Tree Removal & Tree Service
in Deerfield, IL

Progressive Tree Service provides tree removal, tree trimming and 24/7 emergency tree service in Deerfield, IL. Our ISA Certified Arborists can tell you whether a tree can be saved or should come down. In Deerfield, removing a public tree or a tree 8 inches or more in diameter (measured 4.5 feet above the ground) generally needs a Village permit, so this page also explains the local rules. For a free estimate, call (847) 530-1533.

Tree Removal in Deerfield

Tree removal is the right call when a tree is dead, failing, structurally unsound or in the way of a project you have planned. Not every problem tree has to go: the International Society of Arboriculture notes that an arborist managing tree risk may suggest pruning out defective branches, cabling and bracing, routine care, or removing the tree. An arborist can walk you through those options before anything is cut.

How a tree comes down depends on what is around it. In a tight yard, the plan has to work around gates, decks, overhead wires and the roots of the trees you are keeping. You can read how whole-tree removal works on our main removal page.

Dead ash trees deserve quick attention. A 2018 University of Illinois Extension article says a dead ash needs to be removed soon after death because dead ash degrade very quickly and risk injuring bystanders and causing property damage, and that treatment is a viable option when more than 50% of the canopy is living and intact.

Do You Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Deerfield?

Usually, yes. The Village of Deerfield Forestry page says a tree removal permit is required before removing a tree, and the Village tree ordinance makes it unlawful to damage or remove any Public Tree or Protected Tree without one. Under the ordinance, Protected Trees include:

• all public trees, whatever their size;
• any tree on a property measuring 8 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet above the ground;
• multi-stem trees with an aggregate of 15 inches or more;
• Heritage Trees, such as oaks of 25 inches or more and sugar maples or white pines of 20 inches or more.

Deerfield's ordinance excludes buckthorn. Before an approved removal, Deerfield's Village Forester clearly marks the tree. Deerfield's ordinance also requires mitigation for removing a protected tree, either replacement trees or a mitigation fee. Under Deerfield's ordinance, no application, permit or mitigation fee is due when a removal is approved because the tree is dead, dying or diseased, weakened by natural causes, a hazard, consistent with good forestry practice or invading utility lines.

One point worth knowing: an owner who authorizes the removal of a protected tree remains responsible under Deerfield's ordinance, even when someone else does the work. Check the Village's current forms and fees before the work is booked.

How to Apply for a Deerfield Tree Removal Permit

For a removal that is not part of a building project, Deerfield's Tree Preservation Administrative Manual sets out the order:

1. Complete the Village's Tree Removal Permit application and submit it with a sketch showing the location and identification number of each tree to be removed.
2. The Village Forester visits the property to review the application and determine if mitigation is required.

Under Deerfield's ordinance, the Village Forester must clearly mark a Protected Tree authorized for removal before it is removed.

Deerfield's tree removal permit form states the permit is valid for 90 days from the date issued, so it helps to line up the removal date once the permit is in hand.

What a Deerfield Tree Permit Costs

The Village of Deerfield's 2026 fee schedule lists:

• ad hoc tree removal permit application: $200.00;
• permit for dead, hazardous and nuisance trees: waived;
• cash tree replacement: $125 per caliper inch for a protected tree and $175 per caliper inch for a Heritage tree.

Under Deerfield's ordinance, replacement trees must be at least 2 inches caliper, and replacement must be made within 12 months of the permit date. Deerfield's ordinance sets a fine of $100 to $1,500 for each violation. Fees can change, so confirm the current amounts with the Village before you apply.

Building or Adding On? Protecting Trees During Construction

On Deerfield construction projects, required tree protection fence and silt fencing must stay in place until finish grading and landscaping, and can only be removed upon review and approval by the Village Forester. To help prevent two-lined chestnut borer in oaks, the Village also advises avoiding soil compaction and changes to the soil grade or water drainage pattern during construction, and avoiding damage to the bark.

Parkway Trees and Storm Debris in Deerfield

Deerfield's Street Division cleans up fallen branches and debris from the over 23,000 public parkway trees along Village streets. To report broken branches or storm damage to a parkway tree, call Deerfield Public Works at 847-317-7245. The Village prunes parkway trees on a five-year cycle and raises their canopies to a minimum of sixteen feet above the road and eight feet over the sidewalk.

Private trees are a different matter. The Village of Deerfield says removing branches and debris from private trees and vegetation is the property owner's responsibility, and the Village will not pick up private vegetation stacked in the parkway. Parkway trees are public trees, and Deerfield's parkway tree treatment form says private parties must inform the Village about any treatment they want to apply to a parkway tree; the only treatment permitted at this time is tree injection, and the form asks for a certified arborist's ISA number.

Tree Trimming and Pruning in Deerfield

Good pruning removes the right wood, not the most wood. ISA says that generally no more than 25% of a tree's crown should be removed at once, and less for mature trees. The Morton Arboretum says dead, diseased or broken branches can be removed at any time, and storm-damaged limbs should be pruned promptly.

Timing matters for oaks and elms. The Morton Arboretum advises against pruning oaks between mid-April and mid-October, because fresh wounds can attract the beetles that carry oak wilt spores, and recommends pruning oaks and elms in the dormant season. Learn more about our tree trimming and pruning service, and about cabling and bracing for trees with weak unions.

Near power lines, ComEd says pruning should only be attempted by line-clearance trained professionals, and asks people to contact ComEd before any tree trimming work near electrical equipment.

24/7 Emergency Tree Service in Deerfield

Tree down or a limb on the house right now? Call (847) 530-1533 any hour; we'll tell you what we can get to tonight and what has to wait for daylight. Keep away from downed wires and call ComEd, and call 911 if people are in immediate danger.

Deerfield's ordinance allows for genuine tree emergencies: the owner may remove a protected tree to the extent needed to avoid immediate danger without waiting for a permit, as long as an after-the-fact Tree Removal Permit application is submitted within fourteen days. More on our 24/7 emergency tree removal service.

Stump Grinding After a Removal

A removal leaves a stump unless you ask for it to be ground. Stump grinding grinds the stump down; it leaves the roots in the ground rather than pulling them out.

Tree Diseases and Pests in Deerfield Yards

A removal can start as a health problem that was caught late. Deerfield's Public Works Department frequently monitors all the trees within the Village for early detection of tree diseases and invasive species. A tree inspection by an ISA Certified Arborist is the way to find out what is wrong and whether treatment still makes sense.

Emerald Ash Borer

The Morton Arboretum says emerald ash borer was found in Illinois in 2006; its larvae tunnel under the bark and cut off the water supply, causing dieback that starts in the top of the tree, bark cracks, sprouts low on the trunk and woodpecker damage. University of Illinois Extension says most infested trees die in two to five years, and that a common treatment is insecticide applied annually or every two to three years. Ask us about emerald ash borer treatment while the canopy is still mostly intact.

In Deerfield, emerald ash borer was discovered in the Village in the summer of 2011. The Village of Deerfield says ash trees on private property are the homeowner's responsibility to maintain, and if a tree is found to have EAB and is declining, the Village may require its removal for safety reasons. To treat an ash tree in the parkway, a Deerfield homeowner must fill out a permit, available at Engineering at no cost.

Oak Wilt

The Morton Arboretum says oak wilt is found in all counties of Illinois. Trees in the red oak group usually die quite rapidly, often within weeks or months after infection, and root graft transmission causes the vast majority of new infections; oaks growing within 50 feet of one another may graft together. See our page on oak wilt.

Two-Lined Chestnut Borer in Deerfield Oaks

The Village of Deerfield warns that the two-lined chestnut borer is a common insect that can kill oak trees over a few years when the infestation level is high. Signs the Village lists include leaf browning and twig or branch dieback, D-shaped exit holes about 1/8 inch wide typically in the bottom 12 to 15 feet of the trunk, and wilted upper branches while the lower canopy is still green.

The Village says the borer is both treatable and preventable, and that the best defense is prevention: water oaks about one inch per week during dry periods and avoid damaging the bark. Deerfield recommends residents contact a certified arborist for treatment options, and says injection or soil drenching of insecticide may be needed when signs are present.

Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch elm disease is easiest to spot in early summer, when the leaves on an upper branch curl and turn gray-green or yellow and finally brown, which is called flagging. The Morton Arboretum says an infected elm may be saved by pruning out the diseased branch promptly after the first flag, most effectively when no more than 5% of the tree shows symptoms. Read the signs of Dutch elm disease.

Got a Dutch elm disease notice in Deerfield? Trees the Village finds infected are marked with pink paint at the base. By Village ordinance, property owners who receive official notice of Dutch elm disease have 10 days to remove the trees. Deerfield says the notice serves as your permit and should be displayed in a window visible from the street. The trees must be removed and disposed of completely, including the stump; you then return the lower portion of the notice, and the Village completes a final inspection. There are no Village-assessed fees to remove a diseased tree; the cost of removal and disposal is a private matter between the homeowner and the contractor. With a 10-day window, call (847) 530-1533 for a free estimate.

Why Choose Progressive Tree Service

• ISA Certified Arborists on staff
• Licensed, bonded and insured
• Free estimates
• 24/7 emergency line: (847) 530-1533
• 10+ years of tree care in Evanston and on the North Shore
• Locations in Evanston and Chicago (Lakeview)

Quality Business Awards named us The Best Tree Service in Evanston 2025. Near Deerfield, we also have pages for Lincolnshire tree service and tree removal in Riverwoods. Tell us your address and we'll confirm whether we cover it.

Deerfield Tree Removal FAQs

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Deerfield?

For most trees, yes. The Village of Deerfield requires a tree removal permit for any public tree and any protected tree, which includes trees 8 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet above the ground. Check the Village of Deerfield Forestry page for the current application.

How much does a tree removal permit cost in Deerfield?

The Village of Deerfield's 2026 fee schedule lists a $200.00 permit application fee for an ad hoc tree removal, and the permit for dead, hazardous and nuisance trees is waived. In Deerfield, removing a protected tree also requires mitigation, either replacement trees or cash replacement at $125 per caliper inch ($175 for a Heritage tree), unless the removal qualifies for a waiver. Confirm current fees with the Village.

What should I do if I get a Dutch elm disease notice in Deerfield?

Act quickly: Deerfield gives property owners 10 days from official notice to remove the infected trees. Once they are removed and disposed of completely, including the stump, you return the lower portion of the notice for the Village's final inspection. The notice serves as the permit, and there are no Village-assessed fees for removing a diseased tree.

Can I remove a dangerous tree in Deerfield without waiting for a permit?

In a genuine tree emergency, Deerfield's ordinance lets the owner remove a protected tree to the extent needed to avoid immediate danger, then submit an after-the-fact permit application within fourteen days.

Who cleans up storm debris from private trees in Deerfield?

The property owner. The Village of Deerfield says removing branches and debris from private trees and vegetation is the owner's responsibility. For a free estimate on cleanup or removal, call (847) 530-1533.