Land Clearing Contractors in New Orleans, Louisiana
Find land clearing contractors serving New Orleans 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 New Orleans
7 land clearing contractors serving New Orleans 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.
Rapid Response Land Clearing and Mulching
Covington, LA
- Land clearing
- Forestry mulching
- Stump grinding
Service confirmed on land clearing page at rapidresponse-llc.com
Demo Diva
New Orleans, LA
- Land clearing
- Stump grinding
Service confirmed on land clearing page at demodiva.com
Cajun Land Services
French Settlement, LA
- Land clearing
- Forestry mulching
Service confirmed on land clearing page at cajunlandservices.com
Big Easy Demolition: New Orleans Concrete & Demolition Company
New Orleans, LA
- Land clearing
- Stump grinding
Service confirmed on land clearing page at bigeasydemolition.com
Demolition Phase LLC
New Orleans, LA
- Land clearing
- Stump grinding
Service confirmed on land clearing page at demolitionphase.com
Suddy's Excavating
New Orleans, LA
- Land clearing
Service confirmed on land clearing page at suddys.com
TurnKey Demolition: New Orleans Concrete & Demolition Company
New Orleans, LA
- Land clearing
Service confirmed on land clearing page at turnkeydemoteam.com
Land Clearing Services in New Orleans
| Service | Best for |
|---|---|
| Brush clearing | Overgrown lots, fence lines, pasture recovery |
| Forestry mulching | Brush and small trees, with no debris to haul |
| Lot clearing | Making a residential lot buildable |
| Full clearing and grubbing | Removing trees, stumps and roots for construction |
| Selective clearing | Keeping chosen trees on a wooded lot |
How Much Do Land Clearing Contractors Charge in New Orleans?
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 New Orleans-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.
New Orleans Permits and Local Rules
New Orleans’ zoning ordinance prohibits clear-cutting of forests unless the owner has a forest management plan with a replanting plan, prepared by a licensed forester and approved by the State Department of Agriculture.
| Rule | What it means for your project | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Clear-cutting ban and tree preservation | CZO Section 23.10 prohibits clear-cutting of forests unless the property owner has a forest management plan with a replanting plan prepared by a licensed forester and approved by the State Department of Agriculture. Landscape plan approval requires preserving public right-of-way or street trees over 6 inches DBH, and removed trees must be replaced, with removal allowed only for listed reasons approved by the City Planning Commission’s Executive Director. | Source |
| Permit for work on City trees | A Tree Maintenance permit is required to do any work on any City tree; a Louisiana licensed arborist submits the work description, license copy and insurance certificate to forestry@nola.gov. The permit is free. | Source |
| Stormwater management plan and erosion control | Development or redevelopment (other than one- and two-family homes and residential buildings with fewer than six units) with 5,000 square feet or more of impervious surface or a site of 1 acre or more needs a stormwater management plan under the Stormwater Code in the Building Code. Contractors must provide erosion and sediment control where ground is disturbed, plus catch basin protection. | Source |
| Floodplain development permit | City Code Sec. 78-78 makes it unlawful to proceed with any new development without a permit from the Director of Safety and Permits; under the flood damage prevention article, development includes filling, grading, excavation and storage of equipment or materials. | Source |
| Call 811 before digging | Before any excavation or demolition, the excavator or demolisher must give telephonic or electronic notice to the regional notification center (Louisiana 811) at least 48 hours but not more than 120 hours in advance, excluding weekends and listed holidays (La. R.S. 40:1749.13(B)(1)). | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) issues LPDES general permits for construction stormwater: LAR200000 covers small construction disturbing 1 acre or more but less than 5 acres (issued 08/25/23, expires 08/24/28), and LAR100000 covers construction of 5 acres or more (issued 10/01/24, expires 09/30/29). Covered sites typically submit a Notice of Intent. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | LDEQ summarizes LAC 33:III.1109.D (exception 6) as allowing outdoor burning of trees, brush, grass and other vegetable matter for land clearing and right-of-way maintenance only if winds blow away from a town or city, the fire is at least 1,000 feet from any dwelling not on the property, material has minimal dirt, no heavy oils, rubber or other smoky non-plant material is burned, burning is between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and no traffic hazard is created. | 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 New Orleans
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 New Orleans?
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 New Orleans-specific average is published, so compare written quotes for the same scope.
Do I need a permit for land clearing in New Orleans?
It depends on the work. Clear-cutting forested land is prohibited in New Orleans unless you have a state-approved forest management plan with replanting, and any work on City trees needs a free Tree Maintenance permit. Grading, filling or excavation counts as development that needs a permit from the Department of Safety and Permits, and larger projects (1 acre or more of site area or 5,000 square feet or more of impervious surface, excluding small residential) need a stormwater management plan.
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 New Orleans?
LDEQ summarizes LAC 33:III.1109.D (exception 6) as allowing outdoor burning of trees, brush, grass and other vegetable matter for land clearing and right-of-way maintenance only if winds blow away from a town or city, the fire is at least 1,000 feet from any dwelling not on the property, material has minimal dirt, no heavy oils, rubber or other smoky non-plant material is burned, burning is between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and no traffic hazard is created.
More Directories
- All Louisiana land clearing contractors
- Baton Rouge land clearing contractors
- All land clearing contractors
Sources
- Clear-cutting ban and tree preservation (Article 23 adopted by Ord. 27,683 MCS, March 6, 2018)
- Permit for work on City trees (Last updated 2024-03-15)
- Stormwater management plan and erosion control (Last updated 2025-05-20)
- Floodplain development permit (Ord. No. 26906, eff. 2016-06-01)
- Louisiana: 811 requirement (no date)
- Louisiana: Construction stormwater permit (no date (permit dates 2023/2024))
- Louisiana: Open burning rules (2019 (per document title))
- Angi: How Much Does It Cost to Clear Land? (updated September 28, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does It Cost to Clear Land? (written November 20, 2025)
Listings checked October 2026 against each company’s website. Prices are attributed national estimates, not New Orleans quotes. Permit summaries are a starting point; confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county.