The fees to lodge with council are not charged by Above All Tree Services. They are paid directly to Inner West 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
Inner West tree removal rules
Checked against Inner West Council's own documents on · Council: 02 9392 5000
In the Inner West you need council approval to remove or prune a "prescribed tree" — any tree 4 m or taller, a shorter tree with a trunk over 150 mm across at 1.4 m, a tree with a canopy spread of 2 m or more, or a palm or tree fern with 4 m or more of clear trunk. Most trees need a Tree Works Permit lodged through council's online portal, but if the property is heritage listed, in a Heritage Conservation Area, or the tree is on the heritage trees list, you need a Development Application instead. Dead trees still need approval.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Inner West'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
Street and park trees belong to council. Pruning them without consent is illegal. Report it or request works on 02 9392 5000.
Is the property a heritage item, in a Heritage Conservation Area, or the tree on the heritage trees list?
Development Application needed
Heritage properties, Heritage Conservation Areas and heritage-listed trees need a DA for removal or pruning over 10%.
How to apply on the Inner West website · Need an arborist report?
Is the tree imminently dangerous to people or property?
Contact council first with arborist evidence
Send photos and an AQF Level 5 arborist's TRAQ or QTRA assessment. Council can give expedited written consent. If a tree is falling or has fallen, call emergency services first.
Is the tree under 4 m tall, with a trunk of 150 mm or less at 1.4 m and a canopy spread under 2 m?
No council approval needed
Provided the tree isn't protected by a consent condition or threatened-species rules. Work to AS 4373 and consider replanting.
Is it on the exempt species or priority weeds list, or within 1 m of your house wall?
No council approval needed
Provided the tree isn't protected by a consent condition or threatened-species rules. Work to AS 4373 and consider replanting.
Are you only lifting the canopy to 2.5 m, removing deadwood, or pruning branches under 100 mm (max 10% of canopy)?
No council approval needed
Provided the tree isn't protected by a consent condition or threatened-species rules. Work to AS 4373 and consider replanting.
Tree Works Permit needed
Lodge the signed form through council's online portal and pay the fee. This includes dead trees.
How to apply on the Inner West website · Need an arborist report?
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Inner West?
- Height: 4 m or more above existing ground level (palms and tree ferns: 4 m or more of clear stem)
- Trunk: more than 150 mm diameter at 1.4 m (DBH) for trees under 4 m
- Canopy: canopy spread of 2 m or more
You need approval to…
- Removing or pruning any tree 4 m or taller (measured from existing ground level).
- Removing or pruning a tree under 4 m tall whose trunk is more than 150 mm in diameter at 1.4 m above the ground.
- Removing or pruning any tree with a canopy spread of 2 m or more.
- Removing or pruning any palm or tree fern with a clean stem (trunk) of 4 m or more.
- Pruning more than 10% of a prescribed tree's canopy, and any root pruning.
- Removing a dead tree — council says removal of dead trees requires council consent.
- Any work to a prescribed tree on a heritage item, in a Heritage Conservation Area, on the heritage trees list, or forming part of an Aboriginal object or place — this needs a Development Application, not a permit.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Canopy lifting to 2.5 metres above ground level.
- Pruning of branches with a diameter of less than 100 mm to a maximum of 10% of the canopy annually.
- Pruning of deadwood that does not have hollows or provide habitat for native fauna.
- Removal of a tree, including a prescribed tree, within 1 metre of the wall of a residential dwelling on the same lot (measured from the centre of the trunk at 1.4 m). Does not apply to heritage items, Heritage Conservation Areas or heritage-listed trees.
- Removal of trees on council's exempt species list, or on the NSW DPI priority weeds list for Greater Sydney (Inner West). Does not apply in Heritage Conservation Areas or on heritage items.
- All exempt pruning must follow AS 4373-2007 Pruning of amenity trees and the Safe Work Australia tree trimming and removal guide.
- Exemptions do not apply to trees kept or planted under a development consent or permit condition, threatened species habitat, or native prescribed trees in a wildlife corridor on the Marrickville DCP 2011 Biodiversity Map.
Inner West's exempt species list (18 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Box elder (Acer negundo)
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Evergreen alder (Alnus jorrullensis)
- Bamboo species (Bambusa spp., Phyllostachys spp.)
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.)
- Coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonia)
- Broad-leaved privet (Ligustrum lucidum)
- Small-leaved privet (Ligustrum sinense)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander)
- False acacia / black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Willow (Salix spp.)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffianum)
- Athel tree (Tamarix aphylla)
- Rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum)
- Any species on the NSW DPI priority weeds list for Greater Sydney (Inner West) — see NSW WeedWise
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 Inner West.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check whether your tree is prescribed
Measure the height (4 m), trunk diameter at 1.4 m (150 mm), canopy spread (2 m) and, for palms, the clear trunk (4 m). Check the exempt species list and whether the tree is within 1 m of your house wall.
Check for heritage
Look up whether your property is a heritage item, in a Heritage Conservation Area or on the heritage trees list. If it is, you need a Development Application instead of a permit.
Get all owners' signatures
Download the Tree Works application form and have every registered owner sign it. Council refuses unsigned applications. For strata, get body corporate consent.
Gather supporting evidence
Photos plus any arborist, plumber or engineer reports. These are optional for a permit but help council assess the tree.
Lodge online and pay
Register on council's online portal, choose Enquiries > Public Approvals > Tree Approval > Tree Permit Application, attach the form and pay the fee.
Site inspection and decision
A council officer may inspect. Allow up to 6–8 weeks. If approved, follow the permit conditions, including replacement planting.
Hire a qualified arborist
Use an insured arborist with at least AQF Level 3 for the work. If refused, you can ask for a review or appeal to the Land and Environment Court within three months.
Council fees paid to Inner West Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application to prune or remove trees — value of works less than $5,000 | $148.82Council fee | 2026/27 fee, no GST |
| Application to prune or remove trees — value of works greater than $5,000 | $228.42Council fee | 2026/27 fee, no GST |
| Notification of tree applications and DAs for tree removal (where required) | $236.60Council fee | 2026/27 fee, only charged where notification is required |
Processing: Council says applications with complete documentation are generally finalised within 28 days, but in 2026 it warns of a 6–8 week turnaround because of high demand. The clock stops while council waits for extra information.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Inner West council's own rules.
Pruning
Without approval you may lift the canopy to 2.5 m above ground, prune branches under 100 mm in diameter up to a maximum of 10% of the canopy each year, and remove deadwood that has no hollows and is not native animal habitat. Work must follow AS 4373-2007. Pruning more than 10% of the canopy, or pruning roots, needs a Tree Works Permit (or a DA on heritage properties). Council says pruning to reduce height is generally not a reason it will approve, except for hedges.
Dead or dangerous trees
Dead trees still need a Tree Works Permit or DA. If you believe a tree is an imminent risk to life or property, contact council first with photographs and a written assessment from a qualified arborist (AQF Level 5) using TRAQ or QTRA. If council agrees, it will issue expedited written consent to remove it; otherwise you will be told to lodge the normal application. For a tree that is falling or has fallen, call emergency services (SES or Fire and Rescue NSW) first.
Arborist reports
An arborist report is not mandatory for a Tree Works Permit, but council says it may help your application. Where council requires a report it must be from a consulting arborist with AQF Level 5 (or equivalent) in arboriculture. Imminent-danger claims must be supported by an AQF Level 5 arborist using TRAQ or QTRA. Approved work should be done by an arborist with at least AQF Level 3; root pruning should be assessed by at least AQF Level 4.
Replacement planting
A replacement tree must be planted for any prescribed tree approved for removal, on the same site, and kept healthy until it becomes a prescribed tree itself. Minimum planting is one tree on lots under 300 m² and two trees on larger lots, at least 1 m from buildings, pools and boundaries. If there is no suitable spot, council may accept a payment towards public tree planting instead. Council also recommends replanting after exempt removals near dwellings.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
The NSW Planning Portal bush fire prone land map shows no bush fire prone land in the Inner West, so the 10/50 clearing rule is not expected to apply here. Confirm your address with the NSW RFS 10/50 online tool before relying on it.
Heritage properties
If the tree is on council's heritage trees list, on a heritage item property, in a Heritage Conservation Area (Inner West LEP 2022), or part of an Aboriginal object or place, you must lodge a Development Application rather than a Tree Works Permit. The 1 m-from-dwelling and exempt-species exemptions do not apply on these properties. Check whether you are in a Heritage Conservation Area before lodging a permit, or the application may be the wrong type.
Your neighbour's tree
You need the tree owner's permission before asking council to remove a neighbour's tree, and the owner (or body corporate for strata) must consent to the application. Pruning overhanging branches in line with AS 4373 and the exempt pruning rules does not need council consent, but speak to your neighbour first. Council does not mediate between neighbours; for damage disputes it refers people to the Land and Environment Court and LawAccess NSW.
Street and park trees
Council manages about 78,000 public trees. It is illegal to prune a council tree without council's consent. Report a dangerous street tree or request tree works through council's online portal or call 02 9392 5000.
Penalties
Council's Ranger Services investigate reported illegal pruning, removal, poisoning or vandalism and say they will "apply penalties and/or warnings" and may require replanting. Council's pages do not state fine amounts.
What's different about Inner West
- The tree rules are LGA-wide: Amendment No. 16 replaced Part 2.20 Tree Management with Inner West-wide controls from 1 April 2023, even though the former Ashfield, Leichhardt and Marrickville DCPs still apply for other development matters.
- Inner West's thresholds are among the strictest in Sydney: a 2 m canopy spread or a 150 mm trunk can make even a small tree prescribed.
- One former-area rule survives: native prescribed trees in wildlife corridors on the Marrickville DCP 2011 Biodiversity Map lose the exemptions.
- Council has set an overall canopy target of 23% (canopy was 18.65% in 2022), and every approved removal must be replaced on site.
- Council does not prune or remove trees on private property and does not endorse any contractor.
Trees common in Inner West
- Brush box (Lophostemon confertus)
- Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina)
- Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
- Weeping lilly pilly (Waterhousea floribunda)
- Sydney red gum (Angophora costata)
- Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata)
- Port Jackson fig (Ficus rubiginosa)
Suburbs
20 Inner West suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Inner West tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Inner West?
In the Inner West you need council approval to remove or prune a "prescribed tree" — any tree 4 m or taller, a shorter tree with a trunk over 150 mm across at 1.4 m, a tree with a canopy spread of 2 m or more, or a palm or tree fern with 4 m or more of clear trunk. Most trees need a Tree Works Permit lodged through council's online portal, but if the property is heritage listed, in a Heritage Conservation Area, or the tree is on the heritage trees list, you need a Development Application instead. Dead trees still need approval.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Inner West?
Without approval you may lift the canopy to 2.5 m above ground, prune branches under 100 mm in diameter up to a maximum of 10% of the canopy each year, and remove deadwood that has no hollows and is not native animal habitat. Work must follow AS 4373-2007. Pruning more than 10% of the canopy, or pruning roots, needs a Tree Works Permit (or a DA on heritage properties). Council says pruning to reduce height is generally not a reason it will approve, except for hedges.
How much does a tree permit cost in Inner West?
This is a council fee, paid to Inner West Council, not to us. Application to prune or remove trees — value of works less than $5,000: $148.82Council fee (2026/27 fee, no GST). Other council fees are listed on this page.
How long does Inner West council take to decide?
Council says applications with complete documentation are generally finalised within 28 days, but in 2026 it warns of a 6–8 week turnaround because of high demand. The clock stops while council waits for extra information.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Inner West?
Dead trees still need a Tree Works Permit or DA. If you believe a tree is an imminent risk to life or property, contact council first with photographs and a written assessment from a qualified arborist (AQF Level 5) using TRAQ or QTRA. If council agrees, it will issue expedited written consent to remove it; otherwise you will be told to lodge the normal application. For a tree that is falling or has fallen, call emergency services (SES or Fire and Rescue NSW) first.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Council manages about 78,000 public trees. It is illegal to prune a council tree without council's consent. Report a dangerous street tree or request tree works through council's online portal or call 02 9392 5000.
Sources: what Inner West council actually says
“any tree with a height equal to or greater than 4 metres above ground level (existing)”
“any tree with a canopy spread equal to or greater than 2 metres or any palm tree or tree fern with a clean stem length equal to or greater than 4 metres above ground level (existing)”
“Council consent is not required for trees located within 1 metre of a residential dwelling located on the same lot.”
“Yes, removal of dead trees requires Council consent.”
Rules come from: Inner West Tree Management DCP (Part 2.20 Tree Management, Amendment No. 16, in force 1 April 2023), made under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 Ch 2; Inner West LEP 2022 cl 5.10 for heritage.
- Trees on your property – pruning or removing — Inner West Council
- Trees on private land – FAQs — Inner West Council
- Inner West Tree Management DCP (effective 1 April 2023) PDF
- Marrickville DCP 2011 page (Amendment No. 16 note)
- Development control plan (DCP) — former LGAs
- Fees & Charges Schedule 2026-27 (Tree Management, p. 11–12)
- Tree works application form (PDF)
- Heritage trees list (PDF)
- Neighbour's trees – pruning or removing — Inner West Council
- Illegal pruning, removal or damage of trees — Inner West Council
- Public trees — Inner West Council
- Urban forest — Inner West Council
- Street Tree Strategy – Ashfield – Part C (species)
- NSW Planning Portal bush fire prone land layer (queried against LGA boundary)
Checked against Inner West Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with Inner West Council (02 9392 5000) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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