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Land Clearing Contractors in Atlanta, Georgia

Find land clearing contractors serving Atlanta 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 Atlanta

23 land clearing contractors serving Atlanta 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 Atlanta

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 Atlanta?

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 Atlanta-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.

Atlanta Permits and Local Rules

In Atlanta you need a City Arborist permit to remove any non-pine tree 6 inches DBH or larger, or any pine 12 inches or larger, on private property, and each healthy tree removed must be replaced inch-for-inch or paid for at $140 per inch (2026).

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Tree removal permit and recompense (City Code Ch. 158, Art. II)A permit from the City Arborist is required to remove or destroy any regulated tree on private property: any tree other than a pine with a DBH of 6 inches or more, and pines 12 inches DBH or more (dead, dying, hazardous and invasive trees of that size also need permits). Removed healthy trees must be replaced inch-for-inch in caliper or paid for as recompense at $140 per inch effective January 1, 2026 (adjusted yearly), with per-acre caps for new subdivisions, new lots and vacant lots tied to minimum tree retention by zoning district.Source
Land disturbance (LDA) permit (City Code 74-38, 74-39)A land-disturbing activity permit is required for any land disturbance unless exempt; it is applied for through the Office of Buildings as part of a building permit with an erosion and sedimentation control plan. Exemptions include projects under 5,000 square feet of disturbance (not within 200 feet of a perennial stream or part of a 1-acre common plan) and single-family home construction under one acre, but those projects must still meet the City’s minimum erosion control requirements.Source
75-foot stream bufferThe City of Atlanta has a 75-foot riparian buffer (150 feet where applicable) in addition to the state 25-foot buffer. Encroachments must be approved by the Riparian Buffer Technical Panel, and an authorized encroachment is a precondition for a land disturbance permit (City Code Ch. 74, Art. VII).Source
Floodplain: no fill, no new developmentAll work in a designated flood hazard area requires a permit. The City prohibits any filling in the floodplain, says new development in the floodplain is illegal, and requires the floodway to be kept open (City Code Ch. 74, Art. VI).Source
Post-development stormwater ordinanceAtlanta’s stormwater ordinance applies to nearly every type of development, including single-family residential, and requires new development and redevelopment to manage the first inch of rainfall with green infrastructure (City Code Ch. 74, Art. X).Source
Call 811 before diggingDiggers, including do-it-yourselfers and contractors, must contact Georgia 811 (online ticket or by dialing 811) at least three business days before any digging project.Source
Construction stormwater permitConstruction causing contiguous land disturbance of one acre or more, or smaller tracts within a larger common plan of development of one acre or more, need coverage under Georgia EPD’s NPDES construction stormwater general permits: GAR100001 (stand-alone), GAR100002 (infrastructure) and GAR100003 (common development).Source
Burning cleared brushBurning vegetative debris from land clearing, construction and right-of-way maintenance is a legal burn type in Georgia but requires a Georgia Forestry Commission permit, as does land clearing with an air curtain destructor. Land clearing burns are banned May 1 to September 30 in 54 listed counties and October 1 to April 30 in 27 high-population counties.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 Atlanta

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 Atlanta?

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

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Atlanta?

Usually yes. Atlanta requires a land disturbance permit for land-disturbing activity unless it is exempt, such as under 5,000 square feet and not within 200 feet of a perennial stream, and a separate City Arborist permit to remove any regulated tree (non-pines 6 inches DBH and up, pines 12 inches and up), with replacement or recompense. Work in the 75-foot stream buffer needs an approved encroachment, filling in the floodplain is prohibited, and disturbing one acre or more also needs Georgia EPD NPDES coverage.

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 Atlanta?

Burning vegetative debris from land clearing, construction and right-of-way maintenance is a legal burn type in Georgia but requires a Georgia Forestry Commission permit, as does land clearing with an air curtain destructor. Land clearing burns are banned May 1 to September 30 in 54 listed counties and October 1 to April 30 in 27 high-population counties.

More Directories

Sources

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