Land Clearing Contractors in Tennessee
Find land clearing contractors serving Tennessee properties for brush clearing, lot clearing, tree and stump removal, forestry mulching and full site clearing. We list 46 land clearing contractors across 3 Tennessee metros, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse Tennessee Land Clearing Contractors by City
- Memphis land clearing contractors: 7 verified
- Knoxville land clearing contractors: 28 verified
- Nashville land clearing contractors: 11 verified
Tennessee Land Clearing Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | 28 | 8 | 8 |
| Memphis | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Nashville | 11 | 6 | 2 |
| Total listings | 46 | 16 | 12 |
Counts come from the listings on each city page. The Contractors column is the number of land clearing companies listed; each confirms land clearing on its own website. The other columns count companies whose sites also confirm that service, so one company can appear in more than one column.
How Much Do Land Clearing Contractors Charge in Tennessee?
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 Tennessee-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.
Tennessee Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | Anyone who plans or performs any excavation must contact Tennessee 811 at least three working days (72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays) before digging. Each excavating company needs its own locate request; a homeowner’s ticket does not cover a hired excavator. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | Construction activities (including clearing, grubbing and grading) that disturb one acre or more, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development or sale, need coverage under TDEC’s Construction Stormwater General Permit (TNR100000). The current permit is effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | TDEC’s open burning rule (TAPCR 1200-03-04) has an exception for burning wood waste solely for disposal, subject to Tenn. Code Ann. 68-201-115(c): within 200 feet of an occupied building someone must attend the burn the whole time, each burn may last no more than 48 hours, and no more than twice in 30 days; within 100 feet an adult occupant must give written authorization. Construction/demolition debris and vegetation not grown on site may not be burned. Separately, a Tennessee Division of Forestry burn permit is required from October 15 to May 15 where local rules do not supersede, and cities may have their own permit systems. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Memphis: Removing trees 10 inches DBH or larger from a non-exempt lot in Memphis or unincorporated Shelby County requires filing a tree removal Notice of Intent with the Office of Planning and Development 10 to 45 working days before work starts.
- Knoxville: In Knoxville you need a City site development permit before grading, filling or clearing any site in a way that disturbs soil, and you must leave a 30- to 60-foot riparian buffer along streams undisturbed.
- Nashville: In Metro Nashville a grading permit from Metro Water Services is needed once you disturb more than 10,000 square feet or move more than 100 cubic yards, and any grading in a floodplain needs one regardless of size.
How to Choose a Contractor in Tennessee
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, read the land clearing guide, land clearing cost per acre and land clearing permits.
Sources
- Tennessee: 811 requirement (no date)
- Tennessee: Construction stormwater permit (last modified 2026-10-02)
- Tennessee: Open burning rules (last modified 2026-07-06; Division of Forestry permit season per https://www.tn.gov/tnwildlandfire/prevention/safe-debris-burning.html (no date))
- 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)
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Confirm permit requirements for your parcel with the city or county.