The rule where you live
| Where | Dead, dying or hazardous tree |
|---|---|
| City of Atlanta | The Arborist Division inspects before removal; no charge for the inspection or the report. You need not be home, but the arborist needs a way through a locked gate and dogs put away. |
| Unincorporated DeKalb County | May be removed at any time, if a certified arborist, consulting arborist or forester has documented it in a risk assessment. |
| Unincorporated Gwinnett County | Live trees on a developed lot need no permit unless they stand in a buffer, open space or tree save area; a dead tree in the Chattahoochee corridor may be removed only by hand, with the stump left. |
| Other cities and counties | Ask the city or county; see Permits. |
Atlanta’s guidance adds that the city does not force an owner to remove a tree on private land unless it threatens the public right-of-way. That is a statement about enforcement, not about risk.
Why it should not wait
The University of Georgia Extension sums up Georgia law this way: a tree owner is liable for damage from a falling tree only if they knew, or reasonably should have known, that it was diseased, decayed or dangerous. A tree you know is dead is the clearest case of knowing. If a neighbor has written to you about it, that letter is the kind of proof the extension describes.
Dead wood also gets weaker every season. Branches drop without wind, and the trunk can snap or the roots rot under it.
Why it can cost more
It seems like a dead tree should be cheaper to take down. HomeGuide, a cost guide, says the opposite: brittle branches can fall unexpectedly, which calls for extra precautions. A climber may not be able to tie into a dead trunk at all, which means a bucket truck or crane instead. See What changes the price.
Dying, not dead
Thin crowns, leaves turning early, bark coming away, mushrooms at the base: these can mean a tree is declining. An arborist can tell whether it is a tree to remove or one to treat. See Warning signs.
Checked against the sources below on 2026-10-11.