Tree removal permits on private property, by city
Many cities require a permit to remove trees on private property once the trunk passes a set size, or for protected native species. The permit is often free or cheap, but replacement trees or per-inch fees can cost far more than the removal.
13 cities and utilities in 8 states, each checked against official sources in November 2026.
| City | Rule | Key detail | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danville, CA | 10 inches or more. | Danville protects native trees 10 inches or more in diameter and treats single-trunk trees of 36 inches or mor | Permit needed above a size |
| Los Angeles, CA | Native oaks, Southern California black walnut, western sycamore, California bay and a few | Los Angeles requires a permit only for protected native species: oaks, Southern California black walnut, weste | Permit for protected species |
| Morgan Hill, CA | Native trees 6 inches or more; nonnative 13 inches or more. | Morgan Hill requires a permit for protected trees anywhere on private property: native trees 6 inches or more | Permit needed above a size |
| San Bruno, CA | 10 inches or more in diameter at 54 inches above grade. | San Bruno requires a permit to remove or prune a heritage tree on private property, meaning a trunk 10 inches | Permit needed above a size |
| San Francisco, CA | Any part of the trunk within 10 feet of the right-of-way, plus a size criterion such as 12 | San Francisco requires a permit to remove a "significant tree" on private land: one within 10 feet of the publ | Permit needed above a size |
| San Jose, CA | 38 inches or more in circumference at 4.5 feet; multi-trunk trees count combined circumfer | San Jose requires a Tree Removal Permit for "ordinance-size" trees: a trunk of 38 inches or more in circumfere | Permit needed above a size |
| Washington, DC | 44 to 99.9 inches in circumference; permit required. | Washington, DC requires a Special Tree permit for trees 44 to 99.9 inches around, and healthy Heritage Trees o | Permit needed above a size |
| Henlopen Acres, DE | 6 inches or more, anywhere on the lot. | Henlopen Acres requires a permit to remove any canopy tree on private property with a trunk 6 inches or more a | Permit needed above a size |
| Atlanta, GA | 6 inches DBH or more. | Atlanta requires a permit to remove private-property trees 6 inches in diameter or larger | Permit needed above a size |
| Portland, OR | 12 inches or more, measured 4.5 feet above the ground. | Portland requires a permit to remove a tree on private property that is 12 inches in diameter or larger, and t | Permit needed above a size |
| Austin, TX | Commonly 19 inches in diameter or more; a permit is required (City Code 25-8-621). | Austin requires a permit to remove a protected tree on private property and generally prohibits removing a her | Permit needed above a size |
| Brian Head, UT | Over 6 inches at 5 feet above the ground. | Brian Head requires a permit to remove any tree over 6 inches in diameter, with fees of $25 on undeveloped lot | Permit needed above a size |
| Seattle, WA | Heritage trees. | Seattle sorts trees into tiers | Permit needed above a size |
Step by step
- Measure the trunk at 4.5 feet above the ground. Some cities use diameter, others circumference.
- Check whether the species or size is protected, and whether the tree is near the street.
- Apply before any cutting. Dead or hazardous trees often still need sign-off.
- Plan for replacement planting or in-lieu fees.
What it costs
Removal itself commonly runs several hundred to a few thousand dollars. City fees range from free to hundreds of dollars, and per-inch recompense or tree fund payments can add much more.
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