The fees to lodge with council are not charged by Above All Tree Services. They are paid directly to City of Ryde. 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.
Council tree rules · checked 30 September 2026
Ryde tree removal rules
Checked against City of Ryde's own documents on · Council: 02 9952 8222
In Ryde all trees and vegetation are protected, so you need a Tree Management permit from Council to prune or remove a tree unless it falls under an exemption. The main exemptions are small trees (under 4 m tall or with a trunk under 150 mm at 1.4 m), light pruning (under 10% of the crown in 12 months, branches under 60 mm), trees whose stem is within 3 m of your house, and a list of weed species. Exemptions do not apply to heritage properties, trees on the Significant Tree Register or trees in threatened ecological communities.
The checker
Do I need approval to remove my tree?
Ryde'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 other Council land)?
Council's tree — don't touch it
Street and park trees belong to Council. Residents must not prune or remove them. Call 02 9952 8222.
Is the property a heritage item, in one of Ryde's five heritage conservation areas, or an Aboriginal object or place?
Development application needed
Tree removal on heritage properties needs a DA via the NSW Planning Portal, and even deadwood pruning needs written approval first.
Is the tree on the Significant Tree Register, part of threatened vegetation, or required to be kept by a development condition or 88B restriction?
You need a Tree Management permit
Lodge a Tree Management Application with all owners' signatures and the fee ($94Council fee for one tree on a house).
Is the tree under 4 m tall, or is its trunk under 150 mm diameter at 1.4 m above ground?
Likely exempt — no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part 9.5 exemption. Keep photos and measurements, and use an AQF Level 3 arborist working to AS 4373.
Is it on Council's exempt species list (e.g. privet, cocos palm, camphor laurel under 10 m) or a listed priority weed?
Likely exempt — no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part 9.5 exemption. Keep photos and measurements, and use an AQF Level 3 arborist working to AS 4373.
Is the tree's stem within 3 m of the outside wall of your house (or an outbuilding over 20 m²) on the same block?
Likely exempt — no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part 9.5 exemption. Keep photos and measurements, and use an AQF Level 3 arborist working to AS 4373.
Is the tree dead or dying from natural causes and a risk to people or property?
Get Council's written OK first
Get an AQF Level 5 risk assessment and evidence of natural death, send it to Council, and wait for written confirmation before any work.
Do you only want to remove deadwood or prune under 10% of the crown, with no branch 60 mm or thicker?
Likely exempt — no permit needed
This fits a DCP Part 9.5 exemption. Keep photos and measurements, and use an AQF Level 3 arborist working to AS 4373.
You need a Tree Management permit
Lodge a Tree Management Application with all owners' signatures and the fee ($94Council fee for one tree on a house).
Size matters
How big is "protected" in Ryde?
- Height: exempt if less than 4 m
- Trunk: exempt if trunk diameter less than 150 mm at 1.4 m above ground (breast height)
- Near the house: exempt if the stem at ground level is within 3 m of the outside wall of a legally constructed dwelling or outbuilding over 20 m² on the same land
You need approval to…
- Pruning or removing any tree that does not fit one of the DCP Part 9.5 exemptions — all vegetation in the City is declared 'prescribed'.
- Pruning branches 60 mm or thicker, or more than 10% of the crown in 12 months, on a protected tree.
- Pruning or removing roots thicker than 30 mm, or changing soil levels within a tree's Tree Protection Zone (these count as 'tree works').
- Any work on a tree listed on the City of Ryde Significant Tree Register, even deadwood removal.
- Any work on trees that are threatened species, fauna habitat or part of an endangered ecological community (a Biodiversity Conservation Licence may be required from the NSW Government).
- Removing trees on a heritage item, in one of Ryde's five heritage conservation areas, or on an Aboriginal object or place — this needs a development application, not a tree permit; even deadwood pruning there needs prior written approval.
- Removing a tree that must be kept under a development consent condition or a Section 88B restriction.
- Removing a dead or dying tree — you must get Council's written confirmation first (see dead or dangerous trees).
Usually no approval needed for…
- Trees or vegetation with a height less than 4 m and/or a trunk diameter less than 150 mm measured at breast height (1.4 m above ground).
- Removing deadwood or pruning less than 10% of the crown in a 12-month period, provided branches have no hollows used by native animals, no branch exceeds 60 mm diameter, and work follows AS 4373–2007 and the SafeWork NSW Amenity Tree Industry Code of Practice.
- Tree works where the stem at ground level is within 3 m of the outside wall of a legally constructed dwelling, or an outbuilding over 20 m², on the same land (not trees on adjoining land).
- Tree works on any species on Council's exempt list.
- State or regional priority weeds (Greater Sydney Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan) and local priority weeds (Ryde Local Priority Weed Management Plan).
- Dead or dying trees (from natural causes) that are not hollow-bearing habitat and are a risk to life or property — only after Council confirms in writing.
- Works authorised by a development consent, or under other legislation such as the Rural Fires Act 1997, Biosecurity Act 2015, Electricity Supply Act 1995, Roads Act 1993, or the NSW RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice.
Ryde's exempt species list (24 entries): trees you can usually remove without a permit
- Golden Wreath Wattle (Acacia saligna)
- Box Elder (Acer negundo)
- Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Evergreen Alder (Alnus jorulensis)
- Cocos Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana, syn. Arecastrum romanzoffianum)
- Rhizomatous Bamboo (Bambusa spp.)
- Hackberry (Celtis sinensis)
- Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) — less than 10 m only
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster sp.)
- Cockscomb Coral Tree (Erythrina crista-galli)
- Indian Coral Tree (Erythrina x sykesii)
- Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
- Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica)
- Norfolk Island Hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonii)
- Broad-leaf Privet (Ligustrum lucidum)
- Narrow-leaf Privet (Ligustrum sinense)
- Oleander (Nerium oleander)
- African Olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana)
- Poplars (Populus spp.)
- Golden Robinia or Golden Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Willows (Salix spp.)
- Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
- Athel Tree (Tamarix aphylla)
- Rhus Tree (Toxicodendron spp.)
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 Ryde.
From checking the rules to planting the replacement tree.
Check the exemptions first
Is the tree under 4 m or under 150 mm trunk diameter at 1.4 m, on the exempt species list, or is its stem within 3 m of your house? Is it only light pruning (under 10% of crown, branches under 60 mm)? If so, you may not need a permit.
Check the exclusions
Call 9952 8222 to confirm the tree is not on the Significant Tree Register and your property is not a heritage item or in a heritage conservation area, and check for threatened vegetation. If any apply, exemptions do not.
Talk to an arborist
Council recommends consulting an arborist before applying. Any report you submit must be by an AQF Level 5 arborist.
Complete the Tree Management Application
Fill in the August 2026 form, including a site plan showing each tree. All owners must sign — Council will not accept the application without every owner's consent.
Lodge it with the fee
Submit to Customer Service (1 Pope Street, Ryde, or cityofryde@ryde.nsw.gov.au) with the fee — $94Council fee for one tree on a house. Heritage properties must lodge a DA through the NSW Planning Portal instead.
Allow site access
Council's arborist will inspect. Tell Council about dogs or locked gates; needing an appointment slows things down.
Follow the permit
Keep a copy on site during works, finish within 12 months, and plant the required 75-litre replacement trees at 3:1. You can ask for a review within 3 months if refused.
Council fees paid to City of Ryde, not to Above All Tree Services
| Council fee for | Council fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Residential (non-strata) — 1 tree | $94.00Council fee | 2 trees $188Council fee; 3 trees $236Council fee; $31Council fee per additional tree above 3. Payable at lodgement. |
| Residential (non-strata) — pensioner | $47.00Council fee for 1 tree | Per the August 2026 form: $94Council fee for 2 trees, $118Council fee for 3, $15.90Council fee per additional tree. Valid pensioner ID required; not available for strata/commercial. |
| Commercial, strata and other properties — 1 tree | $187.00Council fee | 2 trees $374Council fee; 3 trees $471Council fee; $127Council fee per additional tree above 3. No pensioner discount. |
| Urgency application (imminent risk to life) | $630.00Council fee | In addition to the application fee; determination within 3 working days, subject to availability. |
| Review of a tree determination | $235.00Council fee | 50% pensioner discount. Must be requested within 3 months of the determination. |
Processing: No standard processing time is published. Urgent applications (imminent risk to life, residential non-strata, site accessible) aim for 3 working days. Applications take longer if a site-access appointment is needed. Permits are valid for 12 months.
The details
Everything else you should know.
The situations that trip people up, from Ryde council's own rules.
Pruning
Without a permit you may remove deadwood or prune less than 10% of the live crown in any 12-month period, cutting only branches under 60 mm in diameter, as long as the branches have no hollows used by native animals and the work follows AS 4373–2007 Pruning of amenity trees. Council's Tree Pruning Guide says all pruning must be done by an arborist with at least AQF Level 3. Larger pruning (branches 60 mm or more) on a protected tree needs a Tree Management Application. On heritage items or in heritage conservation areas, even deadwood removal needs prior written approval.
Dead or dangerous trees
A dead or dying tree is only exempt once Council is satisfied it died from natural causes, is not hollow-bearing habitat and is a risk to life or property. You must get a tree risk assessment from an AQF Level 5 arborist, provide evidence the tree is dead or dying from natural causes, and wait for Council's written confirmation before starting. If Council is not satisfied, it investigates and issues penalties where it finds illegal removal or harm. For trees posing an imminent risk to human life, residential (non-strata) owners can lodge an Urgent Tree Management Application, which Council aims to determine within 3 working days for an extra $630Council fee.
Arborist reports
Reports are not mandatory for a standard application but help your case (arboricultural, structural engineering or plumbing reports, landscape plans, photos). Council will only accept reports from arborists with AQF Level 5 in Horticulture (Arboriculture) or equivalent, prepared to Section 4 of Council's Tree Management Technical Manual. A dead/dying tree exemption requires a risk assessment by an AQF Level 5 arborist.
Replacement planting
Council requires replacement trees of at least 75 litres to be planted at a rate of 3:1 for any tree approved for removal (DCP 9.5 s6.3). If there is not enough room on your land, Council charges a fee to plant on Council land instead. A mandatory 12-month follow-up inspection checks the replacement is healthy.
Bushfire and the 10/50 rule
Council's 10/50 page says the scheme is run by the NSW RFS, not Council, and owners must use the RFS online tool to check whether their property is in a 10/50 entitlement area. It notes 10/50 clearing does not override Commonwealth EPBC Act protection of Blue Gum High Forest, Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest and Coastal Saltmarsh, and never applies to Council-managed land.
Heritage properties
Ryde has five heritage conservation areas. Removing a tree on a heritage item, in a conservation area, or on an Aboriginal object or place needs a development application using Council's "Development Application for Tree Removal on Heritage Properties" form, lodged through the NSW Planning Portal. None of the usual exemptions (including deadwood removal) apply there. State Heritage Register sites may also need separate approval or an exemption from the NSW Government under the Heritage Act 1977. Phone Customer Service on 9952 8222 to check your property's status.
Your neighbour's tree
You may prune up to 10% of the live canopy that overhangs your property within a 12-month period, using branches under 60 mm diameter, but Council recommends talking to your neighbour first. To remove or do more on a neighbour's tree you need the tree owner's consent on the application. Council does not mediate tree disputes — it points residents to the Community Justice Centre (1800 990 777), the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 and the Land and Environment Court.
Street and park trees
Residents must not remove or prune trees on public land without Council consent; any works on public trees, or needing access across Council land, require prior written consent from Council's Tree Management Team. Trees on public land affecting power lines are managed by Ausgrid and cannot be worked on by residents or arborists not engaged by Ausgrid. Report street tree issues on 02 9952 8222. You can also request a free street tree online.
Penalties
Council states tree preservation is a legal requirement and unauthorised removal, pruning or damage may breach DCP Part 9.5 and other vegetation legislation, and "may result in significant penalties". Council's tree pages do not state fine amounts.
What's different about Ryde
- Ryde requires 3:1 replacement planting at a minimum 75-litre pot size for every tree approved for removal, with a mandatory 12-month follow-up inspection.
- Council keeps a Significant Tree Register covering both public and private trees; listed trees lose every exemption, including deadwood removal.
- Ryde contains Blue Gum High Forest and Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest, both protected under the Commonwealth EPBC Act regardless of 10/50 or Council exemptions.
- Council rejects removal requests based on leaf or fruit drop, solar access or views, building a fence, or damage to non-compliant structures or defective pipes.
- Tree permit applications made solely to allow future development — including complying development — are not considered valid grounds; a DA may be needed.
Trees common in Ryde
- Sydney blue gum (Eucalyptus saligna)
- Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera)
- Sydney red gum (Angophora costata)
- Brush box (Lophostemon confertus)
- Water gum (Tristaniopsis laurina)
- Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma)
- Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)
- Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Suburbs
15 Ryde suburbs we cover.
Each suburb page has local notes, jobs nearby and a link back here.
Questions
Ryde tree rules: questions.
Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Ryde?
In Ryde all trees and vegetation are protected, so you need a Tree Management permit from Council to prune or remove a tree unless it falls under an exemption. The main exemptions are small trees (under 4 m tall or with a trunk under 150 mm at 1.4 m), light pruning (under 10% of the crown in 12 months, branches under 60 mm), trees whose stem is within 3 m of your house, and a list of weed species. Exemptions do not apply to heritage properties, trees on the Significant Tree Register or trees in threatened ecological communities.
Can I prune a tree without a permit in Ryde?
Without a permit you may remove deadwood or prune less than 10% of the live crown in any 12-month period, cutting only branches under 60 mm in diameter, as long as the branches have no hollows used by native animals and the work follows AS 4373–2007 Pruning of amenity trees. Council's Tree Pruning Guide says all pruning must be done by an arborist with at least AQF Level 3. Larger pruning (branches 60 mm or more) on a protected tree needs a Tree Management Application. On heritage items or in heritage conservation areas, even deadwood removal needs prior written approval.
How much does a tree permit cost in Ryde?
This is a council fee, paid to City of Ryde, not to us. Residential (non-strata) — 1 tree: $94.00Council fee (2 trees $188Council fee; 3 trees $236Council fee; $31Council fee per additional tree above 3. Payable at lodgement.). Other council fees are listed on this page.
How long does Ryde council take to decide?
No standard processing time is published. Urgent applications (imminent risk to life, residential non-strata, site accessible) aim for 3 working days. Applications take longer if a site-access appointment is needed. Permits are valid for 12 months.
Can I remove a dead or dangerous tree in Ryde?
A dead or dying tree is only exempt once Council is satisfied it died from natural causes, is not hollow-bearing habitat and is a risk to life or property. You must get a tree risk assessment from an AQF Level 5 arborist, provide evidence the tree is dead or dying from natural causes, and wait for Council's written confirmation before starting. If Council is not satisfied, it investigates and issues penalties where it finds illegal removal or harm. For trees posing an imminent risk to human life, residential (non-strata) owners can lodge an Urgent Tree Management Application, which Council aims to determine within 3 working days for an extra $630Council fee.
Can I prune or remove the street tree outside my house?
Residents must not remove or prune trees on public land without Council consent; any works on public trees, or needing access across Council land, require prior written consent from Council's Tree Management Team. Trees on public land affecting power lines are managed by Ausgrid and cannot be worked on by residents or arborists not engaged by Ausgrid. Report street tree issues on 02 9952 8222. You can also request a free street tree online.
Sources: what Ryde council actually says
“All vegetation in the City is declared to be prescribed vegetation to which Part 2.3 of the Biodiversity and Conservation SEPP applies, subject to the exemptions listed in section 4.0 below.”
“a height less than 4m and/or trunk diameter less than 150mm measured at breast height (1.4m above ground level).”
“Removing less than 10% of the live canopy in a 12-month period, and Cutting only branches under 60mm in diameter”
“Tree Works on a tree where the stem of the tree at ground level is within three (3) metres of: the outside enclosing wall of legally constructed dwelling or outbuilding of over 20m2”
Rules come from: City of Ryde Development Control Plan 2014, Part 9.5 Tree Preservation (2025 revision) — s2.0 prescribed trees, s4.0 exempt works, s5.0 exclusions, s6.2 tree permits, s6.3 replacement; made under SEPP (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 Chapter 2.
- Trees — City of Ryde
- Tree Applications and Fees — City of Ryde
- Exempt Tree and Vegetation Works — City of Ryde
- Tree Pruning Guide — City of Ryde
- 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice — City of Ryde
- Significant Tree Register — City of Ryde
- City of Ryde DCP 2014 Part 9.5 Tree Preservation (PDF)
- Tree Management Application form, August 2026 (PDF)
- Development Application Form for Tree Removal on Heritage Properties, July 2026 (PDF)
- Street Tree Master Plan — City of Ryde (PDF, species)
Checked against City of Ryde's own pages and documents on 30 September 2026. Councils change their rules and fees, usually on 1 July, so confirm with City of Ryde (02 9952 8222) before any work. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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