# Tree-Root Sidewalk Damage in Miami, FL: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> In Miami the City repairs public sidewalks made un-level by tree roots; the owner pays only for a driveway-connected portion.

**Who pays:** city

Miami: the City repairs public sidewalks made un-level by tree roots; the owner pays only for a driveway-connected portion.

**Boundary:** The City of Miami Department of Resilience and Public Works repairs and maintains City sidewalks in the public right-of-way, and its Report-a-Damaged-Sidewalk page expressly addresses sidewalks made "un-level due to tree roots" The abutting owner is responsible only for the portion connected to or part of a driveway. (City of Miami jurisdiction; county sidewalks route to Miami-Dade.)

**Property owner:** Repair the sidewalk portion connected to or part of a driveway; do not allow tree/shrub overgrowth to make the sidewalk dangerous (§ 54-54).

**City / agency:** The Department of Resilience and Public Works repairs City sidewalks, including tree-root uplift; it will temporarily "safe up" a reported sidewalk within two weeks.

**Exceptions:** Driveway-connected sidewalk portion is the owner’s; county-jurisdiction sidewalks go to Miami-Dade.

## Sources
- [City of Miami: Report a Damaged Sidewalk (City addresses sidewalks un-level due to tree roots)](https://www.miami.gov/My-Home-Neighborhood/Solve-a-Problem/Report-a-Damaged-Sidewalk) — "Do you see a sidewalk that is broken into multiple pieces or has become un-level due to tree roots, equipment, etc? The city addresses sidewalk issues that interrupt pedestrian flow, may cause unsafe conditions, or greatly disturb the city's aesthetics. ... If the sidewalk is connected to, or is part of a driveway, it will be the property owner’s responsibility to repair." (accessed 2026-09-27)
- [City of Miami: Department of Resilience and Public Works (repairs/maintains City sidewalks in the ROW)](https://www.miami.gov/publicworks/) (accessed 2026-09-09)
- [Report a Damaged Sidewalk](https://www.miami.gov/My-Home-Neighborhood/Solve-a-Problem/Report-a-Damaged-Sidewalk) — "If repair is deemed necessary, within two weeks, the city will temporarily "safe up" the sidewalk until further action can be scheduled." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-27. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/miami-fl-tree-roots/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._