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Land Clearing Contractors in Albany, New York

Find land clearing contractors serving Albany 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 Albany

30 land clearing contractors serving Albany 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 Albany

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 Albany?

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 Albany-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.

Albany Permits and Local Rules

In Albany, clear-cutting (removing more than 50% of trees or vegetation per acre in a five-year cycle) on a parcel over one acre is not allowed without approval of a major development plan, and any grading needs a city stormwater, grading and erosion permit.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Clear-cutting needs major development plan approvalChapter 345 defines clear-cutting as removing more than 50% of the existing trees or vegetation per acre over any five-year cycle. On parcels over one acre, clear-cutting is not permitted without approval of a major development plan (Sec. 345-18A).Source
Permit for work on street and park treesA tree and vegetation permit from the Department of General Services is required before anyone cuts, prunes, removes or replaces a tree in a public street or park (Sec. 345-5A). The City can order removal of hazardous dead or diseased trees on private land and bill the owner if not done within 30 days.Source
Stormwater, grading and erosion permitNo one may grade land, or import or export earth materials to or from a grading site, without a stormwater, grading and erosion permit issued under Sec. 375-5E(12) (Sec. 211-4). Plans are reviewed by the City Engineer, a performance bond is required before the permit is issued, and the work is inspected.Source
Floodplain development permit (FP-O overlay)The Floodplain Overlay applies to all FEMA special flood hazard areas in the city; the Chief Building Official grants floodplain development permits. Fill or new construction in a floodway is barred without an engineering showing of no rise in flood levels, and fill below base flood elevation must be offset by equal excavation.Source
Call 811 before diggingExcavators and contractors must contact New York 811 (online ITIC or by calling 811) at least two working days but no more than 10 days before digging, not counting weekends and legal holidays.Source
Construction stormwater permitNYSDEC issues SPDES General Permit GP-0-25-001 for construction stormwater (effective Jan 29, 2025, expires Jan 28, 2030). Coverage is required for soil disturbance of one or more acres; 5,000 sq ft or more in the NYC East of Hudson watershed; and, inside New York City, 20,000 sq ft or more (or 5,000 sq ft or more of new impervious area), including smaller parts of a larger common plan of development.Source
Burning cleared brushStatewide, burning trash, leaves and treated or painted wood is banned. Downed limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long may be burned on site only in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents, and never from March 16 through May 14. Open fires of organic agricultural waste are allowed on contiguous farmland over 5 acres. The DEC page does not list land-clearing or construction debris as an allowed exception, so large land-clearing burn piles are not authorized by these 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 Albany

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 Albany?

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

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Albany?

Usually, if the clearing involves grading or moving soil: Albany requires a stormwater, grading and erosion permit for grading, reviewed by the City Engineer and backed by a performance bond. Clear-cutting more than half the vegetation on a parcel over one acre needs major development plan approval. Work in a FEMA flood zone needs a floodplain development permit, and any work on street or park trees needs a tree and vegetation 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 Albany?

Statewide, burning trash, leaves and treated or painted wood is banned. Downed limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long may be burned on site only in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents, and never from March 16 through May 14. Open fires of organic agricultural waste are allowed on contiguous farmland over 5 acres. The DEC page does not list land-clearing or construction debris as an allowed exception, so large land-clearing burn piles are not authorized by these rules.

More Directories

Sources

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