Cities within Fulton County administer their own rules. Confirm the parcel, not the postal city, before relying on this guide.
Unincorporated Fulton County, Georgia · 2026 guide
Fulton County tree preservation, in plain language.
In unincorporated Fulton County, tree requirements are tied closely to land disturbance, building work, timber harvest, protected areas, and the County’s development-review process.
Read the requirementsCurrent Article VI tree-preservation processLast reviewed September 17, 2026
At a glance
Start with the property, the tree, and the proposed work.
The ordinance applies to activity requiring a land-disturbance permit on real property in unincorporated Fulton County.
New detached and duplex homes, plus additions, renovations, and alterations to those homes, are included in the ordinance scope.
The ordinance defines density factors of 15 units per acre for agricultural, 20 for single-family residential, and 30 for commercial and other non-single-family districts.
Tree-density units are not a tree count.
Fulton’s density factor is a calculated coverage standard based on acreage, zoning, retained trees, and replacement trees. A project cannot establish compliance by counting trunks alone.
Agricultural
The ordinance defines a density factor of site acreage multiplied by 15 for agricultural districts.
Single-family residential
The ordinance defines a density factor of site acreage multiplied by 20 for single-family residential districts.
Commercial + other
Commercial districts and other non-single-family districts use site acreage multiplied by 30.
Not sure which category applies? Record clear photographs and the tree’s leaves, needles, bark, branching, and fruit or cones when present. A qualified arborist or the reviewing jurisdiction can confirm the species and regulatory class.
01 / First question
Is the property inside Fulton County?
This guide applies only to unincorporated Fulton County. Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, South Fulton, and other incorporated cities have separate processes. Confirm the governing jurisdiction from the property point before using County standards.
Best first step
Use the address lookup on the Tree Collective ordinance map, then confirm the result with the governing jurisdiction before beginning work.
Open the ordinance lookup02 / Permit paths
The condition of the tree and the reason for work shape the path.
Ordinary maintenance
Start by checking whether another approval is involved.
The ordinance states that it is not intended to regulate individual properties where the activity does not require land disturbance, building construction, or a timber-harvest permit. Buffers, easements, approved plans, zoning conditions, ownership, and other laws can still restrict work.
New home, addition, or renovation
Tree review belongs in the building process.
New detached and duplex dwellings, including additions, renovations, or alterations to them, fall within the ordinance scope. Coordinate trees before the site and building layout are fixed.
Land disturbance
A tree-protection plan may be part of the permit set.
No land-disturbance permit may be issued until the proposed development is found to conform to the tree-preservation requirements and administrative guidelines.
Timber harvest or clear cutting
Use the County review path before work begins.
Timber harvesting is expressly covered. Clear-cut development proposals can require County evaluation, replacement planning, and a bond tied to revegetation obligations.
03 / Project record
Put the tree-protection plan beside the civil and architectural plans.
The County’s ordinance and administrative guidelines treat tree protection as part of development review. A coordinated record can include:
01
Existing trees and stands, including specimen-tree evaluation
02
Property boundaries, buffers, tree-save areas, and protected zones
03
Buildings, grading, access, utilities, and limits of disturbance
04
Trees proposed for preservation and removal
05
Tree-protection fencing, staging, storage, and inspection points
06
Density calculations, replacement planting, and revegetation information
04 / Condition + risk
A risk finding does not replace a site-permit decision.
A TRAQ-informed assessment can document condition, defects, targets, likelihood, consequences, and mitigation. Tree Collective can collect the tree point and field evidence, while Fulton County determines how that evidence interacts with the permit, protected zone, approved plan, or administrative guidelines.
05 / Conservation + replacement
Required density follows the project and zoning context.
Fulton’s ordinance uses different density factors for agricultural, single-family residential, and commercial or other non-single-family districts. Retained and replacement trees must be documented using the County’s administrative standards.
Tree-save areas, specimen trees, landscape strips, buffers, zoning conditions, and revegetation obligations can add requirements beyond a simple density total. Clear-cut development proposals may also require financial assurance for replacement.
06 / Professional support
Early field data prevents late plan conflicts.
A consulting arborist can inventory and map trees, flag specimen trees and protected zones, document condition and risk, coordinate root protection with grading and utilities, and maintain the record through inspection. The County Arborist and permitting staff retain approval authority.
Official applications + sources
Go directly to Fulton County.
Official source
Tree Preservation Ordinance
Current codified Article VI covering purpose, applicability, definitions, permits, enforcement, and tree-preservation requirements.
Open source+Official sourceTree Protection Ordinance and guidelines
Official County publication containing the ordinance and administrative implementation material.
Open source+Official sourceDevelopment regulations
Current development provisions addressing tree-density compliance and County Arborist evaluation.
Open source+Source review
Reviewed September 17, 2026.
Reviewed against Fulton County’s current codified Article VI, official ordinance and administrative-guideline publication, and development regulations. Confirm the municipality, zoning, protected areas, current forms, and project-specific direction with Fulton County before work.
This is practical educational information, not a permit decision or legal advice. Requirements can change and may depend on site conditions, project scope, administrative standards, and staff findings.
Tree Collective consulting
Bring the tree question into focus.
Tree Collective can help interpret ordinance requirements, inventory trees, assess condition and risk, review construction impacts, prepare tree protection plans and arboricultural prescriptions, and organize permit documentation for the project team.
Tree Collective does not issue permits, control municipal decisions, or act on behalf of the City.