Macon Tree Removal Guide: Storms, Beetles, 811 (2026)

Updated October 24, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change, so confirm with the agency listed before you start work.

Quick reference

Topic	What to know	Source
Tree care license	No Georgia license specific to tree care; HB 882 (2025) proposed one under the Department of Agriculture	Georgia Recorder; LegiScan
Power lines	No work within 10 feet of a line over 750 volts until the owner guards it; 72 hours' notice, excluding weekends and holidays	O.C.G.A. 46-3-30 to 46-3-40
Digging and grinding	Notify Georgia 811 at least 3 business days ahead; tickets expire after 30 calendar days; 18-inch tolerance zone	Georgia 811
Emerald ash borer	First found in Georgia in 2013; confirmed in Bibb County in 2023	Georgia Forestry Commission
Pine bark beetles	Storm-damaged pines attract Ips beetles; remove damaged pines promptly	Georgia Forestry Commission
Remove after a storm?	Likely if a hardwood lost over 50% of branches or a pine over 30%	UGA Extension
Storm debris	Georgia Power clears trees from its lines; cleanup is the owner's job	Georgia Power

Does a tree company need a license in Georgia?

Not a tree-specific one. In December 2024 the Georgia Recorder reported that the state has no licensing or registration requirement for tree care providers and no state standards for their training, equipment or insurance. A Georgia House study committee recommended creating a license program run through the Department of Agriculture, and the same article cited Tree Care Industry Association data showing Georgia had the third-highest rate of reported tree care incidents as of 2017. A bill to license tree care operators, HB 882, was introduced in the 2025 session. Check its current status before relying on it either way.

Until a law is in place, the checking is on you. Ask for a certificate of liability insurance and proof of workers' compensation, ask whether an ISA Certified Arborist will look at the tree, and get the scope of work in writing.

What rules apply near power lines?

Georgia's High-Voltage Safety Act covers overhead lines carrying more than 750 volts. Work can't start if any person or equipment may come within 10 feet of such a line unless notice has been given and the line's owner has guarded against contact, by de-energizing, moving or covering the line. Notice goes to the utilities protection center at least 72 hours before the work, not counting weekends and holidays. Georgia Power adds that no one should climb trees near power lines, and that any downed line should be treated as energized.

Do I need to call 811 before stump grinding?

Georgia 811 asks for notice at least three business days before a digging project, and its homeowner guide says even small jobs that break ground need a call. Its FAQ lists removing tree roots among the projects to call about, and says a locate request expires after 30 calendar days. Within the tolerance zone, 18 inches on either side of a marked line, digging has to use careful methods such as hand digging or vacuum excavation. Ask your tree company whether it files the request before grinding.

Why does the Fall Line matter for tree work?

The New Georgia Encyclopedia describes the Fall Line as a band about 20 miles wide that separates the Piedmont from the Coastal Plain. Macon grew where the Ocmulgee River crosses it. North of the line, clay soils are the rule; south of it, sandy soils dominate. That's why yards in Gray and north Macon often have heavy red clay while Warner Robins yards are sandy, and it affects where heavy equipment can safely go after rain.

What are beetles doing to Middle Georgia trees?

The Georgia Forestry Commission says broken limbs and wounds on storm-damaged pines signal vulnerability to Ips engraver beetles, whose numbers can rise quickly enough to kill several trees. Signs include faded branches, crowns that turn yellow and then red or brown, tiny round exit holes and fine sawdust on the bark. GFC recommends removing storm-damaged trees promptly and notes that insecticide can't save a tree that already shows symptoms.

Emerald ash borer was first detected in Georgia in DeKalb and Fulton counties in 2013. GFC's 2023 update reported new confirmations in Bibb, Towns and Haralson counties, bringing the statewide total to 53 counties.

What should I do after a storm?

UGA Extension recommends photographing damage before cutting and calling a certified arborist for complicated situations. It warns that energy stored in compressed limbs and trunks can release suddenly and explosively. As general guidelines, a hardwood that lost more than half its branches, a pine that lost more than 30 percent, or any tree that lost 70 percent of the limbs on one side should probably be removed, as should leaning pines and leaning hardwoods with broken roots. After Hurricane Helene in September 2024, Macon-Bibb County reported downed trees and power lines and more than 6,000 families without power. Georgia Power cuts trees out of its lines to restore service, but cleaning up the debris falls to the property owner.

Questions to ask a tree service

Can I see a certificate of liability insurance and proof of workers' comp?
Will an ISA Certified Arborist look at the tree, and could it be saved?
How will it come down, and how will you protect the house, lawn and septic system?
Are cleanup, log hauling and stump grinding included?
Will you file a Georgia 811 request before grinding?

Common questions

Is there a state license for tree services in Georgia?

No tree-specific license exists as of the Georgia Recorder's December 2024 report. HB 882, introduced in 2025, proposed one under the Department of Agriculture.

How close can a tree crew work to a power line in Georgia?

Not within 10 feet of a line over 750 volts unless the utility has been notified and has guarded the line, under the High-Voltage Safety Act.

Has emerald ash borer reached Macon?

Yes. The Georgia Forestry Commission confirmed it in Bibb County during the 2023 trapping season.

Macon tree removal guide (2026)