Tree Removal in Jacksonville, AL
Jacksonville is the college town north of Anniston, home to Jacksonville State University and 14,385 residents at the 2020 Census.[1] The referral service covers it. One local rule matters more than most people expect: who has to take the wood away when the job is done.
The tree company hauls its own debris
Jacksonville's Code of Ordinances defines "contractor" to include tree trimmers. Section 19-81 then says a contractor or company paid by a resident or property owner for work on private property must remove the residue, debris or rubbish from that work, except leaves, grass clippings and trimmings. If the material isn't removed within ten days, the code says penalties apply.[3]
In practice: don't plan on a crew stacking logs at the curb for the City truck. When you compare estimates, check that each one says the trunk wood and large limbs leave with the crew, or that you are keeping them as firewood. The same section adds that the City won't pick up limbs, logs or large brush from vacant lots, or from any lot where the health and sanitation fee isn't being paid.[3]
Limbs you cut yourself: curb pickup rules
For your own yard work, the City Street and Sanitation Department collects limbs and shrubbery clippings as bulk and yard waste. Have the pile beside the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day, on the City right-of-way where workers can reach it from the street, and at least 3 feet from mailboxes and power poles.[4]
The code adds detail: limbs, logs and large brush go in one spot, out of the traveled road, the gutter and any drainage, 3 feet from cars and from piles of leaves or other items, and nowhere a wire, branch or roof edge would block the mechanical grapple that lifts them.[3] If the truck misses you, the Street Department number is 256-435-3582.[4]
Trees along the street
The Street Department lists maintenance of right-of-way and ditch areas among its services and takes work orders by phone on weekdays.[5] We didn't find a published Jacksonville rule spelling out who may cut a tree on that strip, so treat a street-side tree as a question for the City before it's a job for a crew.
What the 2018 tornado showed
On March 19, 2018, an EF-3 tornado crossed northern Calhoun County. The National Weather Service survey says it strengthened to winds around 140 mph inside the city, affected the entire Jacksonville State University campus, and did its worst tree damage north of campus. East of town it crossed Choccolocco Mountain, where winds funneled up the valleys and mowed down trees on the slopes.[2]
Hillside and wooded lots like those are where tall trees stand closest to houses. If a storm has already put one on your home, car or a line, start with the storm tree checklist before you look for an estimate.
Lines overhead, utilities underground
Tree work within 10 feet of an overhead line under 50,000 volts is off-limits to unqualified people, Alabama Power says, and belongs to line-clearance qualified workers.[6] Below ground, stump grinding counts as digging: Alabama 811 needs at least three business days' notice before it starts.[7] The stump grinding page covers the rest.
Price
Nobody publishes a Jacksonville price list that we could find. HomeGuide's national survey puts a typical removal at $400 to $1,200.[8] A tree on a slope, over a house, or under a wire will land higher, and haul-off (see above) should be a line on the estimate rather than a surprise. National tables are in the tree removal cost guide.
Getting an estimate in Jacksonville
- Photograph the tree from far enough back to show the house, fence or line beside it.
- Decide whether you want the wood hauled off or left as firewood, and say so in the request.
- If the tree is by the street, call the Street Department (256-435-3582) first.
- Fill in the request form online, and a local tree company follows up to set an on-site visit.
Looking at nearby towns? The service area page covers Anniston, Oxford and Jacksonville.
Quick answers
Will the City of Jacksonville haul off the wood after a paid tree job?
Not usually. Section 19-81 of the city code makes a contractor paid by a resident responsible for removing the debris from its work, apart from leaves, grass clippings and trimmings, and the code counts tree trimmers as contractors. Ask for haul-off to be written into the estimate.
How do I set out limbs I cut myself for Jacksonville curb pickup?
Pile them in one spot on the City right-of-way by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day, where workers can reach them from the street, at least 3 feet from mailboxes, poles and cars, and out of the road, gutter and drainage. Keep the pile clear of overhead wires and branches so the grapple truck can lift it.
Who do I call about a tree along a Jacksonville street?
We found no published Jacksonville rule on who may cut a tree in the right-of-way. The City's Street Department lists right-of-way and ditch maintenance among its jobs and takes work orders at 256-435-3582, so call there before anyone cuts.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Jacksonville city, Alabama (accessed Nov 1, 2026)
- National Weather Service Birmingham, Jacksonville Tornado, March 19, 2018 (accessed Nov 1, 2026)
- City of Jacksonville Code of Ordinances, Ch. 19, Art. IV (Secs. 19-77 to 19-81), via Municode (accessed Nov 1, 2026)
- City of Jacksonville, AL: Garbage, Recycling and Trash Pick Up (accessed Nov 1, 2026)
- City of Jacksonville, AL: Street Department (accessed Nov 1, 2026)
- Alabama Power, Residential Vegetation Management (accessed Oct 17, 2026)
- Alabama Power, Call Before You Dig (Alabama 811) (accessed Oct 16, 2026)
- HomeGuide, Tree removal cost (national) (accessed Oct 16, 2026)