Will the city pay for tree removal? In Houston, only when the tree belongs to the city. Every other case lands with someone else: the electric utility when a tree is in its lines, your insurance company when a storm drops a tree on your house, and you, the property owner, for almost everything else. Knowing which bucket a tree falls into saves days of calling the wrong office.
Tree Service Houston TX is a free phone line, not a tree company and not a city office. It cannot file a 311 request or an insurance claim for you. When a tree is your responsibility, call (346) 680-8916 and the automated assistant transfers you to an independent, locally owned tree service company that can look at it and quote its own price.
Who usually handles which tree
| Where the tree is | Who usually handles it | Who to call |
|---|---|---|
| Street right of way, esplanade, park or other City of Houston property | City of Houston Parks and Recreation, Urban Forestry | 311 (713.837.0311) |
| In or near CenterPoint's power lines on poles | CenterPoint Energy | 713-207-2222 or 1-800-332-7143 |
| Around the service line from the pole to your meter | Usually the customer, unless the tree is damaging the line | CenterPoint to check first, then a qualified tree company |
| On your own lot | You, the owner | A tree service company of your choice |
| Your neighbor's tree, fallen onto your house | Usually your own homeowners insurance | Your insurer or agent |
| Anything with a downed line or an injury | Emergency services and the utility | 911 |
City trees: what Houston's Urban Forestry does
Urban Forestry, part of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, oversees the planting, pruning and removal of trees in parks, on esplanades and on all city-owned property.
What it takes on
It trims street trees for height clearance and removes dead or hazardous trees on street rights of way. That is the main case where the city removes a tree near your home at no cost to you.
What it does not
City foresters and their contractors are only authorized to work on City of Houston property. For trees on private property, Urban Forestry tells residents to contact a professional arborist or tree service.
How to ask
Call 311 or 713.837.0311 for non-emergency street tree requests. Note the nearest address, which side of the street, and what the tree is doing. Photos help if you are asked for them.
Can the city remove a tree in front of my house?
Yes, if it is a city tree. The grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb is usually public right of way, and the city controls those trees. If you want one removed, the City of Houston requires its Tree Removal/Tree Trimming Permit (PRD1001) for any tree on city property or on a setback, with about 10 business days of processing and the permit posted 20 days before work. The permit guide walks through it.
Outside Houston city limits, the answer changes with your address. Sugar Land, West University Place, The Woodlands Township, the Memorial Villages and the other communities in the area set their own tree rules, so call that city hall or township office.
CenterPoint Energy and trees near power lines
CenterPoint Energy keeps trees clear of the power lines it owns. It says it does not charge for typical tree trimming performed on its existing electric facilities, which is the closest thing to free tree work most homeowners will see. If CenterPoint decides a tree is not an obvious hazard or a reliability problem, it may wait until it trims the whole area.
The line from the pole to your house is different. CenterPoint says it does not trim or remove trees that interfere with that service line unless they are causing, or will soon cause, damage to it, and its service standards say the customer is responsible for trimming trees to keep service drops clear. That is work for a company qualified to work near energized lines, never for a homeowner. CenterPoint warns property owners not to trim trees within 10 feet of power lines themselves.
- To ask about a tree near a line, call CenterPoint at 713-207-2222 or 1-800-332-7143, or contact your retail electric provider. A company forester is notified.
- For a line that is down, sparking or touching a tree, stay well away, keep people and pets back, and call 911.
- After routine trimming, CenterPoint says its crews normally clear the debris on the day the work is done.
- After storm restoration work, or when the tree was already dead, CenterPoint says the property owner is responsible for the wood and debris left on site.
A neighbor's tree, your house, and insurance
The Texas Department of Insurance explains how homeowners policies usually treat fallen trees. Your policy wording is what counts, so read it and ask your agent.
When a neighbor's tree hits your house
- Your neighbor's policy probably will not pay unless the neighbor was at fault, since a storm is an act of nature.
- If it does not pay, you can file under your own policy.
- A neighbor could be liable if the tree was already rotten or dying and they knew, or should have known.
Removal and cleanup coverage
- Trees and limbs that fall in the yard without hitting anything usually are not covered.
- Many policies pay something to remove a tree that falls in a storm and damages the house or blocks the driveway.
- Many policies limit how much they pay for tree removal, so check your limits.
What to do first after a tree comes down
- Stay safeKeep everyone away from the tree and from any wires. If a line is down or anyone is hurt, call 911.
- Photograph itThe Texas Department of Insurance says to take photos of the damage before the tree is moved or repairs begin.
- Prevent more damageMake temporary repairs, such as a tarp put on by a roofer or contractor, and save every receipt.
- Call your insurerContact your agent or company as soon as possible. Questions about a claim can go to the Texas Department of Insurance at 800-252-3439.
- Get the tree off safelyAsk the tree company for a written quote that separates removal from the house, hauling and stump work, so you can see what each part costs. The emergency and storm tree removal page explains how that work is handled.
Storm debris after a disaster
After a major storm, Houston's Solid Waste Management Department has run citywide debris collection. Hurricane Beryl came through on July 8, 2024, and the department estimated it left about 4 million cubic yards of storm debris. For that cleanup, the city said residents did not need to report their piles to 311, because storm debris contractors would drive every street and collect debris placed in the public right of way. It also asked residents to keep storm debris separate from bulk trash and from construction and demolition debris.
Those programs move what you put at the curb. They do not take a tree off your roof or out of your back yard, and the details change from storm to storm, so watch the city's announcements after each event. For regular yard and tree waste, see tree debris removal and hauling.
Who removes trees on private property
Almost always, a tree service company hired and paid by the owner. Texas has no state license for tree trimming or removal, so the paperwork you ask for matters. A company working on your lot should be able to show proof of insurance, and for a job that involves judging whether a tree is safe, the name of an ISA certified arborist.
Check the company yourself. Texas has no state license for tree trimming or tree removal, so a business card proves very little. Ask the company for a certificate of general liability insurance sent by its insurance agent, proof of workers' compensation coverage, and the ISA certification number of its arborist. A company that sprays or injects trees for hire needs a pesticide license from the Texas Department of Agriculture or its Structural Pest Control Service. You can confirm a certification with the ISA's credential lookup (opens in a new tab).
The tree is on your property? Call and describe it. The company you are put through to looks at the tree and tells you its price before any work starts.
More help
How this line works: Tree Service Houston TX is a free phone line, not a tree service company. It does not trim, remove, quote or schedule tree work and holds no license or arborist certification. Calls are transferred to independent, locally owned tree service companies in the Houston area. Those companies may pay Tree Service Houston TX a referral fee. You never pay the line. How it works.