Tree Removal Permits in Dawsonville, GA

1The short answer

For most Dawson County homeowners taking down one or a few trees, there is no county tree removal permit to buy. The county's published Land Disturbance Requirements for 2026 key the permit to the amount of land disturbed, the distance to state waters and the age of the subdivision, not to the number or size of trees. Felling a tree and hauling it away with little soil disturbance on a lot outside a subdivision and away from creeks needs neither a Land Disturbance Permit nor a Notice of Intent.

The answer changes when tree work becomes land work: grubbing roots, grading, clearing a building pad, cutting a driveway, or working near a creek, pond or Lake Lanier shoreline. It also changes when the property is in a newer subdivision, and inside the City of Dawsonville, where the city's own forms and code apply.

2Five questions that decide it

Will the work disturb one acre or more? If so, the county says a Land Disturbance Permit is always required, and the applicant must also register a Notice of Intent with Georgia EPD through the state's online system. Is any part of the work within 200 feet or less of state waters, such as a lake, creek or stream? Then a permit is needed even under an acre, though no NOI is required. If you are not sure whether a wet-weather ditch counts, the county asks you to discuss it with staff first.

Is the lot in a subdivision or common development? If the subdivision's first recorded plat is dated before August 1, 2000, the county lists no LDP or NOI for work under an acre away from state waters. After that date, both are required. Is the lot outside any subdivision and away from state waters? Then neither is listed. And finally, is a building permit coming? The county notes that a Land Disturbance Permit requires erosion and sediment control plans approved by county staff before a county building permit can be issued.

3What the permits cost

The fee schedule that took effect August 1, 2026 lists a residential land disturbance application for an individual lot not in a subdivision, and a per-acre fee with a minimum for subdivision and commercial land disturbance. The erosion control plan review, the NOI per disturbed acre and a set administrative fee are separate lines. Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the permit fees, and releasing a stop work order carries its own fee. These are government fees only; the tree work, erosion control materials and any engineering are billed privately.

If a structure is coming down along with the trees, demolition is a separate permit in both the county and the city. The tables below reproduce the published figures, and the estimator panel on this page adds up the fees that apply to a typical job.

4Other permits that come up

Tree jobs sometimes turn into other projects. A retaining wall over 4 feet tall and a fence over 7 feet tall each need a county permit; walls and fences at or under those heights do not. A failed inspection carries a re-inspection fee. A zoning verification letter or a variance has its own fee if a setback or buffer question needs a formal answer.

Inside the City of Dawsonville, the city's residential application lists a demolition permit for each structure and warns that work started before a permit is issued results in double permit fees. Tree crews working on a city right-of-way need an encroachment permit; see the city page.

5Before you call the county or city

Have the property address, the parcel number from your tax bill and the owner's name ready, along with a rough sketch of which trees are coming down, where any creek or pond is, and how much ground the work will disturb. Photos help. Ask whether the job needs a Land Disturbance Permit, whether an erosion and sediment control plan is required, and whether any buffer applies. Write down the name of the person you spoke with, the date and what they told you, especially any fee amounts or documents they say you need. Fee schedules and forms change, and a short note of the call can save a second trip. If a contractor is handling the permit, ask for a copy of the application and the permit number once it is issued, and keep the approval with your property records. Ask, too, whether the office prefers its online portal, email or in-person applications, because the county and the city handle this differently.

6City addresses

A Dawsonville mailing address does not mean the property is inside city limits. The City of Dawsonville's Planning and Zoning office at 415 Highway 53 East handles permits inside the city, phone 706.203.4923. The county handles unincorporated Dawson County. When in doubt, ask the county first; staff can tell you which jurisdiction a parcel falls in.

Next: how to apply for a Land Disturbance Permit, or tree work near a creek or the lake.