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Council tree rules · checked 30 September 2026
North Sydney tree removal rules
Checked against North Sydney Council's own documents on · Council: 02 9936 8100
In North Sydney you need a Tree Management Permit from Council to remove or prune a "declared" tree — broadly any tree 5 metres or taller, with a crown 5 metres or wider, or a trunk circumference of 500 mm or more at ground level. Smaller trees, a list of weed species, dead trees (confirmed in writing by an arborist) and limited maintenance pruning can be done without a permit. Apply online with a $90Council fee fee; Council aims to assess within 12 business days.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
North 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 (not a street, park, foreshore or bushland reserve)?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Trees on public land are protected at any size. Call North Sydney Council on 02 9936 8100, or apply for cosmetic pruning through Council.
Is the tree work part of a building or excavation project within 5 m of the tree?
Deal with it in your development application
Trees affected by building or excavation within 5 m are assessed through the development application, with an AQF Level 5 arborist report.
Is the tree dead, confirmed in writing by an AQF Level 3 arborist, and not needed as habitat for native animals?
Likely no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part B 3.1.2 exemption. Keep photos and any arborist's written advice, and prune to AS 4373.
Is the tree 5 m or taller, with a crown 5 m or wider, or a trunk circumference of 500 mm or more at ground level?
Is it on Council's exempt species list (e.g. privet, cocos palm, camphor laurel or Celtis under 10 m) and the property is not a heritage item?
Likely no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part B 3.1.2 exemption. Keep photos and any arborist's written advice, and prune to AS 4373.
Do you only want deadwood removal or maintenance pruning (under 10% of the crown, branches 100 mm or less, low down or within 1 m of the house)?
Likely no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part B 3.1.2 exemption. Keep photos and any arborist's written advice, and prune to AS 4373.
You need a Tree Management Permit
Apply online with the $90Council fee fee. Council aims to decide within 12 business days. Don't start until you have the permit.
How to apply on the North Sydney website · Need an arborist report?
Is the property a heritage item, and is the plant a Bangalow or Kentia palm, Celtis, Indian coral tree, privet, willow or bamboo?
You need a Tree Management Permit
Apply online with the $90Council fee fee. Council aims to decide within 12 business days. Don't start until you have the permit.
How to apply on the North Sydney website · Need an arborist report?
Likely no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part B 3.1.2 exemption. Keep photos and any arborist's written advice, and prune to AS 4373.
Size matters
How big is "protected" in North Sydney?
- Height: 5 m or more (DCP); the website says 'more than 5 metres'
- Trunk: circumference of 500 mm or more measured at ground level
- Canopy: crown width of 5 m or more
You need approval to…
- Removing or pruning any tree or vegetation 5 m or more in height, or with a crown width of 5 m or more, or a trunk circumference of 500 mm or more measured at ground level (DCP B3.1.2.2 P2(b)).
- Removing or pruning a camphor laurel or Celtis (hackberry) tree more than 10 m tall, or any tree listed as a biosecurity risk that is over 10 m tall.
- Removing or pruning Bangalow palms, Kentia palms, Celtis, Indian coral tree, privet or willow of any size on land that is a heritage item under clause 5.10 of North Sydney LEP 2013.
- Pruning beyond the maintenance-pruning allowance — for example branches over 100 mm in diameter, more than 10% of the crown, or branches joining the trunk higher than 2.4 m that are not within 1 m of a building.
- Pruning a declared tree on your land that overhangs a public footpath or road (you must still prune it back, but need Council's consent first).
- Any work on trees or vegetation on public land, regardless of size — this is Council's responsibility.
- Tree removal or pruning connected with development (building or excavation within 5 m of a tree) — this is dealt with through a development application, not a tree permit.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Trees and vegetation that are not 'declared' — under 5 m tall, crown under 5 m wide and trunk circumference under 500 mm at ground level (DCP P1(a)).
- Trees or vegetation confirmed as dead in writing by a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 3) or horticulturalist (minimum Certificate 3), where they are not needed as habitat for native animals. Keep the written justification on hand.
- Pruning deadwood from a tree, or dead fronds from a palm.
- Maintenance pruning that removes no more than 10% of the existing crown volume, using branches no more than 100 mm in diameter that either join the trunk no higher than 2.4 m above ground or are within 1 m of existing buildings (including eaves and gutters), done to AS 4373-2007.
- Maintenance pruning of hedges under 5 m tall; hedges 5 m or taller only if the work is done to AS 4373 by a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 3) or horticulturalist (minimum Certificate 3).
- Trees or vegetation identified as a biosecurity risk under the Biosecurity Act 2015, unless over 10 m tall.
- Trees authorised for removal or pruning by a development consent — but not before the Construction Certificate is issued.
- Trees or vegetation growing inside a building under a roof, such as an atrium or internal garden bed.
- The exempt species listed below (except where heritage controls apply).
North Sydney's exempt species list (14 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- African olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata / Olea africana)
- Bamboo — clumping and rhizomatous (Bambusa species) — unless on a heritage item
- Box elder (Acer negundo)
- China doll (Radermachera sinica)
- Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
- Chinese hackberry / European nettle tree (Celtis sp.) — under 10 m only, and not on a heritage item
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) — under 10 m only (website list)
- Indian coral tree (Erythrina x sykesii) — not on a heritage item
- Privet (Ligustrum species) — not on a heritage item
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus sp.)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera sp.)
- Willow (Salix spp.) — not on a heritage item
- Species on the NSW State Priority Weeds list (Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan 2023–2027)
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 North Sydney.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Measure the tree
Is it 5 m or taller, with a crown 5 m or wider, or a trunk circumference of 500 mm or more at ground level? If none apply, it is not a declared tree and no permit is needed (unless heritage controls apply).
Check the exemptions
Is it on the exempt species list (within any 10 m limit)? Is it only deadwood, or maintenance pruning within the 10% / 100 mm / 2.4 m rules? Is it dead, confirmed in writing by an AQF Level 3 arborist?
Check heritage status
If the property is a heritage item under North Sydney LEP 2013, some otherwise-exempt species (palms, privet, willow, Celtis, coral tree, bamboo) need approval. Contact Council to confirm.
Gather supporting information
Take photos, note the species and exact location. If the reason is damage to pipes or structures, get a report from an AQF Level 5 arborist, licensed plumber or structural engineer.
Apply online and pay $90Council fee
Use the Tree Removal or Pruning on Private Land Application on Council's trees page. Owners, strata chairs/secretaries, managing agents or authorised contractors (with a letter) can apply. Attachments must total under 30 MB.
Wait for the inspection and decision
A Tree Management Officer will assess the application and may inspect. Council aims to decide within 12 business days. You can appeal a refusal to the Land and Environment Court within 3 months.
Do the work under the permit
Use a qualified arborist, work to AS 4373, display the permit on site, finish within 12 months and plant any required replacement tree.
Council fees paid to North Sydney Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Request for Tree Removal or Pruning (Tree and Vegetation Management Policy permit) | $90.00Council fee | Non-refundable, from 1 July 2026 (2026/27 Fees and Charges, no GST). Paid online by card or at Customer Service. The application is not assessed until the fee is paid. No per-tree or pensioner rate is listed. |
Processing: Council's published target for tree permits (private tree works) is assessment within 12 business days. Assessment may take longer if Council needs more information. Permits are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from North Sydney council's own rules.
Pruning
Without a permit you can prune deadwood and dead palm fronds, and do maintenance pruning that removes no more than 10% of the existing crown volume, using branches no thicker than 100 mm that either join the trunk no higher than 2.4 m above ground or are within 1 m of your house (including eaves and gutters). All maintenance pruning must follow AS 4373-2007 Pruning of amenity trees. Hedges under 5 m can be trimmed freely; hedges 5 m or taller need a qualified arborist (AQF Level 3) or horticulturalist (Certificate 3). Anything beyond this on a declared tree needs a permit, and Council says all protected trees with a permit must be pruned or removed by a qualified arborist.
Dead or dangerous trees
A dead tree can be removed or pruned without a permit if a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 3) or horticulturalist (minimum Certificate 3) confirms in writing that it is dead, and it is not needed as habitat for native animals. The written justification must be obtained before the work and kept by both the property owner and whoever does the work. A tree that is alive but considered dangerous is not exempt: lodge a permit application, and Council may ask for an AQF Level 5 arborist report. Council's tree service timeframes list emergency customer requests as responded to within 24 hours; rangers are contactable seven days a week from 5.30 am to midnight on 02 9936 8100.
Arborist reports
Not always required. Council may ask for extra technical reports, such as a report from an AQF Level 5 arborist, a licensed plumber or a structural engineer (DCP P4). Where removal is sought because of blocked pipes or cracked paving, Council must consider a supporting report (e.g. AQF Level 5 arborist or engineer) before deciding (DCP P6). Reports can be emailed to council@northsydney.nsw.gov.au. For development applications Council only accepts reports from consultant arborists with AQF Level 5 (Diploma of Arboriculture) or equivalent.
Replacement planting
Council may make replacement planting a condition of a permit or consent — either on your land or, if there is no room, in a specified spot on public land or by paying Council a fee to plant on public land (DCP P8). Council chooses the replacement species. The fee is based on the average cost to supply, install and maintain for 13 weeks a tree of the size specified by the assessing officer, not less than 45 litres.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
Council's tree pages do not mention the 10/50 scheme. North Sydney has bushland reserves (for example Balls Head, Berry Island, Badangi and Gore Cove reserves) and a Bush Fire Prone Land Map, so homeowners next to bushland should check the NSW RFS 10/50 online tool for their address before relying on it; trees not covered by 10/50 still need a Council permit.
Heritage properties
On land that is a heritage item under clause 5.10 of North Sydney LEP 2013, some species that are otherwise exempt — Bangalow and Kentia palms, Celtis, Indian coral tree, privet and willow — need approval regardless of size, and bamboo is protected on heritage items. When deciding any application Council must consider impacts on heritage items and heritage conservation areas. Council asks residents to contact it to confirm whether a permit is needed.
Your neighbour's tree
Pruning a tree on the land where it grows needs an application from that land's owner or strata committee. If a protected tree on a neighbour's land overhangs yours, you can apply to Council to prune the overhanging branches back to the nearest suitable branch collar at the boundary, using a minimum AQF Level 3 arborist working to AS 4373; if the arborist needs to go onto the neighbour's land, the neighbour must lodge the application. Bamboo is not protected (unless on a heritage item) and overhanging stems can be cut back to the boundary. Council does not mediate neighbour disputes — talk to the owner, use a mediator, or as a last resort apply to the Land and Environment Court under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006.
Street and park trees
All trees and vegetation on public land are protected regardless of size. Council inspects public trees about every 18 months and prunes for safety and tree health, not for leaf, sap, flower or fruit drop. Residents can apply for cosmetic pruning of public trees (for filtered views or sunlight, with an AQF Level 5 arborist report) using the Cosmetic Pruning on Public Land Application; cosmetic pruning is never allowed in bushland (E2/C2) areas. Trees near powerlines are handled by Ausgrid. Call Council on 02 9936 8100.
Penalties
Council states fines for breaching the Tree and Vegetation Management Policy can be up to $1.1 million, and may apply to the person or company that did the work and/or whoever instructed it. On-the-spot fines or court proceedings can be issued under the EP&A Act for unauthorised work on private trees, and under s.629 of the Local Government Act for damage to public trees. A copy of the permit must be displayed in a publicly accessible spot on site while work is done. Council offers a $10,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution for tree vandalism.
What's different about North Sydney
- North Sydney measures trunk size as a circumference of 500 mm at ground level, not a diameter at chest height as many councils do.
- Maintenance pruning without a permit is limited to branches up to 100 mm that join the trunk no higher than 2.4 m, or are within 1 m of a building — high crown pruning always needs a permit.
- Council publicly campaigns against tree vandalism for harbour views ('A tree shouldn't die for a view') and offers a $10,000Council fee reward for information leading to a successful prosecution.
- Council will not support removal for leaf, fruit or twig drop, blocked pipes, cracked paths or fences, or fauna issues unless there is no permanent repair solution (DCP P5–P6), nor removal solely for new solar panels (P14).
- Property owners must keep private trees pruned back to the boundary above public footpaths and roads (2.4 m clearance over footpaths, 4.5 m over traffic lanes); Council can issue a notice to do so.
Trees common in North Sydney
- Sydney red gum (Angophora costata)
- Sydney blue gum (Eucalyptus saligna)
- Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera)
- Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis)
- Sydney peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita)
- Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina)
- NSW Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum)
- Old man banksia (Banksia serrata)
Suburbs
13 North Sydney suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
North Sydney tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in North Sydney?
In North Sydney you need a Tree Management Permit from Council to remove or prune a "declared" tree — broadly any tree 5 metres or taller, with a crown 5 metres or wider, or a trunk circumference of 500 mm or more at ground level. Smaller trees, a list of weed species, dead trees (confirmed in writing by an arborist) and limited maintenance pruning can be done without a permit. Apply online with a $90Council fee fee; Council aims to assess within 12 business days.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in North Sydney?
Without a permit you can prune deadwood and dead palm fronds, and do maintenance pruning that removes no more than 10% of the existing crown volume, using branches no thicker than 100 mm that either join the trunk no higher than 2.4 m above ground or are within 1 m of your house (including eaves and gutters). All maintenance pruning must follow AS 4373-2007 Pruning of amenity trees. Hedges under 5 m can be trimmed freely; hedges 5 m or taller need a qualified arborist (AQF Level 3) or horticulturalist (Certificate 3). Anything beyond this on a declared tree needs a permit, and Council says all protected trees with a permit must be pruned or removed by a qualified arborist.
How much does a tree permit cost in North Sydney?
This is a council fee, paid to North Sydney Council, not to us. Request for Tree Removal or Pruning (Tree and Vegetation Management Policy permit): $90.00Council fee (Non-refundable, from 1 July 2026 (2026/27 Fees and Charges, no GST). Paid online by card or at Customer Service. The application is not assessed until the fee is paid. No per-tree or pensioner rate is listed.).
How long does North Sydney council take to decide?
Council's published target for tree permits (private tree works) is assessment within 12 business days. Assessment may take longer if Council needs more information. Permits are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in North Sydney?
A dead tree can be removed or pruned without a permit if a qualified arborist (minimum AQF Level 3) or horticulturalist (minimum Certificate 3) confirms in writing that it is dead, and it is not needed as habitat for native animals. The written justification must be obtained before the work and kept by both the property owner and whoever does the work. A tree that is alive but considered dangerous is not exempt: lodge a permit application, and Council may ask for an AQF Level 5 arborist report. Council's tree service timeframes list emergency customer requests as responded to within 24 hours; rangers are contactable seven days a week from 5.30 am to midnight on 02 9936 8100.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
All trees and vegetation on public land are protected regardless of size. Council inspects public trees about every 18 months and prunes for safety and tree health, not for leaf, sap, flower or fruit drop. Residents can apply for cosmetic pruning of public trees (for filtered views or sunlight, with an AQF Level 5 arborist report) using the Cosmetic Pruning on Public Land Application; cosmetic pruning is never allowed in bushland (E2/C2) areas. Trees near powerlines are handled by Ausgrid. Call Council on 02 9936 8100.
Sources: what North Sydney council actually says
“any tree or vegetation with a height of 5m or more, or a crown width of 5m or more, or a trunk circumference of 500mm or more measured at ground level (existing)”
“Maintenance pruning where branches no more than 100 millimetres in diameter and less than 10% of the existing crown volume are removed, and the branches are either not more than 2.4 metres above ground level where they adjoin the trunk, or are within 1 metre of existing buildings, including eaves and gutters”
“Removal or pruning of trees or vegetation confirmed as dead in writing by a qualified (minimum AQF 3) arborist, where the tree or vegetation is not required as habitat for native animals”
“From 1 July 2026, a non-refundable $90 (incl. GST) fee will apply when an application is lodged for a Tree and Vegetation Management Policy permit.”
Rules come from: North Sydney Development Control Plan 2025, Part B Section 3 Biodiversity — 3.1.2 Controls for the Management of Trees and Vegetation (P1 exempt works, P2 declared trees, P5–P6 grounds not supported, P8 replacement, P15–P17 penalties); made under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 Parts 2.2 and 2.3. Council's web pages call this the Tree and Vegetation Management Policy..
- Trees on private land — North Sydney Council
- Trees — Common FAQs (timeframes, damage, compensation) — North Sydney Council
- Trees on public land — North Sydney Council
- Tree Removal or Pruning on Private Land Application (online form) — North Sydney Council
- North Sydney DCP 2025 Part B — Environment Considerations (PDF, Section 3.1.2)
- Fees and Charges Schedule 2026–2027 (PDF, Tree Applications)
- Report tree vandalism — North Sydney Council
- Trees in development — arborist reports — North Sydney Council
- Bushland and fire in North Sydney — North Sydney Council
- Planting trees guide — recommended species — North Sydney Council
Checked against North Sydney Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with North Sydney Council (02 9936 8100) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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