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Land Clearing Contractors in St. Louis, Missouri

Find land clearing contractors serving St. Louis 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 St. Louis

18 land clearing contractors serving St. Louis 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 St. Louis

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 St. Louis?

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 St. Louis-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.

St. Louis Permits and Local Rules

In the City of St. Louis, site grading or excavation requires a building permit from the Building Commissioner, except minor site work that does not change grades by more than six inches at property lines, block drainage or cause erosion.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Building permit for site grading or excavation (Building Code 105.1, 105.2)Any owner who intends to perform site grading or excavation must first apply to the building official and get the required permit. Exempt work includes miscellaneous site work and landscaping, and excavation or fill that does not permanently change elevation more than six inches along property lines, block drainage, or cause erosion or damage to neighbors.Source
City trees: permit to maintain (Secs. 22.48.110, 22.48.150)Pruning or removing any City tree (trees on City property such as street trees) requires a permit to maintain from the Commissioner of Forestry, including removals tied to demolition or construction. Removing a City tree without the permit carries a $500 fine plus reforestation fees and replacement costs, and reasonable steps must be taken to protect City trees during construction.Source
Flood damage review of building permits (Ch. 25.16)The Building Commissioner reviews building permit applications to minimize flood damage, and construction in flood hazard locations must be anchored, use flood-resistant materials and methods, and provide adequate drainage.Source
MSD review of site drainageThe Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District states that public and private sewerage and drainage works within MSD boundaries, including any altering of a storm drainage channel, site drainage or flood plain, require MSD review and approval.Source
Excavation in public right-of-wayA Street Department excavation permit is needed any time part of the public right-of-way is removed, creating a cavity or unequal grade; applicants need a City of St. Louis business license.Source
Call 811 before diggingRSMo 319.026 requires an excavator to serve notice of intent to excavate on the notification center (Missouri One Call, 811 or 1-800-DIG-RITE) at least two working days, but not more than ten working days, before the planned start of excavation, by 24-hour toll-free phone or the internet.Source
Construction stormwater permitLand disturbance permits are required for construction disturbance of one or more acres, or less than one acre when part of a larger common plan of development or sale, through the Land Disturbance Stormwater General Permit (MO-RA) applied for via ePermitting; a separate Area-Wide permit (MO-R100) is for government jurisdictions only.Source
Burning cleared brushUnder 10 CSR 10-6.045 as summarized by MoDNR, open burning of tree trunks, limbs and vegetation from land clearing is allowed when it takes place outside city limits and more than 200 yards from the nearest occupied structure; commercial land clearing inside city limits or within 200 yards must meet the fuller open burning rule. Tires and used oil may not be used or burned, and local governments (including Kansas City and the City of St. Louis air programs) may impose stricter rules.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 St. Louis

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 St. Louis?

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

Do I need a permit for land clearing in St. Louis?

Usually, yes. The City of St. Louis building code requires a permit for site grading or excavation, unless it is minor site work that changes grades by no more than six inches at property lines and does not block drainage or cause erosion. Removing street or other City trees needs a Forestry permit to maintain, changes to site drainage or floodplain need MSD review, and sites of one acre or more also need MoDNR land disturbance 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 St. Louis?

Under 10 CSR 10-6.045 as summarized by MoDNR, open burning of tree trunks, limbs and vegetation from land clearing is allowed when it takes place outside city limits and more than 200 yards from the nearest occupied structure; commercial land clearing inside city limits or within 200 yards must meet the fuller open burning rule. Tires and used oil may not be used or burned, and local governments (including Kansas City and the City of St. Louis air programs) may impose stricter rules.

More Directories

Sources

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