Tree removal permits – All you need to know

If you are planning to cut down a tree on your property that is posing a hazard or to accommodate new development, you might be wondering about local laws and whether a tree removal permit is required?

Although the tree is on your property, you don’t actually “own” the tree. There is a larger context to consider as trees play a larger role in the community and hence there are times when you will need to apply for a permit even if you merely wish to trim them.

In short, no. Each city and county have what’s called a Tree Removal Ordinance that outlines the rules and regulations regarding tree removal in your local area. Most cities allow the following trees to be removed without a permit.

• Dead trees
• Hazardous trees
• Tree is too close to your home
• Noxious species

Dead trees
This is pretty standard. When a tree dies it becomes hazardous. If it is not removed in a year or two it will fall and cause damage or injure/ kill somebody, so no permit required.

Hazardous trees
This refers to trees that have recently taken a turn for the worse and post an immediate threat to persons or property. Image a tree that has been struck by lightning and is cracked, had multiple branch failures, developed a lean after a storm etc.

For these trees you will need to get confirmation from a qualified arborist to concur it is in fact dangerous. You should not need to go to the expense of an arborist report, but just an inspection. Be sure to take photos of the tree to document the issues before removal as proof after the fact.

Trees to close to your home
These trees can very quickly begin to damage the foundations of your home and need to be removed. This is will a clause in the Tree Ordinance for your city or county. They will generally stipulate that any tree with 3m for example may be removed without a permit.

Noxious species
Different regions of the country have different trees that thrive and are native to the area. Florida is a very different landscape to Alaska for example. So tree removal permits may not be needed for trees listed as noxious or undesirable to the area.

One I see time and time again all over the country is the Eucalyptus tree that is native to Australia. A lot of the time they can be removed without a tree removal permit.

You will need to download and check the tree ordinance for your city. You can search for yours by state and city through the above link.

Once you are clear on the rules, you will know whether your tree needs a permit or not. If it does, you will need to apply and pay the application fee.

This will prompt the city arborist to come out and personally inspect the tree to decide whether they will allow remove or not.

 The process to apply for tree removal permit generally involves going to your city or county website and searching for “tree removal permit”. At times they are not that specific and will be something more like a “works permit” or the likes. If in doubt, phone your city arborist and ask about the process.

If this sounds too difficult you can get in touch with a local tree removal company and they will soon point you in the right direction. In some cases they would be more than happy to apply on your behalf to win brownie points to eventually be to company that wins the contract to remove your tree.

This will depend on the size of the city you are in and how swamped they are with removal applications. A normal wait time for the city arborist to come out and view your tree is 1 – 2 weeks. Then you will get an official notification in the mail less than a week later. 

So the whole process will take from 2 – 4 weeks from posting your application to receiving an answer. 

In most cases yes! And they are steep. If you remove a regular run of the mill tree, you can be fined $2,000 - $5,000. If you were to remove a protected tree of significance or heritage listing then you could find yourself up for a fine of $10,000 or more.

It will depend on the severity of the infringement and the specific laws in your area. Once thing is for sure, you are not going to like the result, so make sure you get a permit first.

One thing that seems to be universal across cities, counties and even countries is that is it illegal to trim, fell or vandalize any tree on public land. This includes trees that are in the woods or a street tree out the front of your home.

If you do have a tree that is on the front nature strip and it is encroaching on power line or your home, then I suggest you speak with your local city parks department to get a government approved company or worker out the do the job.

If you think the city or county is strict about trees on private property, you do not want to test them when it comes to trees on streets in parks or nature reserves. They will have you hung, drawn and quartered before you can say boo.

Never touch a tree on your property before familiarizing yourself with the tree ordinance for your city or county first. If your tree needs a permit before it can be removed as stated in your tree ordinance then you need to apply. Heavy fines apply for removing trees illegally.

You should never remove trees on public land, this is something tightly controlled by the city and they have their own contractors for the job. If there is a tree that you feel needs trimming or removal that is on public land, get in contact with your city and request that they do so.