The fees to lodge with council are not charged by Above All Tree Services. They are paid directly to City of Sydney. 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
City of Sydney tree removal rules
Checked against City of Sydney's own documents on · Council: 02 9265 9333
In the City of Sydney you need a permit (or development consent) to prune or remove a tree that is 5 m or taller, has a canopy spread over 5 m, has a trunk more than 300 mm across at ground level, or is on the Register of Significant Trees. Heritage-listed trees generally need a Development Application. Some weed species are exempt, and light pruning within strict limits (no more than 5% of the canopy) is allowed without a permit. The application fee is $98Council fee.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
City of Sydney'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?
Is the tree heritage listed, on a heritage item, or on the Register of Significant Trees?
Development consent likely needed
Heritage-listed and significant trees generally need a DA. Check with council before lodging.
How to apply on the City of Sydney website · Need an arborist report?
Is the tree dead, dying or an imminent risk to life or property, confirmed by an AQF Level 3 arborist?
Exempt — but keep the evidence
Photos, a risk statement and an AQF Level 3 arborist's report before (or straight after) the work. Otherwise you risk fines.
Is it under 5 m tall, with a canopy spread of 5 m or less and a trunk of 300 mm or less at ground level?
No permit needed
Keep photos showing the tree was exempt, and use a qualified arborist working to AS 4373.
Is it on the exempt species list (or one of the five listed species and under 10 m tall)?
No permit needed
Keep photos showing the tree was exempt, and use a qualified arborist working to AS 4373.
Is it only light pruning — within the clearance guidelines and no more than 5% of the canopy?
No permit needed
Keep photos showing the tree was exempt, and use a qualified arborist working to AS 4373.
Permit needed — $98Council fee
Lodge the prune/remove application with owner consent and pay the fee. Allow 28 days.
How to apply on the City of Sydney website · Need an arborist report?
Is it a neighbour's tree overhanging your property (not a street or park tree)?
Permit needed — $98Council fee
Lodge the prune/remove application with owner consent and pay the fee. Allow 28 days.
How to apply on the City of Sydney website · Need an arborist report?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Street and park trees are public property. Report issues online or call 02 9265 9333.
Size matters
How big is "protected" in City of Sydney?
- Height: 5 m or more
- Trunk: more than 300 mm diameter measured at ground level
- Canopy: canopy spread over 5 m
You need approval to…
- Pruning or removing any tree 5 m or taller.
- Pruning or removing any tree with a canopy spread of more than 5 m.
- Pruning or removing any tree with a trunk diameter of more than 300 mm, measured at ground level.
- Any work on a tree listed on the Register of Significant Trees.
- Work on a heritage-listed tree, a tree on a heritage item, or a tree in a heritage conservation area generally needs development consent (a DA).
- Pruning branches that overhang from a neighbour's tree — you must apply to council first, even though the tree isn't yours.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Trees below all the size thresholds (under 5 m tall, canopy spread 5 m or less, trunk 300 mm or less at ground level) that are not on the Register of Significant Trees or heritage trees list.
- Trees of the exempt species listed by council (any size), unless listed on the Register of Significant Trees or the heritage trees list.
- Camphor laurel, Chinese hackberry, American nettle tree, coral tree and liquidambar that are less than 10 m tall, unless on the Register of Significant Trees.
- Pruning that stays within the clearance guidelines and branch-size limits, removes no more than 5% of the canopy, does not harm the tree, follows AS 4373 and is done by an arborist with at least AQF Level 2.
- Dead, dying or imminently dangerous trees, if a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 3) confirms it and you keep the evidence council requires — see below.
City of Sydney's exempt species list (21 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Bamboo (all species and cultivars)
- Citrus (all varieties)
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.)
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
- Wild honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos, not cultivars)
- Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonia)
- Privet (Ligustrum spp.)
- White cedar (Melia azedarach)
- Mulberry (Morus spp.)
- Banana (Musa spp.)
- African olive (Olea europaea var. africana)
- False acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia, not cultivars)
- Willow (Salix babylonica)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffianum)
- Under 10 m tall only: camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)
- Under 10 m tall only: Chinese hackberry / nettle tree (Celtis sinensis)
- Under 10 m tall only: American nettle tree (Celtis occidentalis)
- Under 10 m tall only: coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Under 10 m tall only: liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua)
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 City of Sydney.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check whether your tree is protected
Measure height (5 m), canopy spread (5 m) and trunk diameter at ground level (300 mm). Check the exempt species list and the pruning exemptions.
Check heritage and significant-tree lists
Look up the heritage trees list and the Register of Significant Trees. If the tree needs development consent, lodge a DA instead of a permit.
Get owner consent
For removal, every owner on title must sign the form. Strata or company properties need the extra consents described on the form.
Gather supporting documents
Photos, a site diagram showing the tree, and any arborist, plumber or structural engineer reports.
Lodge the application
Email the form to applications@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au, post it, or lodge in person at Town Hall House. Pay the $98Council fee fee — assessment doesn't start until you pay.
Inspection and decision
A council officer may inspect the tree. Allow 28 days. If refused, you can appeal to the Land and Environment Court within 3 months.
Do the work to the permit conditions
Use an arborist with at least AQF Level 3, prune to AS 4373, and plant any required replacement tree.
Council fees paid to City of Sydney, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prune/remove tree on private land application | $98Council fee | Including GST. Not refunded if the works turn out to be exempt. Assessment starts only after payment. |
Processing: Council aims to assess applications within 28 days of payment. If you have not been notified after 28 days (not counting time waiting on further information), the application is deemed refused, although council may still decide it later.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from City of Sydney council's own rules.
Pruning
You can prune a tree on private land without a permit only if the pruning keeps to council's clearance guidelines (for example 1 m maximum clearance from a building and 0.5–1 m from domestic power or phone lines, with branches up to 50 mm; 2.5 m over footpaths and parking lanes and 4.5 m over roads, with branches up to 100 mm), removes no more than 5% of the canopy, does not damage the tree's health or stability, follows AS 4373 and is done by an arborist with at least AQF Level 2. Branch size is measured where it joins another branch or the trunk. Anything more needs a permit. Pruning a neighbour's tree back to the boundary line is not permitted.
Dead or dangerous trees
No permit is needed for a tree that is dead, dying or a high and imminent risk to life or substantial property, but you must be able to prove it. Keep a record of the tree's condition with photographs, the level of risk, and a statement that the work was the minimum needed, plus a report from a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 3) before the work starts — or immediately after if the work had to happen outside business hours. The arborist decides whether action is needed within 48 hours. If council is not satisfied, it may issue fines or take legal action.
Arborist reports
Not always mandatory, but the form asks for any arborist's report prepared to council's guidelines (DCP Schedule 8), and council may ask you to engage a consultant arborist if the tree needs aerial inspection, resistance testing, pathology or root investigation. Dead/dangerous-tree exemptions need an AQF Level 3 arborist's report. Approved works must be done by an arborist with at least AQF Level 3; exempt pruning by at least AQF Level 2. Removal for pipe or structure damage will not be approved unless you show engineering alternatives have been investigated.
Replacement planting
Most tree removal permits include a condition to plant a replacement tree on the property. The permit sets the size at planting and the mature height it must reach; the species is the owner's choice. Not following permit conditions is an offence.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
The NSW Planning Portal bush fire prone land map shows no bush fire prone land in the City of Sydney, 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
Heritage-listed trees typically need development consent (a DA), and development consent is required for certain work to a tree that is a heritage item or in a heritage conservation area under Sydney LEP 2012 cl 5.10 (this can be waived in limited cases). Check the heritage trees list and the Register of Significant Trees before applying — the form is invalid for trees that need a DA. State Heritage Register properties need separate NSW Heritage Council approval or exemption before you lodge.
Your neighbour's tree
You must apply to council before pruning branches that overhang from a neighbour's tree. You don't need your neighbour's permission to apply, but council will notify them and give them 14 days to comment. All pruning must be done from your side and you can't enter their property. Council will not accept an application to remove a neighbour's tree. Council cannot resolve tree disputes between neighbours; the next step is the Land and Environment Court under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006.
Street and park trees
Street and park trees are public property — do not prune them yourself. Report a problem or request pruning online or on 02 9265 9333. Council will not prune a healthy street tree for leaf, flower or fruit drop, views or more light.
Penalties
It is an offence to prune or remove a protected tree without a permit or consent. Depending on seriousness, council may issue a penalty infringement notice or prosecute in the Local Court or the Land and Environment Court. Council states maximum penalties of up to $500,000 for individuals and $2 million for companies.
What's different about City of Sydney
- City of Sydney measures trunk diameter at ground level (300 mm), not at 1.4 m like most neighbouring councils.
- Even pruning a neighbour's overhanging branches needs a council application; council notifies the neighbour, who has 14 days to comment.
- Exempt pruning is capped at 5% of the canopy, and must be done by at least an AQF Level 2 arborist.
- Council keeps a Register of Significant Trees; listed trees are protected regardless of size, and trees can be listed for botanical, ecological or cultural value, not only size.
- Council's target is 27% canopy cover across the local area by 2050, and it has planted more than 18,000 street trees in 20 years.
Trees common in City of Sydney
- Brush box (Lophostemon confertus)
- Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina)
- London plane (Platanus x acerifolia)
- Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)
- Sydney red gum (Angophora costata)
- Port Jackson fig (Ficus rubiginosa)
- Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla)
- Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
Suburbs
28 City of Sydney suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
City of Sydney tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in City of Sydney?
In the City of Sydney you need a permit (or development consent) to prune or remove a tree that is 5 m or taller, has a canopy spread over 5 m, has a trunk more than 300 mm across at ground level, or is on the Register of Significant Trees. Heritage-listed trees generally need a Development Application. Some weed species are exempt, and light pruning within strict limits (no more than 5% of the canopy) is allowed without a permit. The application fee is $98Council fee.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in City of Sydney?
You can prune a tree on private land without a permit only if the pruning keeps to council's clearance guidelines (for example 1 m maximum clearance from a building and 0.5–1 m from domestic power or phone lines, with branches up to 50 mm; 2.5 m over footpaths and parking lanes and 4.5 m over roads, with branches up to 100 mm), removes no more than 5% of the canopy, does not damage the tree's health or stability, follows AS 4373 and is done by an arborist with at least AQF Level 2. Branch size is measured where it joins another branch or the trunk. Anything more needs a permit. Pruning a neighbour's tree back to the boundary line is not permitted.
How much does a tree permit cost in City of Sydney?
This is a council fee, paid to City of Sydney, not to us. Prune/remove tree on private land application: $98Council fee (Including GST. Not refunded if the works turn out to be exempt. Assessment starts only after payment.).
How long does City of Sydney council take to decide?
Council aims to assess applications within 28 days of payment. If you have not been notified after 28 days (not counting time waiting on further information), the application is deemed refused, although council may still decide it later.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in City of Sydney?
No permit is needed for a tree that is dead, dying or a high and imminent risk to life or substantial property, but you must be able to prove it. Keep a record of the tree's condition with photographs, the level of risk, and a statement that the work was the minimum needed, plus a report from a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 3) before the work starts — or immediately after if the work had to happen outside business hours. The arborist decides whether action is needed within 48 hours. If council is not satisfied, it may issue fines or take legal action.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Street and park trees are public property — do not prune them yourself. Report a problem or request pruning online or on 02 9265 9333. Council will not prune a healthy street tree for leaf, flower or fruit drop, views or more light.
Sources: what City of Sydney council actually says
“A permit or development consent is required to ringbark, cut down, top, lop, prune, remove, injure or wilfully destroy a tree that: (a) has a height of 5m or more; or (b) has a canopy spread of over 5m; or (c) has a trunk diameter of more than 300mm, measured at ground level; or (d) is listed in the Register of Significant Trees.”
“doesn't remove more than 5% of a tree's canopy”
“If we're not satisfied the tree was dead, is dying or poses an imminent risk to human life or substantial property, we may issue fines or pursue legal action.”
“Maximum penalties of up to $2 million may be imposed against companies and $500,000 for individuals.”
Rules come from: Sydney DCP 2012, Section 3.5.3 Tree management (and Schedule 8), made under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 Ch 2; Sydney LEP 2012 cl 5.10 for heritage.
- Apply to prune or remove a tree — City of Sydney
- Exemptions for pruning and removing trees — City of Sydney (published 13 May 2026)
- Sydney DCP 2012: Tree management controls (Section 3.5.3) PDF
- Prune/Remove Tree on Private Land Application form (PDF)
- Heritage tree list (December 2025) PDF
- Register of Significant Trees — City of Sydney
- Trees and neighbours — City of Sydney
- Report a tree issue — City of Sydney
- Sydney street trees — City of Sydney
- Street Tree Master Plan 2011 Part B — Tree species selection
- NSW Planning Portal bush fire prone land layer (queried against LGA boundary)
Checked against City of Sydney's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with City of Sydney (02 9265 9333) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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