Sunshine 811 comes first
Florida's Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act, Chapter 556 of the Florida Statutes, defines excavation as any manmade cut, cavity, trench or depression meant to penetrate or disturb the surface of the earth. A stump grinder does exactly that. Section 556.105 sets the notice (checked Nov 12, 2026):
- When: "Not less than 2 full business days before beginning any excavation." Sunshine 811's homeowner FAQ adds that weekends and holidays don't count.
- What to say: where the digging is, and "whether machinery will be used."
- How long it's good for: "Information provided by an excavator is valid for 30 calendar days."
- How: call 811 or (800) 432-4770, or file online at sunshine811.com.
Sunshine 811's FAQ is unambiguous: "Yes, you must contact 811 for every digging project, large or small!" The statute does exempt a single-family homeowner digging on their own land, but only "up to a depth of 10 inches," and that exemption belongs to the owner, not to a company brought in with a grinder. Ask the contractor whether they file the 811 ticket or expect you to, and get it in writing.
Lines 811 won't mark
"Member utilities only mark the facilities they own," Sunshine 811 says, and private facilities "are the homeowner's responsibility" (checked Nov 12, 2026). On a home lot, that can leave several things unmarked that a grinder could hit:
- Irrigation pipes and sprinkler heads.
- Low-voltage landscape lighting.
- Private power to a shed, well pump, gate or detached garage.
- Septic tank and drain lines, on homes not tied to sewer.
- Pool plumbing and equipment lines.
- Invisible pet fence wire.
Mark what you know about with flags or paint before the grinder arrives, and tell the contractor about anything else you suspect is under the stump.
Stumps left by a storm
Sunshine 811's after-the-storm page speaks directly to this: "If a storm took your tree and all you have left is a stump, call 811 before you take a stump grinder to it." It also warns, "Before cutting away tree debris, check for buried lines tangled in the roots," and asks people not to pile debris over utility boxes, pedestals or transformers (checked Nov 12, 2026). The roots of an uprooted tree can come up with buried lines tangled in them, so look before cutting, and leave anything that looks like a line for the utility.
Grinding in sandy ground
A walk-behind grinder like the one pictured fits through many backyard gates; bigger machines need more room and firmer ground. In a sandy yard, the mound left behind is a mix of wood chips and sand, as in the photo.
Three things HomeGuide is clear about (checked Nov 12, 2026):
- "Stump grinding does not include root removal." Surface roots running across the lawn stay unless you pay to have them dug out, which HomeGuide lists at $75 to $150 per hour.
- Cleanup and disposal of the grindings is often extra, at $2 to $4 per inch of stump diameter.
- Minimum service fees run $80 to $160.
Ask how deep the grinder will go. That depends on what you plan for the spot: grass, a shrub bed, a new tree a few feet away, or a paver patio all need different depths.
Palm stumps with Ganoderma
A palm that died of Ganoderma butt rot is the one stump where grinding is part of disease control. UF/IFAS's guide says a palm should be removed as soon as possible after conks appear on the trunk, that as much of the stump and root system as possible should be removed or the stump ground out, and that "planting another palm back in that same location is not recommended without special precautions" (checked Nov 12, 2026). If you plan to replant, say so when you request the work, and plant something other than a palm in that spot.
The chips: keep, spread or haul
You have three choices for the mound:
- Leave it to settle and top it with soil later.
- Spread it as mulch around shrubs or other trees.
- Have it hauled away, which HomeGuide lists as cleanup and disposal at $2 to $4 per inch of stump diameter.
Curbside pickup won't take loose grindings in most cases: Green Cove Springs wants yard trash in plastic bags, 20 bags at most, and the unincorporated county collects yard waste weekly by its own rules (checked Nov 12, 2026). A wheelbarrow or a contractor's truck is the usual answer.
Stump grinding prices
| Item | Price | Source (checked Nov 12, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| First stump | $120 to $400 | HomeGuide |
| Each additional stump | $30 to $60 | HomeGuide |
| By stump width | $2 to $6 per inch of diameter | HomeGuide |
| Minimum service fee | About $80 to $160 | HomeGuide |
| Cleanup and disposal | $2 to $4 per inch of diameter, extra | HomeGuide |
| Root removal | $75 to $150 per hour | HomeGuide |
| First stump | $100 to $150, about $50 each after | Angi |
| Per stump | $100 to $500 | Fixr |
A worked example
Take a 30-inch oak stump. At HomeGuide's $2 to $6 per inch, grinding works out to $60 to $180, but HomeGuide's $120 to $400 range for a first stump and its $80 to $160 minimum fees mean a single stump can cost more than the per-inch math suggests. Hauling the grindings at $2 to $4 per inch would add $60 to $120. Those are national numbers; the quote for your own stump is what you'd actually pay.
If the tree is coming down too, ask for grinding as its own line on the same written quote. The price page has removal and trimming figures too.
Stump questions from Clay County homeowners
Do I need a permit to grind a stump?
None of the local tree codes read for this site addresses grinding the stump of a tree that's already down. The Sunshine 811 notice is the requirement that clearly applies. If the tree came out under a county landscape plan, follow that plan.
What if I grind it myself with a rental machine?
You can, but the homeowner exemption only covers digging to 10 inches, so grinding deeper than that needs the 811 notice like anyone else.
Is the 811 call really needed for one small stump?
Sunshine 811 says yes: "you must contact 811 for every digging project, large or small!" Under the statute, the information given for a ticket stays valid for 30 calendar days.
How long does the 811 process take?
Two full business days after the notice, not counting weekends and holidays. Notice given on a Thursday means digging can start on Tuesday, if Friday and Monday are ordinary business days (checked Nov 12, 2026).
Stump requests made here are forwarded to one independent contractor covering Clay County. The site doesn't own a grinder.
Sources checked for this page
- Florida Statutes (2026), 556.102, 556.105 and 556.108. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
- Sunshine 811, homeowner FAQ and after the storm. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
- UF/IFAS, Ganoderma Butt Rot of Palms. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
- HomeGuide, stump grinding cost and tree removal cost; Angi, tree removal cost; Fixr, tree removal. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
- City of Green Cove Springs, yard waste rules; Clay County, garbage and recycling. Checked Nov 12, 2026.