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Council tree rules · checked 30 September 2026
Northern Beaches tree removal rules
Checked against Northern Beaches Council's own documents on · Council: 1300 434 434
On the Northern Beaches you need a Council permit to remove any tree over 5 metres tall, to prune more than 10% of a tree's canopy in 12 months, or to clear bushland. The same rules now apply in the former Manly, Warringah and Pittwater areas. Trees under 5 m, trees on Council's exempt species list (unless heritage), trees within 2 m of an approved building, dead non-habitat trees, and trees an AQF Level 5 arborist certifies as an imminent danger can be removed without a permit. A permit application costs $201Council fee including the first tree, plus $58.50Council fee for each extra tree (2026/27).
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Northern Beaches'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
Public trees are Council assets. Report problems online or call 1300 434 434.
Is the tree work part of a development application or complying development (CDC)?
Handled through your development
Tree removal in a DA is assessed with the DA. Council won't approve tree removal for complying development.
Is the tree a heritage item or in a heritage conservation area, part of an endangered ecological community or threatened species habitat, or required to be kept by a development consent?
Protected — ask Council first
A permit, DA or Native Vegetation Panel approval may be needed. Call 1300 434 434 before any work.
Are you clearing bushland or native understorey, or removing a healthy native tree on land mapped on the Biodiversity Values Map?
Protected — ask Council first
A permit, DA or Native Vegetation Panel approval may be needed. Call 1300 434 434 before any work.
Is the tree 5 m tall or less?
No permit needed
Keep photos (and any arborist report, copied to Council) as evidence. Prune to AS 4373.
Is it on the exempt species list, within 2 m of an approved building, dead (not habitat), storm-fallen and dangerous, a hedge, or certified an imminent danger by an AQF Level 5 arborist?
No permit needed
Keep photos (and any arborist report, copied to Council) as evidence. Prune to AS 4373.
Do you only want to prune up to 10% of the canopy in 12 months, or remove deadwood or mistletoe?
No permit needed
Keep photos (and any arborist report, copied to Council) as evidence. Prune to AS 4373.
You need a tree permit
Apply online with the site plan: $201Council fee including the first tree, plus $58.50Council fee per extra tree (2026/27).
How to apply on the Northern Beaches website · Need an arborist report?
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Northern Beaches?
- Height: over 5 m (trees under 5 m are exempt)
- Canopy: pruning more than 10% of the canopy within 12 months needs a permit
- Near the house: exempt where the base of the trunk is within 2 m of an existing approved building (not decks, pergolas, sheds, patios or the like)
You need approval to…
- Removing or cutting down any tree over 5 metres in height (unless an exemption applies).
- Pruning more than 10% of a tree's canopy within 12 months.
- Removing or cutting down vegetation in bushland, including understorey. Talk to Council's Biodiversity & Planning team first.
- Any tree that is a heritage item or within a heritage conservation area (check the Planning Rules for your address). The exempt species list does not apply to these.
- Any tree or native vegetation that is a threatened species, threatened species habitat, or part of an Endangered Ecological Community under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 or the Commonwealth EPBC Act 1999.
- Any tree that a development consent requires to be kept.
- Removing native trees on land mapped on the NSW Biodiversity Values Map (not dead, dying, dangerous or part of a DA) is likely to need Native Vegetation Panel approval rather than a Council permit.
Usually no approval needed for…
- Trees under 5 metres in height.
- Trees on Council's Exempt Tree Species List, unless the tree is a heritage item or in a heritage area.
- A tree whose trunk base is within 2 metres of an existing approved building, measured from the building to the base of the trunk. Decks, pergolas, sheds, patios and the like don't count, even if attached to the building.
- A tree certified as a high risk or imminent danger to life and property by an AQF Level 5 arborist. You need their written confirmation (their qualifications, the danger declaration and a recommendation for immediate removal), and you must send a copy of the report to Council.
- A dead tree not needed as habitat for native animals (photos recommended).
- A tree that has fallen or partly fallen in a storm and still presents a danger (photos required).
- Priority weeds under the Biosecurity Act 2015 listed in the Greater Sydney Regional Weed Management Plan.
- Pruning or removing hedges (2 or more trees planted as a hedge and at least 2.5 m tall), unless a development consent requires the hedge to be kept.
- Reasonable pruning of up to 10% of a tree's canopy in 12 months to AS 4373-2007, removing deadwood, and removing mistletoe or other parasitic plants.
- Clearing allowed under the NSW RFS 10/50 rules if your property is in a 10/50 entitlement area, unless DA conditions prevent it; trees RFS removes as a bushfire threat; and removal required under other legislation or in a Council-authorised hazard reduction area.
- A tree in a container (other than a planter box that is part of a building) and field-grown trees in a commercial nursery or farm.
Northern Beaches's exempt species list (45 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana)
- Golden wreath / willow wattle (Acacia saligna)
- Box elder (Acer negundo)
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- All figs (Ficus spp.) except Moreton Bay fig (F. macrophylla), Port Jackson fig (F. rubiginosa) and sandpaper fig (F. coronata)
- Evergreen alder (Alnus jorullensis)
- Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii) — not Norfolk Island pines
- Illawarra flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolius)
- Cassia (Cassia spp.)
- Black bean / Moreton Bay chestnut (Castanospermum australe)
- Hackberry (Celtis australis)
- Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)
- Fiddlewood (Citharexylum spinosum)
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster glaucophyllus)
- Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis — listed as C. laurina in the DCPs and PDF, C. anacardioides on the web page)
- Cypress pines (Cupressus spp., Cupressocyparis spp., Chamaecyparis spp.)
- All non-native fruit trees (loquat, pawpaw, citrus, kumquat, apple, mulberry, avocado, apricot, almond, cherry, plum, peach, mango)
- Coral tree (Erythrina spp.)
- Peppermint gum (Eucalyptus nicholii)
- Wallangarra white gum (Eucalyptus scoparia)
- Himalayan / Griffith's ash (Fraxinus griffithii)
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Silky oak (Grevillea robusta)
- Kaffir plum (Harpephyllum caffrum)
- Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)
- Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
- Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonia)
- Large- and small-leaf privet (Ligustrum spp.)
- Liquidambar (Liquidambar styraciflua)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander)
- Olive (Olea spp.)
- Palms other than the cabbage tree palm (Livistona australis)
- Crested wattle (Paraserianthes lophantha)
- Pines (Pinus spp.)
- Pittosporum (Pittosporum spp.) — up to 8 m
- Poplar (Populus spp.)
- Orange firethorn (Pyracantha angustifolia)
- Indian hawthorn (Raphiolepis indica)
- False acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Willow (Salix spp.)
- Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum)
- Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)
- Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
- Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia)
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 Northern Beaches.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Northern Beaches Council requires a report from an independent qualified arborist to remove a significant tree (endemic, habitat, heritage-listed or of high amenity value). Because we also do tree work, our own report may not count as independent for those, so we'll recommend an independent consultant and quote the approved work.
Measure and identify the tree
Is it over 5 m tall? Positively identify the species, because working on a protected tree after misidentifying it is still a breach.
Check heritage, biodiversity and consent conditions
Look up your address in Council's Planning Rules for heritage, and check the Biodiversity Values Map and your DA conditions. Heritage, EEC or retained trees need a permit, and BV Map land may need Native Vegetation Panel approval.
Check the exemptions
Under 5 m, an exempt species, within 2 m of an approved building, dead (not habitat), storm-damaged and dangerous, certified by an AQF Level 5 arborist, a hedge, or pruning of no more than 10%? Then no permit is needed. Keep photos or reports.
Prepare the site plan
Fill in Council's Tree Removal Site Plan template. Number each tree and give the reason, and get every owner's signature. Attach an arborist report for significant trees.
Apply online or at a Customer Service Centre
Lodge through Council's online Tree Removal and Pruning Application with the site plan, or use paper Form 4000 at Manly, Dee Why or Mona Vale. The fee is $201Council fee plus $58.50Council fee per extra tree (2026/27).
Display the permit and replant
If approved, display the permit at the street frontage for 7 days before and after removal, follow AS 4373, and replant as the permit requires. The permit lasts 12 months.
Council fees paid to Northern Beaches Council, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application to remove or prune trees on private property (includes assessment of the first tree) | $201.00Council fee | Fees & Charges 2026/27; also shown on Form 4000 (2026/2027). Non-refundable. |
| Assessment of each additional tree | $58.50Council fee each | Fees & Charges 2026/27. |
| Onsite meeting with a Council officer | $116.00Council fee per application | Optional, only if you want to be there when the officer inspects. |
Processing: Not stated. The permit expires 12 months after it is issued.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Northern Beaches council's own rules.
Pruning
Without a permit you can do reasonable pruning of up to 10% of a tree's canopy within 12 calendar months, remove deadwood, and remove mistletoe or other parasitic plants. All pruning must follow AS 4373-2007. Council won't approve lopping or topping, pruning beyond what a species will tolerate (it notes figs pruned by more than 10% are prone to sunburn), or changing soil levels in a tree's root zone. Anyone other than the owner needs the owner's written permission to prune.
Dead or dangerous trees
A dead tree not needed as habitat can be removed without a permit (Council recommends photos). So can a tree that has fallen or partly fallen in a storm and is still dangerous (photos required). A tree an AQF Level 5 arborist declares a high risk or imminent danger to life and property can be removed by its owner without consent. You need the arborist's written confirmation stating their qualifications, the danger, and that immediate removal is recommended, and you must send a copy of the report to Council.
Arborist reports
A report from an independent qualified arborist is required to remove a significant tree. Council's form defines significant trees as local endemic trees, habitat trees, heritage-listed trees and trees of large amenity or visual significance. The DCPs require you to show that the tree meets the Removal of Tree Test and the Tree Retention Assessment in the DCP appendices, and an arborist report may be needed for this. To use the imminent-danger exemption you need an AQF Level 5 arborist's written confirmation, copied to Council. Council's policy says supporting arborist assessments must follow its tree assessment methodology.
Replacement planting
Replacement trees may be a condition of approval, and replanting must follow the permit conditions. Council points to its native planting guide for suitable replacement species. For development, the DCPs require compensatory planting where a tree must be removed.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
Parts of the Northern Beaches are in 10/50 entitlement areas. Council's exemptions include clearing allowed under the 10/50 rules, but it notes that DA approval conditions can sometimes prevent you using the 10/50 entitlement. Check your address with the NSW RFS 10/50 tool.
Heritage properties
The exempt species list does not apply to heritage items or trees in heritage areas, and Council says any tree that is a heritage item or in a heritage conservation area needs a permit. The DCPs note that a SEPP permit can't allow clearing of a heritage item, a heritage conservation area, or an Aboriginal object or place, unless Council is satisfied the work is minor or maintenance and won't harm the heritage significance. Check your address in Council's Planning Rules search and call 1300 434 434 before any work.
Your neighbour's tree
Council has no authority in neighbour tree disputes and suggests talking to your neighbour first. Its Neighbourhood Disputes page has sample letters and dispute-resolution options. If a neighbour's tree or hedge is damaging your property and mediation fails, the Land and Environment Court handles claims under the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006. For a tree on a neighbour's property or on the boundary, every owner must sign the permit application.
Street and park trees
Trees on public land are assessed and maintained by Council. Report problems online or call 1300 434 434. Council states that tree vandalism (poisoning, pruning, cutting, ringbarking or removal) will be pursued. Removing trees over 5 m for a new driveway won't be considered unless all alternatives are exhausted. Approved removals for driveways are done at the applicant's cost by an approved contractor, and Council may require replanting.
Penalties
Council states the Land and Environment Court can impose fines of up to $1.1 million, plus a daily fee if the offence continues, and you may be directed to plant and maintain new trees until they mature. Work on a protected tree because it was wrongly identified is still a breach. Council may offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to prosecution for vandalising public trees.
What's different about Northern Beaches
- Northern Beaches formed in 2016 from Manly, Warringah and Pittwater and still has three DCPs. The tree clauses in each (Warringah DCP E1, Manly DCP 3.3.2 and Pittwater 21 DCP B4.22) now use the same 5 m, 10% and 2 m rules and the same exempt species list, so one set of rules applies across the LGA.
- Council says many properties are on the NSW Biodiversity Values Map, for example Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest. Removing healthy native trees there may need Native Vegetation Panel approval rather than a Council permit.
- An approved tree permit must be displayed at the street frontage. Council's Tree Management Policy says for at least 7 days before and 7 days after removal.
- The exempt list is broad. It includes jacarandas, crepe myrtles, camphor laurels, all non-native fruit trees, most palms (not the cabbage tree palm) and most figs (not Moreton Bay, Port Jackson or sandpaper figs). None of these exemptions apply on heritage properties.
- Council's Iconic Tree Register recognises significant public trees. Trees on private land can't be nominated.
Trees common in Northern Beaches
- Spotted gum (Corymbia maculata)
- Sydney red gum (Angophora costata)
- Sydney peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita)
- Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera)
- Bangalay (Eucalyptus botryoides)
- Red bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera)
- Cabbage tree palm (Livistona australis)
- Coastal banksia (Banksia integrifolia)
Suburbs
54 Northern Beaches suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Northern Beaches tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Northern Beaches?
On the Northern Beaches you need a Council permit to remove any tree over 5 metres tall, to prune more than 10% of a tree's canopy in 12 months, or to clear bushland. The same rules now apply in the former Manly, Warringah and Pittwater areas. Trees under 5 m, trees on Council's exempt species list (unless heritage), trees within 2 m of an approved building, dead non-habitat trees, and trees an AQF Level 5 arborist certifies as an imminent danger can be removed without a permit. A permit application costs $201Council fee including the first tree, plus $58.50Council fee for each extra tree (2026/27).
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Northern Beaches?
Without a permit you can do reasonable pruning of up to 10% of a tree's canopy within 12 calendar months, remove deadwood, and remove mistletoe or other parasitic plants. All pruning must follow AS 4373-2007. Council won't approve lopping or topping, pruning beyond what a species will tolerate (it notes figs pruned by more than 10% are prone to sunburn), or changing soil levels in a tree's root zone. Anyone other than the owner needs the owner's written permission to prune.
How much does a tree permit cost in Northern Beaches?
This is a council fee, paid to Northern Beaches Council, not to us. Application to remove or prune trees on private property (includes assessment of the first tree): $201.00Council fee (Fees & Charges 2026/27; also shown on Form 4000 (2026/2027). Non-refundable.). Other council fees are listed on this page.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Northern Beaches?
A dead tree not needed as habitat can be removed without a permit (Council recommends photos). So can a tree that has fallen or partly fallen in a storm and is still dangerous (photos required). A tree an AQF Level 5 arborist declares a high risk or imminent danger to life and property can be removed by its owner without consent. You need the arborist's written confirmation stating their qualifications, the danger, and that immediate removal is recommended, and you must send a copy of the report to Council.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Trees on public land are assessed and maintained by Council. Report problems online or call 1300 434 434. Council states that tree vandalism (poisoning, pruning, cutting, ringbarking or removal) will be pursued. Removing trees over 5 m for a new driveway won't be considered unless all alternatives are exhausted. Approved removals for driveways are done at the applicant's cost by an approved contractor, and Council may require replanting.
Sources: what Northern Beaches council actually says
“a) Removal or cutting down of any tree over five (5) metres in height; b) Pruning of more than ten percent (10%) of a tree canopy.”
“Located within two metres of an existing approved building (not including decks, pergolas, sheds, patios or the like, even if they are attached to a building).”
“Reasonable pruning of up to 10% of a tree's canopy within 12 calendar months.”
“The following tree species are suitable for removal without consent unless identified as a heritage item or within a heritage area.”
Rules come from: SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 Chapter 2; applied through the three former-council DCPs, which now carry identical tree controls: Warringah DCP 2011 Part E1 Preservation of Trees or Bushland Vegetation, Manly DCP 2013 clause 3.3.2 Preservation of Trees or Bushland Vegetation, and Pittwater 21 DCP B4.22 Preservation of Trees and Bushland Vegetation; Council Policy NB-P-46 Tree Management (adopted 15 July 2025).
- Removing and pruning trees on private land — Northern Beaches Council
- Exempt tree species list — Northern Beaches Council
- Exempt Tree and Vegetation Species (PDF)
- Illegal tree works — Northern Beaches Council
- Removing and pruning trees on public land — Northern Beaches Council
- Tree Removal and Pruning Application — Forms
- Form 4000 Tree Removal and Tree Pruning Application 2026/2027 (PDF)
- Fees and charges — Northern Beaches Council (2026/27 Fees and Charges booklet)
- Warringah DCP 2011 Part E1 Preservation of Trees or Bushland Vegetation
- Manly DCP 2013 clause 3.3.2 Preservation of Trees or Bushland Vegetation
- Pittwater 21 DCP B4.22 Preservation of Trees and Bushland Vegetation
- Council Policy NB-P-46 Tree Management, adopted 15 July 2025 (PDF)
- Tree guide — Northern Beaches Council
- Iconic Tree Register — Northern Beaches Council
Checked against Northern Beaches Council's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with Northern Beaches Council (1300 434 434) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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