Leon County and the Big Bend
Tallahassee crane rental for trees, roofs and campus jobs
Big oak over the house, a unit on a state office roof or steel for a new building. Tell us the job and a Tallahassee-area crane operator sends a price.
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Which lift is it?
One request, one operator. Your job goes to a single crane company working Leon and the nearby counties, and they get back to you with a price.
- Boom trucks and cranes to 120 tons
- Long reach for big oaks
- Lane-closure hours planned in
- Free to request
Trees are the biggest crane job here
Tallahassee is known for its tree canopy, and its oaks grow over houses.
Leon County protects 78 miles of canopy roads, with a protection zone 100 feet from the centerline on each side. Removing a tree in that zone takes a county permit and replanting (Leon County canopy roads).
Storms keep the tree crews busy. On May 10, 2024, two EF-2 tornadoes with winds near 115 mph came together over Tallahassee and an EF-1 hit Woodville, leaving more than 400 broken power poles (NWS Tallahassee). Trees on houses after storms like that are crane jobs.
A crane lets the crew take a big tree down in sections, lifting each piece over the house instead of dropping it.
Building work: campus, state and city
Leon County authorized 2,047 housing units in 2025, about two thirds in apartment-size buildings, by Census permit data. 2026 has been slower, with 1,210 through September.
The large public jobs are wrapping up: FSU's $137.5 million health research building celebrated its completion on November 1, 2026, and the new Tallahassee Police headquarters on North Monroe is set to finish around the end of the year. What keeps crane trucks busy now is maintenance: rooftop units on state buildings, campus housing and medical offices, plus apartment work near the universities.
Lane closures in the city
If the crane takes a lane on a city street, Tallahassee's right of way manual limits closures to weekdays from 9 AM to 4 PM or overnight from 7 PM to 6 AM, with 48 hours' notice and a traffic control plan (City ROW manual). Plan the lift inside those windows.
Most backyard and driveway lifts do not need a lane. Say where the truck will park in the form.
Leon County lifts, explained
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Crane tree removal in TallahasseeOaks over houses, canopy road permits and the cost of the crane.
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Crane for a rooftop unitUnits on offices, campus buildings and apartments.
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Crane rental in Thomasville, GAGeorgia power line rules and the drive north.
Crane costs in Tallahassee
Companies here price by phone, so these come from a posted rate sheet and a public bid. The 4-hour minimum is the number that matters most on small jobs.
| Machine | Hourly rate | Least you pay (4 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| 28-ton boom truck | $180 - $220 | $720 - $880 |
| 40-ton crane | $195 | $780 |
| 50-ton crane | $215 | $860 |
| 75-ton crane | $290 | $1,160 + $100 permit |
| 100-ton crane | $330 | $1,320 + $100 permit |
| 120-ton crane | $410 | $1,640 + $100 permit |
Sources: Hurd Oilfield Service posted crane rates (Jack County, Texas), with a 4-hour minimum, a $75 an hour rigger and a $100 permit fee over 50 tons; 28-ton boom truck range from the Tennessee Tech bid tabulation, Nov 2025.
Three Tallahassee jobs
- $880A 28-ton boom truck lifting a condenser onto a Midtown office roof, done inside the 4-hour minimum.
- $1,560A 75-ton crane for four hours, the $100 permit fee and a rigger at $75 an hour, to take down a water oak over a Betton Hills house.
- $2,740A 100-ton crane for a full 8-hour day plus the permit fee, setting steel on a three-story building.
Send in your job for a number of your own.
Request a crane priceThe cost page covers minimums, riggers, lane closures and how to compare quotes.
Before you book a crane in Leon County
How much does it cost to rent a crane in Tallahassee?
A 28-ton boom truck with an operator runs about $180 to $220 an hour on a 4-hour minimum, so $720 to $880 for a short job. Larger cranes run $195 to $410 an hour, and cranes over 50 tons often add a permit fee.
How much does crane tree removal cost in Tallahassee?
The crane for a large tree over a house usually costs $860 to $1,700 for half a day, depending on size. The tree crew's bill is on top of that.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on a canopy road?
Yes, if the tree is inside the protection zone, 100 feet from the centerline of a designated canopy road. Leon County requires a permit and replanting.
When can a crane close a lane in Tallahassee?
The city's right of way manual allows lane closures weekdays 9 AM to 4 PM or overnight 7 PM to 6 AM, with 48 hours' notice and a traffic control permit.
Do you cover Thomasville, Georgia?
Yes. Thomasville is about 35 miles north. Georgia requires 72 hours' notice through Georgia 811 before work within 10 feet of high-voltage lines.
Where we cover
- Tallahassee downtown
- Woodville 9 mi
- Crawfordville 19 mi
- Quincy 21 mi
- Havana 15 mi
- Monticello 26 mi
- Thomasville 33 mi
Straight-line miles from downtown Tallahassee. See the coverage page for permit offices.
Request a crane price
About a minute. A rough size or weight is enough.