Tree service in Dripping Springs, in short
Send the form and a local tree pro calls you back. Inside city limits, you can remove any tree on your lot except a heritage tree, which needs a city waiver. And city law bans trimming or cutting oaks from February 1 to the end of July (Art. 28.06).
Heritage trees
Dripping Springs is in northern Hays County, just west of Austin (City of Dripping Springs). Its tree rules apply to homes inside city limits, not the ETJ. "A property owner may remove any tree, other than a heritage tree" (Sec. 28.06.052).
- What's a heritage tree: a trunk 18 inches or more across for most trees. For Texas persimmon, Texas redbud, Texas mountain laurel, condalia, possum haw (in the floodplain) and hawthorn, 8 inches on one trunk is enough. Invasive trees like Chinese pistache, chinaberry, Chinese tallow and Japanese ligustrum are not protected.
- Exceptions: a tree that is dead, diseased or an imminent hazard, shown by a tree survey and a letter from a certified arborist, and trees damaged by "floods, fire, wind or other natural causes" (Sec. 28.06.054).
- If a waiver is granted: replace the tree at 3 to 1, or pay a fee in lieu of $450 per inch (Sec. 28.06.053).
- Fines: up to $2,000, and "each tree removed or seriously damaged in violation of this ordinance is a separate offense" (Sec. 28.06.008).
- Neighbors' trees: "Any activity that damages a tree on an adjacent lot is prohibited."
Source: Dripping Springs code, Art. 28.06.
The form is the city's Tree Removal Waiver Application; if an arborist review is needed, its cost is billed to you. Questions go to the Building Department, 511 Mercer St., 512-858-4725 (City).
The oak cutting ban
Here it's law, not advice: "Trimming or cutting of any oak species is prohibited from the first day of February to the last day of July." Weather damage is exempt. Every wound has to be painted "within 30 minutes from the time of cutting," and a crew pruning oaks without a shown ability to seal all wounds over 0.75 inches within 30 minutes must stop work (Sec. 28.06.055, city code). Ask the tree pro how they paint cuts before they start.
The Texas A&M Forest Service Austin Region covers Hays County for oak wilt help (TFS contacts), and its Hays County map shows where it has noted dead trees. Our oak wilt guide.
Power lines
Pedernales Electric Cooperative serves the city, 888-554-4732 (City). PEC takes tree trimming requests online and a PEC utility forester follows up. Its distribution rights of way are "typically a minimum of 10 feet on each side of the lines" (PEC). Don't trim near a line yourself.
Brush and burning
- Curbside, city limits only: bulky and yard waste every other week on trash day, up to 4 cubic yards, bundled and tied, cut to 4 ft, limbs 6 inches or less (TDS welcome packet). ETJ homes aren't covered (City).
- Rural homes: Hays County Citizens Collection – Driftwood, 20290 FM 150, Tuesday to Saturday, 8 am to 4 pm. The county says these sites are "for rural residents who do not have waste or recycling services at their home" (Hays County). Check its fee schedule before you go.
- Burning: a county burn ban puts a city burn ban in effect at once, and any open burning must be at least 300 ft from a structure (Ch. 8). Check Hays County's burn ban status first, or ask the Hays County Fire Marshal (512-393-7300).
Clearing cedar on a bigger lot
Mature cedar is "the home of the endangered golden-cheeked warblers," and pushing it with bulldozers is hard on thin, rocky soil (Texas Parks and Wildlife). Hays County's Regional Habitat Conservation Plan "provides a streamlined way for landowners to comply with the Endangered Species Act" (Hays County RHCP). Read it before clearing a lot of old cedar.
What tree work costs
Ballpark figures only: we have no Dripping Springs average, so these are LawnStarter's averages for Austin, the nearest city we have its figures for: $298 for a small tree, $776 for a medium one, $1,634 for a large one, and $238 to grind a stump (October 2026). What moves the price.
Questions people ask
Should live oak trees be trimmed in Dripping Springs?
They can be, from August through January, with every cut painted within 30 minutes; late fall and winter are best. February through July is closed by city law. Best months to prune.
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree?
Inside city limits, only for a heritage tree, and then it's a waiver. Outside the city, in the ETJ, the home rules don't apply.
How can I get help paying for tree removal?
For oak wilt, Texas A&M Forest Service cost-share may cover up to half of approved costs. All the help we know of.
How many branches can you cut off a tree without killing it?
No single number is safe for every tree. What to ask the pro.
Nearby
We also connect homeowners in Wimberley and San Marcos with local tree pros. See the Hill Country overview.