Tree removal and tree service help for Tacoma & Puyallup
Plain answers on cost, permits and storm damage, plus a free way to get a quote from one vetted local tree company. Your number isn't sold to a list.
Tree down right now? Read this first →
What tree work costs around here
Published averages for Tacoma put a small tree around $320–$490, a medium tree around $560–$840, and a large tree around $1,770. Big Douglas firs or cedars close to a house can run several thousand dollars. Stump grinding averages about $240 per stump.
Sources: LawnStarter Tacoma averages; ProMatcher Tacoma cost report; Homeyou Tacoma estimator. Details and more sources in the cost guide.
Do I need a permit?
Tacoma
Usually no for a tree on your own lot. You do need one if the tree is in a regulated critical area (wetland, stream, steep slope and similar), if you're removing it during development in an Urban Residential zone, or if it's a street tree in the right-of-way.
City of Tacoma Tree FAQ (2025); Tacoma Permits street tree tip sheet.
Puyallup
Usually no on single-family lots or properties with up to 4 units, unless the tree is in a critical area or on the city's Heritage Tree list. Street trees over 6" and anything within 15 ft of power lines are regulated.
City of Puyallup tree FAQ and Tree Removal Flow Chart.
Unincorporated Pierce County
A clearing permit is needed above 7,000 sq ft of clearing, or for any clearing in a critical area.
Pierce County Planning & Public Works.
More permit, insurance and neighbor-tree answers in the FAQ →
Before you hire anyone: a 6-point checklist
- Check L&I registration. Washington law treats tree removal as contractor work (RCW 18.27.010). Look up the company at L&I Verify.
- Ask for proof of liability insurance and whether the crew is covered by workers' comp.
- Ask who will assess the tree. The City of Tacoma recommends an ISA Certified Arborist for anything involving judgment about risk.
- Get the scope in writing: haul-away or leave wood, chip cleanup, stump grinding and depth, damage to lawn or fence.
- Get 2–3 quotes. Tacoma homeowners on Reddit report quotes for the same job differing by thousands of dollars.
- Never let a tree crew touch a tree in power lines. That's the utility's job. Tacoma Public Utilities Tree Line: (253) 502-8729. PSE: (360) 786-5992.
Get matched with one local tree company
Free, no obligation. We pass your request to one independent, L&I-registered tree company that serves your area. You get a quote from them directly. If we don't have a participating company for your job or town, we'll tell you so.
Areas we cover
Tacoma (North End, Proctor, South End, East Side, Hilltop, Northeast Tacoma), Puyallup and South Hill, plus nearby Fife, Fircrest, University Place, Lakewood, Parkland, Edgewood, Sumner and Bonney Lake, depending on our partner company's service area.