The fees to lodge with council are not charged by Above All Tree Services. They are paid directly to City of Canterbury Bankstown. 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
Canterbury-Bankstown tree removal rules
Checked against City of Canterbury Bankstown's own documents on · Council: 02 9707 9000
In Canterbury-Bankstown, a private tree generally needs a council permit only if it is 5 m or taller, and trees within 3 m of the wall of your house, fruit trees and a long list of exempt species can be removed without asking. You can also prune up to 10% of a native tree's crown (20% for an exotic) each year without a permit. Stricter rules apply on heritage sites, the foreshore area and Biodiversity Map land, and one set of rules now covers both the former Canterbury and former Bankstown council areas.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Canterbury-Bankstown'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 (not a street, park or reserve)?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Every street, park and reserve tree is protected regardless of size. Only council can prune or remove it. Call 02 9707 9000 to request tree works.
Is the property a heritage item, in a Heritage Conservation Area, or on the LEP Biodiversity Map?
You need a development application
Removing a tree on a heritage item site or Biodiversity Map land needs development consent, and the tree permit form cannot be used. All trees on these sites are protected regardless of size. Speak to council's planners first.
Is it on the exempt species list, a fruit tree, or a declared weed?
No permit needed
This work is exempt under DCP 2023 Chapter 2.3. Keep photos and measurements. If native animals are nesting or living in hollows, you may still need a NSW licence under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Is the trunk within 3 m of the external wall of your approved house (not a garage, shed or granny flat)?
No permit needed
This work is exempt under DCP 2023 Chapter 2.3. Keep photos and measurements. If native animals are nesting or living in hollows, you may still need a NSW licence under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Is the tree in the LEP foreshore area, a mangrove, or a listed threatened species?
Is the tree dead, dying, or an imminent threat to life or property?
Exempt only if you can prove it to council
Dead, dying or dangerous trees are exempt only where council is satisfied of the condition (not vandalised, not needed as habitat). Get an arborist report and photos first and contact council on 02 9707 9000 before cutting.
Are you only pruning up to 10% (native) or 20% (exotic) of the crown in 12 months, with no branch over 150 mm, and the tree is not in the foreshore area or a threatened species?
No permit needed
This work is exempt under DCP 2023 Chapter 2.3. Keep photos and measurements. If native animals are nesting or living in hollows, you may still need a NSW licence under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Apply for a tree permit
Lodge online or with the PDF form ($115Council fee for 1–10 trees; $57.50Council fee pensioners). If approved, use an AQF3+ arborist and plant replacement trees (usually 3:1) within 28 days.
How to apply on the Canterbury-Bankstown website · Need an arborist report?
Is the tree 5 m or taller?
No permit needed
This work is exempt under DCP 2023 Chapter 2.3. Keep photos and measurements. If native animals are nesting or living in hollows, you may still need a NSW licence under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Is the tree dead, dying, or an imminent threat to life or property?
Exempt only if you can prove it to council
Dead, dying or dangerous trees are exempt only where council is satisfied of the condition (not vandalised, not needed as habitat). Get an arborist report and photos first and contact council on 02 9707 9000 before cutting.
Are you only pruning up to 10% (native) or 20% (exotic) of the crown in 12 months, with no branch over 150 mm, and the tree is not in the foreshore area or a threatened species?
No permit needed
This work is exempt under DCP 2023 Chapter 2.3. Keep photos and measurements. If native animals are nesting or living in hollows, you may still need a NSW licence under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Apply for a tree permit
Lodge online or with the PDF form ($115Council fee for 1–10 trees; $57.50Council fee pensioners). If approved, use an AQF3+ arborist and plant replacement trees (usually 3:1) within 28 days.
How to apply on the Canterbury-Bankstown website · Need an arborist report?
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Canterbury-Bankstown?
- Height: 5 m or more (any size in the foreshore area, on heritage sites, Biodiversity Map land, mangroves and listed threatened species)
- Near the house: exempt within 3 m of the external wall of an approved dwelling, measured to the centre of the trunk at 1.4 m above ground (not secondary dwellings, garages, sheds or verandahs)
You need approval to…
- Cutting down, removing, lopping, poisoning, ringbarking or otherwise destroying a substantial part of a prescribed tree, or excavating within its tree protection zone, without a council permit.
- Prescribed trees on private land include all trees 5 m or more in height.
- All mangroves, regardless of size.
- All trees, regardless of size, listed as Vulnerable or Endangered or part of an Endangered Ecological Community under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, or listed under the EPBC Act 1999.
- All trees, regardless of size, on land on the LEP 2023 Biodiversity Map, on a heritage item site, or in the LEP 2023 foreshore area.
- Removing any tree on a heritage item site or Biodiversity Map land needs development consent (a DA), not a tree permit.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Trees within 3 m of the external wall of an approved dwelling (not a secondary dwelling such as a granny flat, and not garages, sheds, decks or verandahs), measured from the wall to the centre of the trunk at 1.4 m above ground.
- Trees on the Tree Management Order exempt species list.
- Plants declared a weed under the Biosecurity Act 2015.
- Dying or dead trees, provided council is satisfied the tree is dying or dead, the condition is not the result of vandalism or a breach, and the tree is not required as habitat for native fauna.
- Dangerous trees, where the owner can prove to council's satisfaction that pruning or removal is the only reasonable option to avoid an imminent threat to human life or property.
- Recognised horticultural varieties of trees grown for fruit production.
- Selective pruning of up to 10% of the crown of a native tree, or 20% of an exotic tree, over 12 months, with no branch over 150 mm in diameter, done to AS 4373–2007 (not on heritage, foreshore, Biodiversity Map, conservation corridor or threatened-species trees).
- Pruning palms to remove fruit and dead fronds.
- Trees listed for removal under a current development consent.
- Tree works lawfully done under an order under the Trees (Disputes between Neighbours) Act 2006, or under the Electricity Supply Act 1995, Rural Fires Act 1997, Roads Act 1993 and other listed Acts.
Canterbury-Bankstown's exempt species list (41 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana)
- Queensland silver wattle (Acacia podalyriifolia)
- Golden wattle (Acacia saligna)
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Bamboo (Bambusa spp)
- Hackberry (Celtis sinensis)
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), less than 10 m in height
- Lemon (Citrus limon cvs)
- Mandarin (Citrus reticulata cvs)
- Orange (Citrus sinensis cvs)
- Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi cvs)
- Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
- Common coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Narrow-leafed peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii)
- Willow gum (Eucalyptus scoparia)
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica and cvs)
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Broad-leaf privet (Ligustrum lucidum)
- Narrow-leaf privet (Ligustrum sinense)
- Liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua)
- Apple (Malus domestica and cvs)
- Mango (Mangifera indica)
- Mulberry (Morus spp)
- Banana (Musa spp)
- African olive (Olea europaea subsp africana)
- Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis), with a trunk less than 4 m in height
- Rhizomatous bamboo (Phyllostachys spp)
- Radiata pine (Pinus radiata)
- Poplars (Populus spp)
- Cherry (Prunus avium / P. cerasus and cvs)
- Peach (Prunus persica and cvs)
- Plum (Prunus spp and cvs)
- Apricot (Prunus spp and cvs)
- European pear (Pyrus communis and cvs)
- Robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia and cvs)
- Willow (Salix spp)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- Broad-leaf pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius)
- Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
- Rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum)
- Leyland cypress (X Cupressocyparis leylandii and cvs)
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 Canterbury-Bankstown.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check the species and size
If the tree is on the exempt species list, is a fruit tree, a declared weed, or is under 5 m tall (and not in the foreshore area, on a heritage site, on Biodiversity Map land or a threatened species), you do not need a permit.
Measure the distance to your house
Trees within 3 m of the external wall of your approved house (measured to the centre of the trunk at 1.4 m high) are exempt. Garages, sheds, decks and granny flats don't count.
Check your planning certificate for heritage or biodiversity
If the property is a heritage item, in a Heritage Conservation Area or on the Biodiversity Map, removal needs a development application instead of a tree permit.
Prepare the application
Complete the online form or the 2026/27 PDF form. Draw a site plan labelling trees T1, T2 and so on, and mark each tree on site with tape, ribbon, a paint spot or a numbered tag. Get the owner's signed consent.
Attach evidence
Council inspects from the ground only. For canopy defects above 2 m, roots, or claimed damage, attach an AQF5 arborist report, plumber's report or structural engineer's report.
Lodge and pay
Lodge online, by email (council@cbcity.nsw.gov.au), by post (PO Box 8, Bankstown NSW 1885) or at the Bankstown Customer Service Centre, and pay the fee ($115Council fee for 1–10 trees; $57.50Council fee for pensioners).
Do the approved work within 12 months
Use an arborist qualified to at least AQF Level 3, keep the permit on site, and plant replacement trees (usually 3:1) within 28 days of removal.
Ask for a review within 3 months if refused
Email council, lodge a customer request or use the review form within 3 months of the decision, with new evidence. After 3 months you must make a new application.
Council fees paid to City of Canterbury Bankstown, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tree permit application — 1 to 10 trees | $115.00Council fee | Non-refundable (2026/27 form). Pensioner fee $57.50Council fee. Fees are not refunded if the tree turns out to be exempt. |
| Tree permit application — 11 to 15 trees | $173.50Council fee | Pensioner fee $87.50Council fee. |
| Tree permit application — 16 or more trees | $215.00Council fee | Pensioner fee $108.50Council fee. |
Processing: Not stated. Council notes that special access arrangements or on-site appointments may delay processing.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Canterbury-Bankstown council's own rules.
Pruning
Without a permit you may selectively prune up to 10% of the crown of a native tree, or 20% of an exotic tree, in any 12-month period, as long as no branch removed is over 150 mm in diameter and the work follows AS 4373–2007. Allowed pruning types are deadwooding, crown thinning, selective pruning, reduction pruning, crown lifting, remedial pruning and line clearance. This allowance does not apply to threatened-species trees, heritage item sites, Biodiversity Map land, conservation corridors or the foreshore area. Palms may have fruit and dead fronds removed. If you get a permit, the work must be done by an arborist qualified to at least AQF Level 3.
Dead or dangerous trees
A dying or dead tree is exempt only if council is satisfied it is dying or dead, was not vandalised, and is not needed as habitat for native fauna. A dangerous tree is exempt only where the owner can prove to council's satisfaction that pruning or removal is the only reasonable option to avoid an imminent threat to life or property. Council says its Tree Management Officers do not carry out safety or risk assessments of private trees, so gather your own evidence (photos and an arborist's report) before any work and keep it.
Arborist reports
Not required for every application. Council inspects from the ground only, so if features more than 2 m above ground or below ground need checking, you must supply a report from an arborist with a minimum AQF Level 5 (e.g. aerial assessment, tree health assessment or root mapping). Claims of structural damage or pipe blockage need clear evidence, such as exposed damage or expert reports (plumber, structural engineer). Approved work must be carried out by an arborist with at least AQF Level 3.
Replacement planting
Approved removals carry a 3:1 replacement requirement (three new trees for each one removed), which officers may vary for your site; council specifies the tree size but not the species, except that fruit trees and exempt species cannot be used. Replacements must be planted within 28 days of removal unless council says otherwise, and council may check by site visit or aerial imagery. A permit is valid for 12 months.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
Council's tree pages do not mention the 10/50 scheme. The RFS Canterbury Bankstown / Georges River Bush Fire Risk Management Plan names "Riverside Communities: Picnic Point – Oatley" as a focus area with unacceptable bushfire risk, so some Georges River foreshore properties may be in bushfire prone land. Check your address with the RFS 10/50 online tool; note that trees in the LEP foreshore area are protected regardless of size under council's rules.
Heritage properties
Removing any tree on a site listed as a heritage item in Schedule 5 of the Canterbury-Bankstown LEP 2023 needs a development application, and all trees on heritage item sites are protected regardless of size. The 10%/20% pruning allowance does not apply there. The application form also tells you not to use a tree permit (lodge a DA instead) if the tree is in a Heritage Conservation Area or on a Biodiversity Site; check your section 10.7 planning certificate.
Your neighbour's tree
A neighbour or proxy can lodge an application, but the owner's details and signed consent are part of the form, and council issues permits and all determinations to the property owner only. Council will not make on-site appointments with multiple parties. Unresolved disputes can go to the Land and Environment Court under the Trees (Disputes between Neighbours) Act 2006; work under an order from that court is exempt.
Street and park trees
All trees on public land, public places, reserves and roads are protected regardless of size, species or origin. No private person may prune, remove or harm a street or park tree without written permission from council. Request public tree works through council (call 02 9707 9000); a Tree Management Officer usually inspects within five days. Council will not prune healthy street trees for views, sunlight, leaf drop, solar panels or gutters.
Penalties
The DCP says anyone who contravenes the Tree Management Order is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of up to 10,000 penalty units, and the court may also order replacement trees maintained to maturity. In October 2025 council reported a developer was fined $36,000 in Bankstown Local Court over trees removed without consent at a Padstow Heights property, after first receiving six penalty infringement notices.
What's different about Canterbury-Bankstown
- Canterbury-Bankstown was formed in 2016 from the former Canterbury and Bankstown councils. Their separate Tree Management Orders are marked 'Superceeded'; DCP 2023 Chapter 2.3 now applies citywide, so the same rules apply whether you are in Earlwood or Picnic Point.
- The height trigger is 5 m, higher than most neighbouring councils, and trees within 3 m of your house wall are exempt.
- Along the Georges River foreshore (e.g. Picnic Point, East Hills, Revesby Heights, Padstow Heights), trees in the LEP foreshore area are protected regardless of size and the 10%/20% pruning allowance does not apply.
- Approved removals require 3:1 replacement planting within 28 days, and permits last 12 months.
- Council fined via court: a developer was fined $36,000 in October 2025 over unlawful tree removal at Padstow Heights.
Trees common in Canterbury-Bankstown
- Hills weeping fig (Ficus microcarpa 'Hillii')
- Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides)
- Ivory curl tree (Buckinghamia celsissima)
- Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
- Weeping lilly pilly (Waterhousea floribunda)
- Liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Suburbs
37 Canterbury-Bankstown suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Canterbury-Bankstown tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Canterbury-Bankstown?
In Canterbury-Bankstown, a private tree generally needs a council permit only if it is 5 m or taller, and trees within 3 m of the wall of your house, fruit trees and a long list of exempt species can be removed without asking. You can also prune up to 10% of a native tree's crown (20% for an exotic) each year without a permit. Stricter rules apply on heritage sites, the foreshore area and Biodiversity Map land, and one set of rules now covers both the former Canterbury and former Bankstown council areas.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Canterbury-Bankstown?
Without a permit you may selectively prune up to 10% of the crown of a native tree, or 20% of an exotic tree, in any 12-month period, as long as no branch removed is over 150 mm in diameter and the work follows AS 4373–2007. Allowed pruning types are deadwooding, crown thinning, selective pruning, reduction pruning, crown lifting, remedial pruning and line clearance. This allowance does not apply to threatened-species trees, heritage item sites, Biodiversity Map land, conservation corridors or the foreshore area. Palms may have fruit and dead fronds removed. If you get a permit, the work must be done by an arborist qualified to at least AQF Level 3.
How much does a tree permit cost in Canterbury-Bankstown?
This is a council fee, paid to City of Canterbury Bankstown, not to us. Tree permit application — 1 to 10 trees: $115.00Council fee (Non-refundable (2026/27 form). Pensioner fee $57.50Council fee. Fees are not refunded if the tree turns out to be exempt.). Other council fees are listed on this page.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Canterbury-Bankstown?
A dying or dead tree is exempt only if council is satisfied it is dying or dead, was not vandalised, and is not needed as habitat for native fauna. A dangerous tree is exempt only where the owner can prove to council's satisfaction that pruning or removal is the only reasonable option to avoid an imminent threat to life or property. Council says its Tree Management Officers do not carry out safety or risk assessments of private trees, so gather your own evidence (photos and an arborist's report) before any work and keep it.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
All trees on public land, public places, reserves and roads are protected regardless of size, species or origin. No private person may prune, remove or harm a street or park tree without written permission from council. Request public tree works through council (call 02 9707 9000); a Tree Management Officer usually inspects within five days. Council will not prune healthy street trees for views, sunlight, leaf drop, solar panels or gutters.
Sources: what Canterbury-Bankstown council actually says
“Trees species that are not on Council's exempt species list are protected by the Tree Management Order, and will need permission for most works if they are over 5m in height.”
“trees located within 3m of the external wall of an approved dwelling, not including a secondary dwelling. The distance shall be measured from the external wall of the approved dwelling to the centre of the trunk of the tree at 1.4m above ground level”
“selective pruning of up to a total of 10% of the crown of an indigenous tree and up to a total of 20% of the crown of an exotic tree species over a 12 month period. Branches pruned must be no greater than 150 mm in diameter.”
“In CBCity, when a tree removal is approved, there is a 3:1 replacement requirement, meaning you need to plant three new trees for each one removed.”
Rules come from: Canterbury-Bankstown Development Control Plan 2023, Chapter 2.3 Tree Management (the Tree Management Order; June 2023, amended August 2024), clauses 2.1–2.13; made under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 and read with the council's Tree Management Manual and Canterbury-Bankstown LEP 2023.
- Private trees — City of Canterbury Bankstown
- Tree management order — City of Canterbury Bankstown
- Canterbury-Bankstown DCP 2023 Chapter 2.3 Tree Management (Amended August 2024, PDF)
- Application to Prune or Remove a Tree on Private Property 2026/2027 (PDF form)
- Application to Prune or Remove a Tree on Private Property — online form page
- Public trees — City of Canterbury Bankstown
- Hefty fine for illegally removing protected trees (media release, 29 Oct 2025)
- Earlwood Tree Replacement — Have Your Say Canterbury Bankstown
- Canterbury Bankstown / Georges River Bush Fire Risk Management Plan — NSW RFS (PDF)
Checked against City of Canterbury Bankstown's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with City of Canterbury Bankstown (02 9707 9000) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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