LandClearingGuide
Search Find a Contractor

Land Clearing Contractors in Birmingham, Alabama

Find land clearing contractors serving Birmingham for brush clearing, lot clearing, tree and stump removal, forestry mulching and full site clearing. Compare local companies, check which services each one offers, and contact them directly about your project.

Land Clearing Contractors Serving Birmingham

4 land clearing contractors serving Birmingham confirm on their own websites that they offer land clearing (checked October 2026). Each listing links to the page where the company describes the service, so you can check it yourself.

Land Clearing Services in Birmingham

ServiceBest for
Brush clearingOvergrown lots, fence lines, pasture recovery
Forestry mulchingBrush and small trees, with no debris to haul
Lot clearingMaking a residential lot buildable
Full clearing and grubbingRemoving trees, stumps and roots for construction
Selective clearingKeeping chosen trees on a wooded lot

How Much Do Land Clearing Contractors Charge in Birmingham?

Angi reports an average land clearing project cost of $3,780 in 2026, and HomeGuide estimates $1,200 to $8,000 per acre. These measure different things: one is per project, the other per acre. Stump removal, debris haul-off and grading are often priced separately. No published source gives a reliable Birmingham-specific average, so use these as national planning figures and get local quotes. See land clearing cost per acre for prices by vegetation, lot size and method.

Birmingham Permits and Local Rules

In Birmingham, any non-exempt land-disturbing activity, including clearing, grading and filling, needs a soil erosion and sediment control permit from the city engineer before work starts.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Soil erosion and sediment control permitNo person may begin any land-disturbing activity not exempted by the chapter without first getting a soil erosion and sediment control permit from the city engineer; land-disturbing activity includes clearing, dredging, grading, excavating, transporting and filling of land. A separate permit is required for each site.Source
Permit exemptionsExempt activities include agriculture, silviculture, minor landscaping and home gardens on individual residential lots (not by a developer or builder), and minor grading for driveways, yards and sidewalks; exempt persons must still control sedimentation and runoff. Bonds for non-residential and multi-family sites are doubled for work in floodplains and landslide areas (Sec. 4-7-14).Source
Post-construction stormwater (1 acre+)The post-construction stormwater ordinance applies to new development or redevelopment that disturbs one acre or more, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of one acre or more, or as the director determines.Source
Floodplain development permitThe Floodplain Zone Overlay requires a completed Floodplain Development Permit Application before any development activities, including filling, grading, excavation and storage of equipment or materials. Dumping brush, debris or other materials that can obstruct flood flows in the floodway is prohibited.Source
Call 811 before diggingThe Alabama Public Service Commission tells homeowners and contractors to contact 811 at least two days before digging; the City of Alexander City’s official page states everyone, including homeowners, must contact Alabama 811 at least two full working days before excavating (Code of Alabama Sec. 37-15-4 governs notice).Source
Construction stormwater permitThe Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Stormwater Management Branch issues coverage under General NPDES Permit ALR100000 for construction disturbing one acre or more, including smaller sites that are part of a common plan of development or sale of one acre or more.Source
Burning cleared brushADEM Rule 335-3-3-.01(2) allows open burning of vegetation or untreated wood from land clearing if it is on the property where generated, at least 500 feet from the nearest occupied dwelling (other than one on the property), started only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. with no fuel added between 3 p.m. and 8 a.m., with wind away from built-up areas, attended at all times, and not during an air stagnation advisory or declared drought emergency. This permission is revoked May through October in listed counties including Jefferson, Shelby, Mobile and Baldwin. Separately, the Alabama Forestry Commission requires a burn permit for prescribed burns of 1/4 acre or more.Source

Confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county before work starts. See land clearing permits for a full checklist.

How to Choose a Land Clearing Contractor in Birmingham

Walk the property with each bidder or send the same marked site plan. Ask what happens to stumps and roots, whether debris is hauled, burned or mulched, who checks tree, grading and stormwater permits, and what condition the site will be in when the crew leaves. Compare written quotes for the same scope, not headline prices.

For background before you call, read the land clearing guide, land clearing cost per acre and land clearing permits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do land clearing contractors charge in Birmingham?

Published national figures are the best guide: Angi reports a $3,780 average project and HomeGuide $1,200 to $8,000 per acre. No reliable Birmingham-specific average is published, so compare written quotes for the same scope.

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Birmingham?

Usually yes. Birmingham requires a soil erosion and sediment control permit from the city engineer for any land-disturbing activity, including clearing and grading, unless it falls under a listed exemption such as agriculture, silviculture or minor homeowner landscaping. Projects disturbing one acre or more also fall under the post-construction stormwater ordinance, and any development in the floodplain overlay needs a floodplain development permit.

Does land clearing include stump removal?

Not always. Some contractors grind or pull stumps as part of the job, others price them separately, and forestry mulching usually leaves stumps at or near ground level. Make sure the written quote says what happens to stumps.

Can I burn cleared brush in Birmingham?

ADEM Rule 335-3-3-.01(2) allows open burning of vegetation or untreated wood from land clearing if it is on the property where generated, at least 500 feet from the nearest occupied dwelling (other than one on the property), started only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. with no fuel added between 3 p.m. and 8 a.m., with wind away from built-up areas, attended at all times, and not during an air stagnation advisory or declared drought emergency. This permission is revoked May through October in listed counties including Jefferson, Shelby, Mobile and Baldwin. Separately, the Alabama Forestry Commission requires a burn permit for prescribed burns of 1/4 acre or more.

More Directories

Sources

Listings checked October 2026 against each company’s website. Prices are attributed national estimates, not Birmingham quotes. Permit summaries are a starting point; confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county.