Stump Grinding Cost in Florida (2026 Price Guide)

The short answer

Stump grinding in Florida typically costs $100 to $300 for one stump.
The usual rate is about $2 to $5 per inch of stump width at ground level, with a minimum charge of roughly $100 to $150.
It is normally not included in a tree removal quote. Ask for it as a separate written line.
Grinding is enough for nearly every yard. Digging the whole stump out costs $500 to $2,000 or more and is only needed for building work.
Buried lines must be marked first. Sunshine 811 does it free with two business days' notice.

How stump grinding is priced

Companies price a stump by its width, not the height of the tree that stood there. They measure across the widest point at the soil line, including the root flare, and multiply by a rate per inch. Because loading and hauling the grinder costs the same for a small stump as a large one, there is nearly always a minimum charge.

Typical Florida prices for grinding one stump with easy access, 2026. Ballpark figures from published consumer price guides, not quotes.
Stump width at ground level	Typical price	Common examples
Up to 12 inches	$100 – $150 (the minimum charge)	Citrus, crape myrtle, small palms
12 – 24 inches	$100 – $150	Queen palm, cabbage palm, young oak
24 – 36 inches	$100 – $180	Mature pine, laurel oak
Over 36 inches	$120 – $300+	Old live oak, large multi-trunk trees

A stump seen from the side, measured across its widest point at ground level, with a standard grind reaching 4 to 8 inches below ground. — How a stump is measured and ground. The price is based on the width at ground level, including the root flare, which is always wider than the cut top.

What changes the price

Number of stumps. The first stump carries the cost of getting the machine to you. Each extra stump is usually much cheaper.
Access. A full-size grinder needs a gate about three feet wide. Tight spaces mean a smaller, slower machine.
Type of wood. Palm stumps are soft and fibrous and grind quickly. Live oak is dense and takes longer.
Surface roots. Chasing roots across a lawn is extra work. Say so up front if you want them ground too.
Depth. A standard grind is about 4 to 8 inches below the surface. Deeper costs more.
Clean-up. Grinding leaves a mound of wood chips mixed with soil, often several times the volume of the stump. Hauling it away and filling the hole with clean soil are commonly charged as extras.

Grinding or full removal?

	Stump grinding	Full stump removal
What happens	A cutting wheel chews the stump into chips to below ground level. The roots stay and rot away over time.	An excavator digs out the stump and main roots.
Typical cost	$100 – $300	$500 – $2,000 or more
What is left	A shallow hole full of chips	A large hole and a disturbed lawn
Choose it when	You want grass, a flower bed or simply a clear yard	You are pouring a slab, laying a driveway or building a pool on the spot

Is it worth grinding a stump at all?

You can leave a stump. It will rot away on its own, though a hardwood stump can take years. The usual reasons to grind it are practical:

It is a trip hazard and something to mow around.
A rotting stump is food and shelter for termites and carpenter ants, which matters more the closer it is to the house.
Some trees send up shoots from the stump for years.
You cannot lay sod, plant or build over it.

What to agree before the work starts

Which stumps, and how deep. Have the number of stumps and the grinding depth written on the quote.
What happens to the chips. Left in a pile, raked into the hole, or hauled away? The chips make reasonable mulch for beds once they have aged, so you may want to keep some.
Buried lines. Ask the company to confirm it has made a Sunshine 811 request, and point out your own irrigation pipes, low-voltage lighting and septic lines, which 811 does not mark.
Insurance. A grinder throws stones. Ask for a certificate of insurance, especially if the stump is near windows, cars or a neighbour's fence.

If you plan to replant

Avoid planting a new tree in exactly the same spot. The ground is full of wood chips and old roots, which tie up nitrogen as they rot and settle over time. Move the new tree a few feet to one side, or have the chips dug out and replaced with soil first. If you are choosing a replacement, the University of Florida's lists of wind-resistant species are a good place to start; your town's page on this site shows the ones that suit your area.

Doing it yourself

Small grinders can be rented by the day from equipment hire shops. It is hard, slow work on anything larger than a small stump, and the machine is dangerous without eye, ear and leg protection. For a single stump, the minimum charge from a company is often close to the cost of the rental.

Common questions

How much does stump grinding cost in Florida?

Stump grinding in Florida typically costs $100 to $300 for a single stump. Most companies charge about $2 to $5 per inch of stump width, measured at the widest point at ground level, with a minimum charge of around $100 to $150. Extra stumps on the same visit usually cost less each.

How is a stump measured for grinding?

Across the widest point at ground level, including the flare where the roots spread out from the trunk. A trunk that was 20 inches across at chest height can easily be a 30-inch stump at the ground, so measure at the soil line before you compare prices.

Is it better to grind a stump or remove it completely?

Grinding is enough for almost every yard. It takes the stump down below the surface so you can lay sod or plant over it, and it costs far less. Full removal digs out the whole root ball with an excavator and leaves a large hole. It is only worth the cost when you are building, paving or putting in a pool on that spot.

How deep does a stump grinder go?

A standard grind goes about 4 to 8 inches below ground level, which is enough for grass. If you plan to plant a tree or lay a path there, ask for a deeper grind of 12 inches or more and have that depth written on the quote.

Will a tree grow back after stump grinding?

Palms and most pines will not. A palm has a single growing point and dies when it is cut. Some hardwoods, including oaks, crape myrtles and camphor trees, can send up shoots from roots left in the ground. Mowing or cutting the shoots as they appear usually ends it within a season or two.

Do I need to call 811 before stump grinding?

Yes. Florida law requires a call or online request to Sunshine 811 at least two full business days before digging so that buried utility lines can be marked. The service is free. The company doing the grinding normally makes the request, so ask them to confirm it has been done. Private lines such as irrigation pipes and landscape lighting are not marked, so point those out yourself.

Sources

The facts on this page come from the sources below. Follow the links to read them in full.

Sunshine 811: Florida's free service for marking buried utility lines before digging, and the two-business-day notice
Florida Division of Workers' Compensation: coverage requirements: which businesses must carry workers' compensation insurance

Florida Tree Removal Permits: Rules by County: when you need a permit, the state exemption for dangerous trees, and official links by county
Florida Tree Removal Cost Guide: typical prices by tree size and type, with a cost estimator
How to Choose a Tree Service in Florida: four checks to make before you hire, with the official lookup links
Florida Hurricane Tree Preparation Guide: what to check and prune before the season, and how to stay safe after a storm
When to Prune Trees in Florida: the better and worse months for each kind of tree, with a pruning calendar
ISA Certified Arborists in Florida: What They Do and When You Need One: what the credential means, how to check it, and when Florida law calls for one

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Stump Grinding Cost in Florida