Land Clearing Permits in Lehigh Acres and Lee County
Land clearing permits for a Lehigh Acres lot are spread across several offices: Lee County for trees, building, the driveway and code issues, LA-MSID for canals, DEP for wetlands, FWC for tortoises and owls, the Florida Forest Service for burning, and Sunshine 811 for digging. This page goes job by job. Each entry gives the rule, the office that decides, its contact, and the source, all checked November 2026.
First: is the land in a city?
Lehigh Acres is unincorporated, so Lee County's rules apply. If your land is near a city line, check which side it's on: cities such as Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Sanibel, Estero and Fort Myers Beach run their own code offices. Lee County's Department of Community Development (DCD) is at 1500 Monroe Street in Fort Myers; main line 239-533-8585, permitting 239-533-8329, zoning information 239-533-8329.
Clearing a single-family lot under 5 acres
Rule: Lee County's vegetation removal permit applies to single-family clearing of 5 acres or more on the mainland (2 acres or more on Pine Island, any lot on a barrier island), so a typical Lehigh lot isn't on that list. The other rules on this page still apply. If you plan to clear well before building, confirm with DCD first.
Decides: Lee DCD Environmental Sciences, 239-533-8585, DCDVegetation@leegov.com. Source: vegetation removal permit guide (June 2026) and submittal requirements. More in Lee County tree rules.
Clearing a single-family parcel of 5 acres or more
Rule: a vegetation removal permit. The fee on the county's application form (May 2021) is $30 plus $1 per tree, not to exceed $25 per acre, doubled after the fact. The two county forms word the threshold slightly differently at exactly 5 acres; ask.
Decides: Lee DCD Environmental Sciences, through eConnect. Source: vegetation removal application. More in acreage clearing.
Clearing agricultural land
Rule: clearing agriculturally zoned land for bona fide agriculture needs a Notice of Clearing before work begins, unless the parcel is already classified agricultural for tax purposes under F.S. 193.461(3)(b). A rezoning filed and granted within three years brings in open space and reforestation rules.
Decides: Lee DCD Environmental Sciences, 239-533-8585. Source: Notice of Clearing page.
Removing a hazard tree or a protected tree
Rule: the county approves removing a protected tree that meets the hazard criteria in Land Development Code §14-412, such as endangering a building or blocking reasonable access, and may require relocation instead. At an existing single-family home, state law (F.S. 163.045) bars local permits, fees and replanting for a tree documented as an unacceptable risk by an ISA-certified arborist or a Florida-licensed landscape architect.
Decides: Lee DCD, 239-533-8585. Source: hazard tree page and F.S. 163.045.
Building a house on the lot
Rule: the building permit needs a site plan at 1/8 inch to the foot or larger; a site fill grading plan if finished grade will be more than 18 inches above the road crown or a developed neighbor (outside an active Development Order); the septic permit applied for first, with the paid receipt; a Well Affidavit or a utility availability letter; a recorded Notice of Commencement for work over $2,500; and, for owner-builders, the state disclosure signed in person. An elevation certificate is due before the tie-beam or framing inspection.
Decides: Lee DCD Permitting, 239-533-8329. Source: single-family permit guide. More in lot clearing.
Driveway and culvert onto a county road
Rule: a residential driveway permit through eConnect: $95 single, $120 double. No work in the right-of-way before it's issued; a poured concrete or asphalt apron from the road edge to the right-of-way line; stakeout requested within 30 days of payment; inspections requested 24 hours ahead; final inspection before the Certificate of Occupancy.
Decides: Lee County DOT, 239-533-9300, dotengineering@leegov.com; inspections 239-533-8997. Source: residential driveway permit page and driveway request worksheet.
Work on or across a canal
Rule: a District permit to connect to, cross, or place structures on LA-MSID lands or drainage facilities. Culverts designed by a Florida-licensed professional engineer; reinforced concrete pipe over 12 inches unless approved otherwise; a 15-foot minimum berm from the top of the bank; no permanent buildings, pools or parking on District rights-of-way; fees double if work starts first. The District's pages describe the single-family threshold differently, so call.
Decides: LA-MSID, 601 East County Lane, Lehigh Acres; 239-368-0044; Monday to Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Source: District permits page and permitting policy.
Wetlands on the lot
Rule: clearing, filling or excavating wetlands typically requires an Environmental Resource Permit. Single-family parcels are generally handled by DEP. Lee County holds building permits on parcels with wetlands until the permit is issued and a copy is provided.
Decides: Florida DEP South District, 2295 Victoria Ave., Suite 364, Fort Myers; 239-344-5600. Source: Lee County wetland permitting page and DEP South District.
Gopher tortoise burrows
Rule: any work within 25 feet of a burrow is a disturbance, and disturbing a potentially occupied burrow requires a permit. None is needed if every burrow is avoided by 25 feet in all directions.
Decides: FWC; Southwest Region gopher tortoise contact (863) 648-3856. Source: FWC gopher tortoise permits. More in gopher tortoises on a lot.
Burrowing owl burrows
Rule: FWC's guidelines set a buffer of 10 feet from July 11 to February 14 and 33 feet from February 15 to July 10 around potentially occupied burrows. Work that results in take needs an incidental take permit. FWC approved revisions to the guidelines in August 2025; ask whether they're in effect.
Decides: FWC wildlife permits, (850) 921-5990, WildlifePermits@myfwc.com. Source: FWC burrowing owl guidelines. More in burrowing owls on a lot.
Invasive plants
Rule: Lee County prohibits planting Brazilian pepper, melaleuca, Australian pine and the other listed invasives and requires their removal from the development area; on a developed property they can lead to Code Enforcement action.
Decides: Lee DCD Environmental Sciences, 239-533-8585. Source: prohibited invasive plant guide (June 2026). More in Brazilian pepper and underbrush.
An overgrown lot
Rule: under Ordinance 14-08, grass and weeds over 12 inches covering more than half of an unimproved lot within 150 feet of developed property, in a platted subdivision or Future Urban Area, are a nuisance. The owner gets 21 days to abate after a mailed notice.
Decides: Lee County Code Enforcement, 239-533-8895, CodeEnforcement@leegov.com. Source: Ordinance 14-08. More in overgrown lots.
Burning the debris
Rule: Florida Forest Service authorization before any pile burn; setbacks under rule 5I-2.006, including 300 feet from other people's occupied buildings for residential piles; no burning while a Lee County burn ban is in effect. A countywide ban was enacted January 20, 2026; check whether one is in effect now.
Decides: Florida Forest Service; Lee County (announced on leegov.com) for bans; Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District, 239-303-5300. Source: F.S. 590.125 and rule 5I-2.006. More in burning clearing debris.
Digging for stumps, culverts or grading
Rule: call Sunshine 811 no less than two full business days before any digging starts. A locate ticket is good for 30 calendar days. The single-family owner exemption covers only the owner's own digging to 10 inches.
Contact: Sunshine 811, 811 or (800) 432-4770. Source: Sunshine 811 and F.S. 556.105. More in stump grinding.
Septic and well
Rule: new septic systems in unincorporated Lee County must be designed by a Florida licensed professional engineer; the base permit fee is $390, plus $115 for a site evaluation. A new well's permit has to be finaled before the Certificate of Occupancy, and an existing well needs a compliance letter.
Decides: Health Department in Lee County, LeeEH@flhealth.gov; Lee County Natural Resources (wells), 239-533-8810, and 239-533-8109 for existing-well compliance letters. Source: new septic permit page and the county permit guide.
Got a lot in Lehigh Acres that needs clearing?
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