomeGuide's 2026 national guide, and Fixr's national range is $175 to $750; we found no Philadelphia-specific trimming price. For a street tree, the City prunes mature trees as needed, and anything beyond light care needs a permit. For backyard trees, ISA says not to remove more than 25% of the crown at once and never to top a tree: topping strips 50% to 100% of the leaf-bearing crown and leaves weak regrowth. More on tree trimming.

Insurance after a storm tree in Philadelphia

Many homeowners policies cover damage when a tree hits the house or another insured structure, even a neighbor's tree, up to policy limits, the Maryland Insurance Administration says; a tree that hits nothing usually gets a limited removal payment, often $500 to $1,000. Photograph first, call the insurer, and keep damaged material until the adjuster sees it.

Tree rules, programs and contacts for Philadelphia, from official city, utility and state pages unless marked.

More Philadelphia repair guides

Tree on the roof: emergency roof repair in Philadelphia. Water inside: water damage restoration in Philadelphia. Service line pulled down: electrician in Philadelphia. Other cities: tree removal in Chicago and tree removal in Atlanta. National prices: tree removal cost and stump grinding. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).