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Council tree rules · checked 30 September 2026
Liverpool tree removal rules
Checked against Liverpool City Council's own documents on · Council: 1300 362 170
In Liverpool you need Council approval before you prune or remove a protected tree on private land. A tree counts as protected once it passes Council's size definition, unless it is on the exempt species list. Dead trees, trees in imminent danger of failing, and very minor pruning within set limits don't need approval, but take photos first. Heritage sites and bushland with threatened species need extra checks.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Liverpool'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 footpath, park or reserve)?
Council's tree - don't touch it
All trees on public land are protected. Email lcc@liverpool.nsw.gov.au or call 1300 362 170 to ask Council to inspect it.
Is the property a heritage item, in a heritage conservation area, or is the work part of a development application?
Talk to Council first
Exemptions don't apply to heritage sites, and tree work that is part of a development is assessed in the development application. Contact Council on 1300 362 170 before doing anything.
Is the tree dead, or in imminent danger of failing (cracking, root plate lifting, sudden lean)?
No approval needed - photograph it first
Dead trees and trees in imminent danger of failing can be removed without approval. Take clear photos first, and get an arborist's advice if you're unsure. The exemption doesn't cover a tree you damaged yourself.
Is it on Council's Exempt Species List or a Liverpool priority weed?
No permit needed
Exempt species, trees below both of Council's size definitions, and minor pruning within the Technical Guidelines' limits don't need approval. Use a qualified arborist and prune to AS 4373.
Is it 3.5 m tall or less, with canopy spread of 4 m or less and a trunk under 140 mm across?
No permit needed
Exempt species, trees below both of Council's size definitions, and minor pruning within the Technical Guidelines' limits don't need approval. Use a qualified arborist and prune to AS 4373.
Do you only want minor pruning (5% of canopy or less, within Council's Table 1 branch sizes, deadwood)?
No permit needed
Exempt species, trees below both of Council's size definitions, and minor pruning within the Technical Guidelines' limits don't need approval. Use a qualified arborist and prune to AS 4373.
Is your property bushfire prone and in a 10/50 area, with the tree within 10 m of your home?
Check the RFS 10/50 tool
If the RFS tool confirms a 10/50 entitlement, you may clear trees within 10 m of your home under the RFS Code, subject to its conditions. Otherwise you need a Council permit.
Apply for a tree permit
Get an AQF Level 5 arborist report, complete Council's Prune or Remove a Tree on a Private Property Application Form, and pay $56.60Council fee plus $22.70Council fee per extra tree.
How to apply on the Liverpool website · Need an arborist report?
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Liverpool?
- Height: more than 3.5 m (Trees page and DCP 2008 Part 1); the 2024 Technical Guidelines say more than 5 m
- Trunk: diameter more than 400 mm at 1 m above ground (Trees page and DCP); the 2024 Guidelines say at least 140 mm at 1.4 m
- Canopy: spread more than 4 m (both documents)
You need approval to…
- Council's Trees page and DCP 2008 Part 1 say any perennial plant taller than 3.5 m, with a canopy spread over 4 m, or with a trunk more than 400 mm across at 1 m above ground needs a permit or development consent before it is pruned, lopped, topped, ringbarked or removed.
- The 2024 Tree Management Technical Guidelines define a tree as more than 5 m tall with a trunk at least 140 mm across at 1.4 m, or with a canopy spread over 4 m. If your tree meets either definition, treat it as protected.
- Any tree that is part of a heritage item or stands in a heritage conservation area is protected whatever its size or species.
- Trees that are threatened species, part of an endangered ecological community, or that provide significant native fauna habitat or nests need a permit (the Guidelines flowchart).
- Pruning beyond the minor-pruning limits in Table 1 of the Guidelines needs a permit or a development application.
- Tree removal or pruning that is part of a development is assessed with the development application, not a separate permit.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Species on the Exempt Species List (Table 2 of the Technical Guidelines), and trees listed as priority weeds for the Liverpool LGA on NSW WeedWise. These exemptions apply only on private land and don't apply to heritage-listed trees or properties, or to heritage conservation areas.
- A tree, or part of a tree, that is dead (it can no longer photosynthesise or grow normally). The death must not be caused by the owner's wilful or negligent damage. Council recommends photographing it before removal.
- A tree, or part of a tree, that is an imminent risk to life or serious property damage, where failure has started or is extremely likely very soon, for example obvious cracking, a lifting root plate, or a major new lean. Photograph it before removal.
- Minor pruning with no permit: removing no more than 5% of the canopy, within the clearance branch-size limits in Table 1, done by a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 2) to AS 4373.
- Pruning roots less than 50 mm in diameter that are more than 2.5 m from the trunk, or any roots inside a stormwater drain or sewer line.
- Removing branches within 0.5 m of electrical service lines to private properties (branches only, not trunks).
- Removing deadwood, meaning completely dead branches still attached to the tree.
Liverpool's exempt species list (35 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Edible fruit trees such as citrus, Prunus, avocado, apple, persimmon and quince (only when under 10 m tall; not including Syzygium or Acmena)
- Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana)
- Western Australian golden wattle (Acacia saligna)
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster glaucophyllus)
- Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis)
- Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)
- Leighton green cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii)
- Golden cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa 'Brunniana')
- Kei apple (Dovyalis caffra)
- Cockscomb coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli)
- Coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Rubber trees (Ficus elastica and hybrids)
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos, not including recognised hybrids)
- Silky oak (Grevillea robusta)
- Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonii)
- Large-leaved privet (Ligustrum lucidum)
- Small-leaved privet (Ligustrum sinense)
- African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum)
- White cedar (Melia azedarach, only when under 10 m tall)
- African olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata)
- Prickly pear (Opuntia spp.)
- Parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata)
- Poplars (Populus spp.)
- Mesquite (Prosopis spp.)
- Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia, not including recognised hybrids)
- Willows (Salix spp.)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- Dwarf umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola)
- Queen palm / cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
- Athel pine (Tamarix aphylla)
- Rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum)
- Karroo acacia (Vachellia karroo)
- Prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica)
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 Liverpool.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check whether your tree needs approval
Measure the height, canopy spread and trunk diameter, and check the Exempt Species List in the Technical Guidelines. If it's dead or about to fail, see the dead or dangerous section.
Check for heritage, bushland or development issues
If the property is a heritage item, is in a heritage conservation area, has threatened species or endangered ecological community vegetation, or the work is part of a development, contact Council first. These cases follow a different pathway.
Get an arborist report
Engage a consulting arborist (AQF Level 5) to report on the tree. Council requires this for applications to prune or remove protected trees.
Complete the application form
Download the Prune or Remove a Tree on a Private Property Application Form, draw a site sketch showing the trees, buildings, fences and street, and get every owner's signature (strata needs the body corporate seal).
Lodge and pay
Lodge the form with Council (lcc@liverpool.nsw.gov.au or a Customer Service Hub) and pay $56.60Council fee plus $22.70Council fee per extra tree (2026-27).
Wait for the determination before any work
Don't prune or remove the tree until you receive written approval. Follow any replacement-planting conditions.
Council fees paid to Liverpool City Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Removal Permit (including pruning) | $56.60Council fee | 2026-27 fee, no GST |
| Each additional tree on the same permit | $22.70Council fee | 2026-27 fee. The older application form mentions a pensioner / Health Care Card waiver of the admin fee, but the 2026-27 schedule doesn't list a concession. |
Processing: Not stated on Council's current pages.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Liverpool council's own rules.
Pruning
You can do minor pruning without a permit on a protected tree on your own land, including branches that overhang your boundary, if all of these apply: no more than 5% of the canopy is removed; the tree's health or stability is not affected; the branches are within the sizes in Table 1 of the Technical Guidelines (for example up to 50 mm within 2 m above a building or within 0.5 m of a domestic power or phone line, and up to 100 mm to clear a local street lane or footpath); and a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 2) does the work to AS 4373. You may also remove deadwood and prune roots under 50 mm that are more than 2.5 m from the trunk. Anything beyond this needs a permit or a development application.
Dead or dangerous trees
You don't need approval to remove a tree, or part of a tree, that is dead or is an imminent risk to life or serious property damage, as defined in the Technical Guidelines. "Imminent" means failure has started or is extremely likely in the very near future, for example obvious cracking of the trunk or major branches, a lifting root plate, or a major lean that wasn't there before. Normal minor branch shedding doesn't count. Council expects you to take clear photos before removal so it can check later, and recommends independent advice from a qualified arborist, because some trees drop leaves in drought and then recover.
Arborist reports
The Technical Guidelines say Council requires a professional arborist report to support an application to prune or remove a protected tree, including one based on risk to life or property. Council only accepts reports from consulting arborists with AQF Level 5 or equivalent. Minor pruning within the Table 1 limits needs no report. Pruning and removal work itself should be done by a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 2 for exempt minor pruning).
Replacement planting
DCP 2008 Part 1 says all existing indigenous trees must be retained or replaced, and appropriate replacement planting will be required where approval to remove trees is given. Significant trees identified as having habitat value must not be relocated or removed.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
The Technical Guidelines note that the RFS 10/50 Code only applies to properties mapped as bushfire prone. It lets you clear trees within 10 m of a habitable dwelling or farm building, and some trees can't be cleared. Council doesn't say which Liverpool suburbs are in a 10/50 entitlement area, so check your address with the RFS 10/50 tool before relying on it.
Heritage properties
Any tree that is part of a heritage item or stands in a heritage conservation area is protected regardless of size, and the exempt-species exemptions don't apply there. Trees on Council's Significant Tree Register or the National Trust Register get extra protection. Aboriginal scarred or marked trees must be referred to the NSW environment department (DCP Part 1). Talk to Council before touching any tree on a heritage site.
Your neighbour's tree
Council doesn't step in on tree disputes between neighbours over private trees. It refers them to the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 and the NSW Land and Environment Court's trees and hedges information. Council's flowchart says a protected tree on a neighbouring property still needs the tree owner to apply for a permit, unless the matter goes through the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act.
Street and park trees
All trees on public land are protected whatever their size or species. Email requests to prune or remove trees on footpaths, parks or reserves to Customer Service at lcc@liverpool.nsw.gov.au. Don't attach anything to a Council tree or cut its roots for fencing, edging or gardens. If you think roots from a Council tree are blocking your pipes, call 1300 362 170 to book an inspection.
Penalties
Council can issue a penalty notice for each tree involved, at amounts prescribed by NSW law and different for individuals and companies. It can also prosecute in the Local Court or the Land and Environment Court, where fines can exceed $1 million for corporations (Technical Guidelines s2.4). Council enforces unauthorised tree work under its Enforcement Policy 2022.
What's different about Liverpool
- Liverpool publishes two different size tests. The Trees page and DCP 2008 Part 1 use 3.5 m height, 4 m canopy or 400 mm trunk at 1 m. The December 2024 Technical Guidelines use 5 m height with a 140 mm trunk at 1.4 m, or 4 m canopy.
- Liverpool's Exempt Species List runs to more than 30 weed and fruit species, including camphor laurel, privets, African olive, coral trees, cocos palm and silky oak. The exemption doesn't apply on heritage properties.
- The Technical Guidelines note that rural-zoned land (R5, E2, E3, E4, RU1, RU2, RU4, RU6) may allow limited clearing for fencing or existing tracks under the Biodiversity and Conservation SEPP. Clearing over the Biodiversity Offset Scheme thresholds (for example 0.25 ha on lots under 1 ha) or on the Biodiversity Values Map goes to the Native Vegetation Panel, not Council.
- Council keeps a Significant Tree Register of trees with environmental, cultural, heritage, historical or social significance, and these get extra protection when assessed.
- The fee is low compared with many Sydney councils: $56.60Council fee for a permit covering pruning, plus $22.70Council fee per extra tree (2026-27).
Trees common in Liverpool
- Grey box (Eucalyptus moluccana)
- Forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis)
- Narrow-leaved ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra)
- Broad-leaved ironbark (Eucalyptus fibrosa)
- Rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda)
- Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata)
- Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina)
- Weeping lilly pilly (Waterhousea floribunda)
Suburbs
34 Liverpool suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Liverpool tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Liverpool?
In Liverpool you need Council approval before you prune or remove a protected tree on private land. A tree counts as protected once it passes Council's size definition, unless it is on the exempt species list. Dead trees, trees in imminent danger of failing, and very minor pruning within set limits don't need approval, but take photos first. Heritage sites and bushland with threatened species need extra checks.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Liverpool?
You can do minor pruning without a permit on a protected tree on your own land, including branches that overhang your boundary, if all of these apply: no more than 5% of the canopy is removed; the tree's health or stability is not affected; the branches are within the sizes in Table 1 of the Technical Guidelines (for example up to 50 mm within 2 m above a building or within 0.5 m of a domestic power or phone line, and up to 100 mm to clear a local street lane or footpath); and a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 2) does the work to AS 4373. You may also remove deadwood and prune roots under 50 mm that are more than 2.5 m from the trunk. Anything beyond this needs a permit or a development application.
How much does a tree permit cost in Liverpool?
This is a council fee, paid to Liverpool City Council, not to us. Tree Removal Permit (including pruning): $56.60Council fee (2026-27 fee, no GST). Other council fees are listed on this page.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Liverpool?
You don't need approval to remove a tree, or part of a tree, that is dead or is an imminent risk to life or serious property damage, as defined in the Technical Guidelines. "Imminent" means failure has started or is extremely likely in the very near future, for example obvious cracking of the trunk or major branches, a lifting root plate, or a major lean that wasn't there before. Normal minor branch shedding doesn't count. Council expects you to take clear photos before removal so it can check later, and recommends independent advice from a qualified arborist, because some trees drop leaves in drought and then recover.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
All trees on public land are protected whatever their size or species. Email requests to prune or remove trees on footpaths, parks or reserves to Customer Service at lcc@liverpool.nsw.gov.au. Don't attach anything to a Council tree or cut its roots for fencing, edging or gardens. If you think roots from a Council tree are blocking your pipes, call 1300 362 170 to book an inspection.
Sources: what Liverpool council actually says
“Anyone wishing to prune or remove a tree that is located on private property must first obtain approval from Council.”
“Height greater than 3.5 metres and/or; Canopy spread greater than 4 metres; and/or Primary trunk diameter greater than 400 millimetres when measured one metre above existing ground level of the tree.”
“A woody perennial plant greater than 5m tall and with a trunk diameter of at least 140mm when measured at a height of 1.4m above the ground or a canopy spread greater than 4m.”
“Does not remove more than 5% of a trees canopy and does not damage or affect the health or structural stability of the tree”
Rules come from: Liverpool DCP 2008 Part 1, Section 2 (Tree Preservation); Liverpool City Council Tree Policy (adopted 10 December 2024); Tree Management Technical Guidelines (adopted 10 December 2024), Sections 2.2 to 2.5.
- Trees - Liverpool City Council
- Trees (Fees, Forms, Policies and Enforcement) - Liverpool City Council
- Tree Management Technical Guidelines (adopted 10 December 2024)
- Tree Policy (adopted 10 December 2024)
- Liverpool Development Control Plan 2008 Part 1 (Section 2 Tree Preservation)
- Prune or Remove a Tree on a Private Property Application Form
- Revenue Pricing Policy Fees and Charges FY 2026-2027
Checked against Liverpool City Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with Liverpool City Council (1300 362 170) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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