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Land Clearing Contractors in San Jose, California

Find land clearing contractors serving San Jose 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 San Jose

9 land clearing contractors serving San Jose 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 San Jose

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 San Jose?

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 San Jose-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.

San Jose Permits and Local Rules

San José requires a grading permit or a notice of exemption for any excavating or filling, and only small jobs (no more than 150 cubic yards, 2-foot cuts and 3-foot fills) can be exempted; removing any tree 38 inches or more in circumference on a home lot also needs a Tree Removal Permit.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Ordinance-size tree removal permitA permit is required to remove an ordinance-size tree, live or dead: 38 inches or more in circumference at 4.5 feet above ground (multi-trunk trees count combined circumference). On multifamily, commercial, industrial, mixed-use property or common areas, a permit is needed for trees of any size. Permits are issued by the Planning Division.Source
Heritage trees and street treesTrees on the City’s Heritage Tree List need consultation with the City Arborist and a permit before pruning or removal. Street trees (between curb and sidewalk, and in some places up to 12 feet from the curb) need a no-cost permit from the Department of Transportation.Source
Grading permit or notice of exemption (Municipal Code 17.04.310)No grading (any excavating or filling) may be done without a grading permit or a notice of exemption from the director. Small projects can be exempted only if they meet all conditions, including no cut over 2 feet, no fill over 3 feet, and no more than 150 cubic yards of cut or fill; no exemption is available in special geologic hazard areas or for covered activities in the Habitat Conservation Plan area.Source
Riparian corridor setbacks (Council Policy 6-34)Council Policy 6-34 sets minimum setbacks from the outside dripline of riparian vegetation or top of bank, whichever is greater, including 100 feet for new buildings, roads and parking and 300 feet for equipment and chemical storage. Reduced setbacks are possible only in limited circumstances, such as pre-existing one- or two-family lots, and may require a report from a qualified biologist or hydrologist.Source
Floodplain development permit (Municipal Code Ch. 17.08)A development permit (flood clearance) is required before any development, including grading and filling, in a special flood hazard area. Fill and other encroachments in a designated floodway are prohibited unless an engineer certifies no increase in base flood levels.Source
Call 811 before diggingUnder the Government Code, anyone planning to excavate must contact the appropriate regional notification center (811) at least two working days, and not more than 14 calendar days, before beginning to excavate. USA North 811 adds that each person or company doing the excavation must submit its own ticket; a subcontractor cannot work under another contractor’s ticket, and the day you notify does not count toward the two working days.Source
Construction stormwater permitProjects that disturb one or more acres of soil, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development that disturbs one or more acres, must obtain coverage under the statewide Construction Stormwater General Permit (Order 2022-0057-DWQ, effective September 1, 2023). Projects in the Lake Tahoe Hydrologic Unit apply to the Lahontan Regional Water Board instead.Source
Burning cleared brushA statewide Air Resources Board control measure (effective January 1, 2004) bans outdoor burning of household trash and burn barrels at residences, but dry natural vegetation grown on the property may still be burned in open piles unless prohibited by local controls, and only on days authorized by the local air district. Open burning of land-clearing debris is therefore controlled by the local air district, which may ban it entirely or require permits.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 San Jose

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 San Jose?

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 San Jose-specific average is published, so compare written quotes for the same scope.

Do I need a permit for land clearing in San Jose?

Usually yes. Any grading in San José needs a grading permit or a notice of exemption, and exemptions are limited to small jobs (no more than 150 cubic yards, cuts up to 2 feet and fills up to 3 feet) outside geologic hazard and Habitat Plan areas. Removing ordinance-size trees (38 inches circumference) on home lots, or any tree on commercial or multifamily property, needs a Tree Removal Permit, development near creeks is subject to riparian setbacks of 100 feet or more under Council Policy 6-34, and grading or fill in a flood hazard area needs a flood clearance 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 San Jose?

A statewide Air Resources Board control measure (effective January 1, 2004) bans outdoor burning of household trash and burn barrels at residences, but dry natural vegetation grown on the property may still be burned in open piles unless prohibited by local controls, and only on days authorized by the local air district. Open burning of land-clearing debris is therefore controlled by the local air district, which may ban it entirely or require permits.

More Directories

Sources

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