The fees to lodge with council are not charged by Above All Tree Services. They are paid directly to City of Canada Bay Council. Prices were last checked on . We have done our best to keep these current and accurate, but you should always refer to the council's website to confirm pricing.
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Council tree rules · checked 30 September 2026
Canada Bay tree removal rules
Checked against City of Canada Bay Council's own documents on · Council: 02 9911 6555
In Canada Bay you need a council permit to prune or remove a "protected tree" — any tree (living or dead) 5 m or taller, a shorter tree with a trunk over 300 mm across at ground level, a tree with a canopy spread over 4 m, or any native palm, cycad or mangrove regardless of size. If the property is a heritage item or in a Heritage Conservation Area you need a Development Application instead. Light pruning (up to 10% of the canopy a year by an AQF Level 3 arborist), dead-branch removal and listed weed species are exempt, except on heritage land.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Canada Bay's rules as a map. Answer each question and it follows your path to the answer. It's a guide: if you're unsure, ask council or ask us.
Is the tree on your own private property?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Nature strip and park trees are council's. Email council@canadabay.nsw.gov.au or call 02 9911 6555.
Is the property a heritage item or in a Heritage Conservation Area?
Development Application needed
Heritage items and HCAs need development consent for any tree pruning or removal. DA fee $153Council fee.
How to apply on the Canada Bay website · Need an arborist report?
Is the tree an imminent risk to life or property?
Contact council for priority assessment
Explain the risk; council may ask for AQF Level 5 arborist evidence and can issue an expedited consent.
Is it a native palm, cycad or mangrove?
Is it on the exempt species list or a State/Regional Priority Weed?
No permit needed
Get the tree owner's written consent, keep photos, and use an AQF Level 3+ arborist working to AS 4373.
Is it only light pruning — no more than 10% of the canopy this year, or dead branches, by an AQF Level 3 arborist?
No permit needed
Get the tree owner's written consent, keep photos, and use an AQF Level 3+ arborist working to AS 4373.
Tree permit needed
Lodge the online form with a site plan and all owners' signatures. $108Council fee per tree (up to two), dead or alive.
How to apply on the Canada Bay website · Need an arborist report?
Is it under 5 m tall, with a trunk of 300 mm or less at ground level and a canopy spread of 4 m or less?
No permit needed
Get the tree owner's written consent, keep photos, and use an AQF Level 3+ arborist working to AS 4373.
Is it on the exempt species list or a State/Regional Priority Weed?
No permit needed
Get the tree owner's written consent, keep photos, and use an AQF Level 3+ arborist working to AS 4373.
Is it only light pruning — no more than 10% of the canopy this year, or dead branches, by an AQF Level 3 arborist?
No permit needed
Get the tree owner's written consent, keep photos, and use an AQF Level 3+ arborist working to AS 4373.
Tree permit needed
Lodge the online form with a site plan and all owners' signatures. $108Council fee per tree (up to two), dead or alive.
How to apply on the Canada Bay website · Need an arborist report?
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Canada Bay?
- Height: 5 m or more above existing ground level
- Trunk: more than 300 mm diameter at ground level (for trees under 5 m)
- Canopy: canopy spread over 4 m
You need approval to…
- Pruning or removing any tree 5 m or taller above existing ground level — living or dead.
- Pruning or removing a tree under 5 m tall with a trunk diameter of more than 300 mm at ground level.
- Pruning or removing any tree with a canopy spread of more than 4 m.
- Pruning or removing any native palm, cycad or mangrove, whatever its size.
- Any pruning or removal of vegetation on a heritage item or in a Heritage Conservation Area — this needs a Development Application (development consent), not a permit.
- Pruning more than 10% of a protected tree's canopy in a calendar year.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Pruning or removal of any tree that is not a protected tree (below all the size thresholds and not a native palm, cycad or mangrove).
- Removal of dead branches that do not have hollows and do not provide habitat for native fauna.
- Pruning or removal of a tree listed as a State or Regional Priority Weed under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
- Pruning of no more than 10% of a tree's total canopy in a calendar year, by an arborist of AQF Level 3 or above, to AS 4373-2007.
- Pruning branches overhanging from an adjoining property, within the same 10% rule and AS 4373.
- Trees on council's exempt species list (Table B-U).
- Keeping a minimum 500 mm clearance from domestic service leads, by an AQF Level 3+ arborist to AS 4373.
- None of these exemptions apply on a heritage item or in a Heritage Conservation Area.
- The tree owner must give written consent before exempt work starts, and you must be able to show council photo evidence of the proposed exempt work if asked.
Canada Bay's exempt species list (18 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Evergreen alder (Alnus jorullensis)
- Bamboo (Bambusa species)
- Running/rhizomatous bamboo (Phyllostachys species)
- Common coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Cock's comb coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)
- Green cestrum (Cestrum parqui)
- Privet (Ligustrum species)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander)
- African olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata)
- Prickly pear (Opuntia species)
- Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra 'Italica')
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera species)
- Cassia (Senna pendula)
- Queen/cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffianum)
- Rhus tree (Toxicodendron species)
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) or liquidambar (Liquidambar species) whose trunk's outside edge is within 3 m of a single storey dwelling (not a garage, carport or shed)
- Only if under 8 m tall and under 30 cm basal diameter: evergreen alder, hackberry (Celtis species), camphor laurel, rubber tree (Ficus elastica), willow (Salix species)
Exemptions usually don't apply on heritage properties. Not sure what your tree is? Send us a photo.
Step by step
How to apply in Canada Bay.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check whether the tree is protected
Measure height (5 m), trunk diameter at ground level (300 mm) and canopy spread (4 m). Any native palm, cycad or mangrove is protected. Check the exempt species list.
Check heritage status
Use council's Application Search & Property Enquiry. If the property is a heritage item or in a Heritage Conservation Area, lodge a DA through the NSW Planning Portal instead.
Check for an existing DA or consent condition
If a current DA already covers the tree, don't lodge a permit. If a past consent requires the tree to be kept, you need a Section 4.55 modification.
Prepare the site plan, photos and owner consent
Number each tree on a site plan showing buildings and the two nearest boundaries. Every owner must sign (strata: seal and secretary).
Lodge the online permit form and pay
Complete the Tree Pruning and Removal Permit form online and pay the fee ($108Council fee per tree for up to two residential trees).
Inspection and decision
Council's tree officer inspects and may ask for extra reports. Allow about 25 business days.
If refused, ask for a review
Lodge a Tree Pruning and Removal Appeal within 6 months ($295Council fee), or appeal to the Land and Environment Court within 3 months of the decision.
Council fees paid to City of Canada Bay Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tree permit — residential and strata, up to two trees | $108Council fee | Per tree, dead or alive (2026/27, GST exempt) |
| Tree permit — residential and strata, three trees | $267Council fee | Total for three trees |
| Tree permit — each tree over three | $32Council fee | Per additional tree |
| Tree permit — eligible pensioner (residential non-strata), up to two trees | $53.50Council fee | Per tree; $133Council fee for three trees; $16.30Council fee per tree over three |
| Tree permit — commercial and other properties, up to two trees | $216Council fee | Per tree; $535Council fee for three trees; $63.50Council fee per tree over three |
| Tree permit application appeal (review) | $295Council fee | Council's internal review of a refused permit |
| Development Application for pruning or removal of a tree — heritage items and properties in an HCA | $153Council fee | Statutory DA fee |
Processing: Council says applications may take 25 business days to process after payment of fees; this is an estimate and complex applications may take longer.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Canada Bay council's own rules.
Pruning
Without a permit you can remove up to 10% of a tree's total canopy in a calendar year, remove dead branches with no hollows or habitat, prune overhanging branches from next door within the same 10% limit, and keep a 500 mm clearance from service leads — but only if the work is done by an arborist with AQF Level 3 or above to AS 4373-2007. Council generally will not approve pruning to reduce a tree's height (except hedges). None of this applies on heritage land.
Dead or dangerous trees
Council's DCP defines a protected tree as "living or dead", and its fees apply per tree "dead or alive", so a dead protected tree needs a permit. If a tree poses an imminent risk to life or property, contact council explaining why and ask for priority assessment; council may ask for a statement and/or photos from an AQF Level 5 arborist and will issue an expedited consent if satisfied. Otherwise you will be told to lodge a normal application.
Arborist reports
Not always required. Council's tree officer decides whether you need to supply (at your cost) a report from an AQF Level 5 arborist, structural engineer, plumber and/or pest inspector, prepared to council's report guidelines — for example to show a tree is an unacceptable risk (QTRA or TRAQ) or is causing damage. The burden of proof is on the applicant. All pruning must be done by an arborist of AQF Level 3 or above.
Replacement planting
Trees removed under a permit or consent may have replacement planting conditioned. Replacements go on the same property, should reach a similar mature size and habit, and be at least 2 m from the dwelling and from other trees. A 4:1 replanting ratio with locally native species applies in C2 Environmental Conservation zones, Environmentally Sensitive Land, land identified as containing biodiversity, and biodiversity corridors. Photo evidence of replanting must be given to council within 3 months.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
The NSW Planning Portal bush fire prone land map shows no bush fire prone land in Canada Bay, so the 10/50 clearing rule is not expected to apply. Confirm your address with the NSW RFS 10/50 online tool before relying on it.
Heritage properties
If the tree is on land that is a heritage item or within a Heritage Conservation Area under Schedule 5 of Canada Bay LEP 2013, you need development consent (a DA lodged through the NSW Planning Portal) for any pruning or removal, and none of the permit exemptions apply. Check your property's heritage status on council's Application Search & Property Enquiry or by calling 02 9911 6555.
Your neighbour's tree
You may prune branches overhanging from next door without a permit if you keep within the 10%-a-year limit, use an AQF Level 3+ arborist and follow AS 4373 — but the DCP says the tree owner must give written consent before exempt work starts. Anything more needs a permit, and council can only approve work on a neighbour's tree if the tree's owners apply or give written consent. Council does not mediate exempt works on an adjoining property.
Street and park trees
Nature strip and park trees are council's. Don't lodge a private tree permit for them — council asks you to write to council@canadabay.nsw.gov.au if you are concerned about a nature strip tree, or call 02 9911 6555.
Penalties
Council's tree pages and DCP do not state fine amounts. The DCP says a person must not prune, remove or damage a protected tree without council approval unless an exemption applies.
What's different about Canada Bay
- Canada Bay protects dead trees too: its DCP defines a protected tree as 'living or dead', and permit fees are charged per tree 'dead or alive'.
- Any native palm, cycad or mangrove is protected regardless of size — relevant along the Parramatta River foreshore.
- Camphor laurels and liquidambars are exempt when the trunk is within 3 m of a single storey house (not a garage or shed).
- A 4:1 replanting ratio applies where a tree is removed in a biodiversity corridor, Environmentally Sensitive Land or a C2 zone.
- Pensioners (residential non-strata) pay about half the normal permit fee.
Trees common in Canada Bay
- Sydney red gum / smooth-barked apple (Angophora costata)
- Rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda)
- Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera)
- Grey gum (Eucalyptus punctata)
- Sydney peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita)
- NSW Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum)
- Blueberry ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus)
Suburbs
16 Canada Bay suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Canada Bay tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Canada Bay?
In Canada Bay you need a council permit to prune or remove a "protected tree" — any tree (living or dead) 5 m or taller, a shorter tree with a trunk over 300 mm across at ground level, a tree with a canopy spread over 4 m, or any native palm, cycad or mangrove regardless of size. If the property is a heritage item or in a Heritage Conservation Area you need a Development Application instead. Light pruning (up to 10% of the canopy a year by an AQF Level 3 arborist), dead-branch removal and listed weed species are exempt, except on heritage land.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Canada Bay?
Without a permit you can remove up to 10% of a tree's total canopy in a calendar year, remove dead branches with no hollows or habitat, prune overhanging branches from next door within the same 10% limit, and keep a 500 mm clearance from service leads — but only if the work is done by an arborist with AQF Level 3 or above to AS 4373-2007. Council generally will not approve pruning to reduce a tree's height (except hedges). None of this applies on heritage land.
How much does a tree permit cost in Canada Bay?
This is a council fee, paid to City of Canada Bay Council, not to us. Tree permit — residential and strata, up to two trees: $108Council fee (Per tree, dead or alive (2026/27, GST exempt)). Other council fees are listed on this page.
How long does Canada Bay council take to decide?
Council says applications may take 25 business days to process after payment of fees; this is an estimate and complex applications may take longer.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Canada Bay?
Council's DCP defines a protected tree as "living or dead", and its fees apply per tree "dead or alive", so a dead protected tree needs a permit. If a tree poses an imminent risk to life or property, contact council explaining why and ask for priority assessment; council may ask for a statement and/or photos from an AQF Level 5 arborist and will issue an expedited consent if satisfied. Otherwise you will be told to lodge a normal application.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Nature strip and park trees are council's. Don't lodge a private tree permit for them — council asks you to write to council@canadabay.nsw.gov.au if you are concerned about a nature strip tree, or call 02 9911 6555.
Sources: what Canada Bay council actually says
“A protected tree is any tree (living or dead) that: a) has a height equal to or greater than 5 metres above ground level (existing); or b) is under 5 metres in height that has a trunk diameter of more than 300mm at ground level (existing); or c) has a canopy spread of over 4m; or d) is a native palm, cycad or mangrove, irrespective of its dimensions”
“Pruning that amounts to no greater than 10% of a tree's total canopy being removed in a calendar year, provided that the works are carried out by an Arborist of Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level 3 and above”
“The exemptions listed above do not apply to land identified as a Heritage Item or within a Heritage Conservation Area.”
“Applications may take twenty-five (25) business days to process after payment of application fees.”
Rules come from: City of Canada Bay DCP, Part B General Controls, B6 Trees and Urban Ecology — B6.2 Tree pruning and/or removal (Part B version date 26/06/2025), made under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 Ch 2; Canada Bay LEP 2013 Schedule 5 for heritage.
- Trees — City of Canada Bay
- City of Canada Bay DCP Part B General Controls (B6 Trees and Urban Ecology), version 26/06/2025
- City of Canada Bay DCP Part L Definitions (protected tree)
- Planning controls (LEP & DCP) — City of Canada Bay
- Tree Pruning and Removal Permit Application form (online)
- Fees and Charges 2026-2027 (Tree management, p. 78)
- Fact sheet — Pruning or Removal of Trees (version 18/07/2025)
- Private Tree Management Manual (September 2019, version 09/11/2023)
- Forms & factsheets — City of Canada Bay
- NSW Planning Portal bush fire prone land layer (queried against LGA boundary)
Checked against City of Canada Bay Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with City of Canada Bay Council (02 9911 6555) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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