LandClearingGuide
Search Find a Contractor

Land Clearing Contractors in Greenville, South Carolina

Find land clearing contractors serving Greenville 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 Greenville

24 land clearing contractors serving Greenville 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 Greenville

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 Greenville?

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 Greenville-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.

Greenville Permits and Local Rules

In Greenville, clearing that removes canopy trees 6 inches DBH or larger during permitted development must be offset by replacement or fee-in-lieu, and land substantially cleared for forestry is barred from development applications for 36 months.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Tree removal and replacementTree protection applies to land-disturbing activities that need a permit. Removing or injuring canopy trees 6 inches DBH or larger (non-invasive) requires replacement equal to the total DBH removed, or a fee-in-lieu capped at $25,000 per acre. Removing trees without the required permit can bring retroactive mitigation fees plus an extra fine of $25,000 per disturbed acre for new construction and non-single-family sites.Source
Heritage treesA heritage tree is a healthy tree 20 inches DBH or more in a setback or buffer, 40 inches DBH or more anywhere in the City, or one of cultural importance. Heritage trees cannot be cut, removed or harmed without written approval through a Heritage Tree Disturbance Form, and removal adds a $45 per caliper inch fine; this applies even to existing single-family homes bought on or after July 1, 2021.Source
Forestry clearing waiting periodAgricultural and forestry tree removal is exempt from tree protection, but if a site is substantially cleared for those purposes, no development applications are accepted for 36 months after clearing ends. The owner must show the clearing was a commercial timber operation with a forestry plan; a timber sale alone does not count.Source
City stormwater permitsA minor stormwater permit is required for development disturbing more than 10,000 square feet or 50% or more of the parcel. A major stormwater permit is required for disturbance over 1 acre, 0.25 acre or more of new impervious surface, or any development in a regulatory floodplain, among other triggers.Source
Floodplain compensatory storageDisturbance of natural riverine floodplains must be avoided, and development may not raise flood levels. Any flood storage lost in a regulatory floodplain must be replaced with compensatory storage of at least 1.5 times the volume lost, and some projects need a Conditional Letter of Map Revision before a floodplain development permit is issued.Source
Call 811 before diggingState law requires a locate request to SC811 before any excavation begins. For a normal request, operators have three full working days to mark their lines (working days exclude the day you submit, weekends and holidays); you may dig the next working day once Positive Response shows all locates are complete. A normal ticket is valid for 15 working days. Underwater excavation needs at least 10 working days’ notice and large projects at least 30 days. Private lines are the owner’s responsibility to have marked. SC811 reports that a new state law (HB 3571) took effect May 22, 2026.Source
Construction stormwater permitThe SC Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), under EPA delegation, issues coverage under the NPDES Construction General Permit SCR100000. Coverage is required for projects that disturb more than one acre, or that are part of a larger common plan that disturbs one acre or more. Sites within one-half mile of a coastal receiving water body must also apply. The re-issued permit takes effect March 30, 2026 and expires March 30, 2031.Source
Burning cleared brushSCDES Regulation 61-62.2 prohibits open burning except as listed. Burning land-clearing debris (outside predominantly residential areas) is allowed only if: the burn is at least 1,000 feet from public roadways and far enough from neighboring homes and businesses; the wind blows smoke away from roads and occupied sites; only plant material generated on site is burned, with salvageable timber and pulpwood removed first; burning starts between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. with no material added between 3 p.m. and 9 a.m.; and no more than two 30-by-30-foot piles burn within a six-acre area at once. Local ordinances still apply. Separately, S.C. Code 48-35-10 requires notifying the State Forester before outdoor burning of woods, brush or debris; that chapter does not apply inside town or city limits (48-35-30) and bars burning during a declared forest fire emergency (scstatehouse.gov/code/t48c035.php).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 Greenville

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 Greenville?

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

Do I need a permit for land clearing in Greenville?

Often, yes. Greenville requires a City stormwater permit for disturbance over 10,000 square feet (or 50% or more of the parcel), and a major permit over 1 acre or in a floodplain. Removing canopy trees 6 inches DBH or larger during permitted work requires replacement or a fee, and heritage trees need written approval to remove. Existing single-family homes are largely exempt from tree rules except for heritage trees.

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 Greenville?

SCDES Regulation 61-62.2 prohibits open burning except as listed. Burning land-clearing debris (outside predominantly residential areas) is allowed only if: the burn is at least 1,000 feet from public roadways and far enough from neighboring homes and businesses; the wind blows smoke away from roads and occupied sites; only plant material generated on site is burned, with salvageable timber and pulpwood removed first; burning starts between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. with no material added between 3 p.m. and 9 a.m.; and no more than two 30-by-30-foot piles burn within a six-acre area at once. Local ordinances still apply. Separately, S.C. Code 48-35-10 requires notifying the State Forester before outdoor burning of woods, brush or debris; that chapter does not apply inside town or city limits (48-35-30) and bars burning during a declared forest fire emergency (scstatehouse.gov/code/t48c035.php).

More Directories

Sources

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