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Land Clearing Contractors in Denver, Colorado

Find land clearing contractors serving Denver 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 Denver

16 land clearing contractors serving Denver 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 Denver

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 Denver?

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 Denver-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.

Denver Permits and Local Rules

In Denver, construction that disturbs 1 acre or more needs a city Construction Activities Stormwater Discharge Permit (CASDP), and removing any tree in the public right-of-way needs a permit from the city forester.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Open burning permitDenver is a delegated agency, so small pile/slash burn permits are issued by the city rather than the state, and burning is prohibited in Denver and six other metro counties from November 1 to March 31.Source
City Forester permit for right-of-way treesPlanting or removing any tree in the public right-of-way (the strip between the curb and the property line) or other public place requires a permit from the city forester (Sec. 57-20(a)). As a condition of the permit, the forester requires mitigation, which may include paying the tree’s appraised value, unless the tree is dead, unsafe, diseased, a nuisance species, or unavoidably damaged.Source
Established trees in residential front and side-street setbacksDuring residential demolition or construction, an established tree (6 inches or more in trunk diameter at 4.5 feet) in the front or side-street setback of a residential zone lot may not be injured or removed without a city forester permit, issued only if the tree is dead or damaged, a hazard, a nuisance species, or blocks reasonable access or permitted development (Sec. 57-20(c), 57-25). Retained trees must be fenced, and equipment, material storage and excavation are kept out from under the canopy.Source
Construction Activities Stormwater Discharge Permit (CASDP)Denver may require a Stormwater Management Plan and a CASDP for construction (including demolition) that disturbs 1 acre or more, sites that are part of a larger development plan, sites with significant erosion potential, or work that disturbs contaminated soils or places fill in waters of the U.S. Grading changes or construction with total disturbance over 1/2 acre may also require an approved Construction Plan and Drainage Report.Source
Regulatory floodplain and floodway limitsDenver’s floodplain article applies to all land in a regulatory floodplain, and ‘development’ includes grading, filling, excavation and storage of equipment or materials (Sec. 56-201, 56-202). Fill, excavation or other development may not impair flood flow or substantially increase erosion or sedimentation, and no encroachment is allowed in a floodway without an engineer’s no-rise certification or a FEMA-approved CLOMR (Sec. 56-203).Source
Call 811 before diggingRegardless of project size, you are legally required to contact Colorado 811 at least three business days before you dig, and wait three full business days after submitting the request.Source
Construction stormwater permitCDPHE’s Water Quality Control Division issues the COR400000 general permit for stormwater discharges from construction activities, applied for through the CEOS portal. The page references an R-Factor waiver for sites between 1 and 5 acres not part of a larger common plan. Under Water Quality Control Commission Regulation 61 (5 CCR 1002-61, Sec. 61.3(2)), a stormwater discharge permit is required for construction activity, including clearing, grading and excavation, that disturbs one acre or more, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will disturb one acre or more.Source
Burning cleared brushSmall pile/slash open burns (under 50 piles a year, piles no larger than 8x8x8 feet, out by sunset) need a permit from a local delegated agency in 16 counties including Denver, or from CDPHE’s Air Pollution Control Division elsewhere. Burning is prohibited November 1-March 31 in the seven-county Denver/Boulder metro area, and no permits are issued during a county fire ban.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 Denver

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 Denver?

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

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Denver?

Often yes. Denver may require a Construction Activities Stormwater Discharge Permit (CASDP) when construction disturbs 1 acre or more or has significant erosion potential, and state COR400000 coverage applies at one acre. Removing right-of-way trees, or established trees in residential front and side-street setbacks during construction, needs a city forester permit, and fill or grading in a regulatory floodplain must meet the city’s floodplain rules. Burning brush piles needs a city permit and is barred from November 1 to March 31.

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 Denver?

Denver is a delegated agency, so small pile/slash burn permits are issued by the city rather than the state, and burning is prohibited in Denver and six other metro counties from November 1 to March 31.

More Directories

Sources

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