Land clearing, San Antonio

Land clearing in San Antonio,permits sorted first.

Land and lot clearing across San Antonio and its ETJ, with a focus on the northwest side. The city's tree ordinance, oak rules and aquifer rules decide what can be cleared and when, so they come first.

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Land clearing, San Antonio

Clearing land under San Antonio's rules

Clearing in San Antonio is not like clearing out in Bandera County. The city's tree ordinance covers private land in the city limits and the ETJ, the city has its own oak pruning window, and much of the northwest side sits over the Edwards Aquifer.

None of that stops a clearing job. It just changes the order: survey and permit, mark the keepers, clear at the right time of year, and deal with the brush in a way that is legal on that tract.

Highlander Construction is based next door in Helotes and serves San Antonio, from the Loop 1604 corridor and Scenic Loop out to Leon Springs and the Government Canyon area.

Local detail

What changes in San Antonio

Tree ordinance: permit before clearing

The ordinance applies to private property in the city limits and the ETJ. Permits or affidavits are needed "before starting any clearing vegetation, construction or tree removal." Significant trees start at 6 inches in diameter, heritage trees at 24 inches, and big species, Ashe juniper included, count at 10 inches on one trunk (City of San Antonio FAQ). That means even large cedar can be regulated here.

The city's oak window

Inside the city and ETJ, oak pruning is to be kept to a minimum from February 1 to July 1, and all cuts and wounds on oaks are to be painted no more than 30 minutes after they are made (City of San Antonio FAQ). Clearing around oaks is planned around those dates where possible.

Aquifer rules on the northwest side

Over the recharge zone, SAWS requires its aquifer protection plan before development and limits impervious cover (SAWS). TCEQ lists "clearing of vegetation without soil disturbance" as an exclusion from its Edwards rules, but grubbing and grading are soil disturbance (30 TAC 213.3). Ask before roots come out.

Brush inside and outside the city

TCEQ's rules say to burn outside city limits unless a city ordinance allows it (AgriLife). Inside the city, cleared brush is hauled. Out in the unincorporated county, Bexar County sets burn bans, such as its November 2025 order (Bexar County).

Questions

Land clearing questions: San Antonio

Not sure if we handle it? Call and ask.

(830) 328-3684 mullins840@gmail.com

Do I need a tree permit to clear my lot in San Antonio?

If the lot is in the city limits or the ETJ, permits or affidavits are needed before clearing vegetation. The city's development services handle it.

Does cedar count under the tree ordinance?

Yes. The ordinance lists Ashe juniper among the larger species that count as significant at 10 inches in diameter on one trunk.

Can you burn brush inside the city?

Generally not, unless the city allows it. Inside the city, brush is hauled off.

What does land clearing cost in San Antonio?

It depends on brush density, tree size, rock, access and where the brush goes. We give free estimates. See what land clearing costs depend on.

On the job

Photos from our work

Real photos from Highlander Construction jobs. Captions say what each shows. More in recent work.

Crawler dozer parked on freshly cleared pasture under an oak limb, with pushed trees in the distance — Dozer on fresh cleared ground

Fresh clearing seen from a machine cab, with track marks, pushed brush and dead trees along the edge — Clearing, from the cab

Cleared pasture with a few select trees left standing — Pasture cleared, select trees kept

Brush pile burning on a land clearing job beside a live oak — Brush pile burn on a clearing job

Do you need a permit to clear land here?

Tree ordinances, the Helotes survey, Edwards Aquifer plans, floodplains and who to call.

Read the guide

Guide

Oak wilt and clearing: protecting your oaks.

How oak wilt spreads, the February to June rule, painting wounds and San Antonio's oak rules.

Read the guide

Guide

Edwards Aquifer rules for land work.

Which counties, when a TCEQ plan is needed, what is excluded and what it means for each kind of job.

Read the guide

Sources

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