How much does tree removal cost in Brevard County?

The published numbers

HomeAdvisor's cost guide, updated June 19, 2026, puts the national average for removing a tree at about $750, with most jobs between $200 and $2,000 (HomeAdvisor tree removal cost guide). Those are national figures. They aren't Brevard quotes, and they aren't our quote.

Height is the biggest single line in that guide. Here's the guide's breakdown by tree height. Each figure links to it:

• Up to 30 feet tall: $150 to $450
• 30 to 60 feet: $450 to $1,200
• 60 to 80 feet: $800 to $1,500
• Over 80 feet: $1,000 to $2,000

Palms, oaks and pines

Those three cover most Brevard yards, and the same guide gives a range for each: palms at $650 to $1,500, oaks at $200 to $2,000 and pines at $250 to $1,500 (HomeAdvisor, cost by tree type).

The oak range is wide for a reason. Take a laurel oak. UF/IFAS puts its life span at roughly 50 to 70 years and says its trunk and big limbs often hollow out from decay (UF/IFAS ST549). A hollow trunk can't always be dropped in one piece or climbed the usual way, so the crew may rig it and lower it in sections. That takes longer.

Palms bring their own extras. A queen palm's fruit clusters can weigh more than 100 pounds (UF/IFAS ST609), and a tall palm leaning over a screened pool cage can't simply be dropped.

The extras that show up as separate lines

Stumps are the classic surprise. HomeAdvisor says stump work is rarely included in a removal quote, and it puts grinding at $120 to $500. The stump grinding page explains what that job involves.

If the wood is left behind, the same guide lists chipping at about $95 and debris hauling at about $70, and it puts a tree that's already on the ground at $75 to $150 plus hauling.

Access changes the math. HomeAdvisor says a tricky location can add 25 to 50 percent, because trees near structures or power lines need special equipment and precautions, and that some companies charge a travel fee of $50 to $200 outside their usual area.

Once a tree tops 80 feet, the guide expects a crane, at $250 to $600 per day, and says that extra machinery can push a complex job to $6,000 to $7,000.

Lines are their own category. HomeAdvisor says removing large trees near power lines can cost upward of $10,000. A tree touching a line is the utility's call first, and the power lines guide explains why.

Storms push prices up. The guide puts emergency removal as high as $5,000 and notes that rates spike after big storms, when demand is high.

Brevard details that move the number

Permits can add cost and time. HomeAdvisor budgets $60 to $150 for permit fees, notes you may need to pay for an arborist's report as part of the process, and lists an arborist's inspection visit at about $860.

Which permit rules apply depends on the address. Palm Bay requires a permit, with a fee, to remove any tree 6 inches or more in diameter at breast height or any palm with 4.5 feet or more of clear wood, subject to exceptions (Palm Bay Code s. 175.014). In unincorporated Brevard the county's protected-tree threshold drops to 1.5 inches on the barrier island (Brevard County Code s. 62-4332). The permit guide goes city by city.

There's also F.S. 163.045. On a single-family lot, a city or the county can't demand a permit, fee or replanting for a tree that an ISA Certified Arborist or a Florida licensed landscape architect documents as an unacceptable risk (F.S. 163.045). That assessment is a separate cost from the removal.

Then there's the lot itself. Canal-front yards on Merritt Island, tight side yards in Port Malabar, pool cages, septic drain fields and soft ground after a week of summer storms all change how equipment gets in. None of that shows up in a national average.

How to get a real number

Send clear photos: the whole tree from far enough back to see the top, the base of the trunk, and whatever sits under the canopy. The crew you're matched with may still want to see it in person, especially a hollow oak or a tree over the roof.

Ask for the price in writing with removal, stump grinding, chipping and haul-away on their own lines, so two quotes can be compared fairly. And ask who takes the debris. Brevard County's storm debris page says contractors hired by a homeowner for tree trimming are responsible for hauling away the yard waste (Brevard County Solid Waste).

To start, call or text (321) 604-1285 with a photo, or use the estimate form. We match you with an independent local crew, and that crew's written price is the one that counts.