Council approval is the part of tree removal people get wrong most often. Some assume they always need it. Others assume they never do, because a neighbour took one out last year and nothing happened.
Neither assumption is safe. Check the current requirements for the address before the work is booked.
Sometimes you need council approval to take a tree out in Sydney, and sometimes you do not. It depends on the council, the tree, its size, where it is, what condition it is in, and why you want it gone. Always check before you book anything on an established tree.
Why the rules change from suburb to suburb
There is no single Sydney-wide rule. Every council writes its own tree controls, and two streets can sit in different council areas with completely different requirements.
That is why the same species can be straightforward on one property and regulated on the next. Councils typically look at things like:
- how big the tree is
- the trunk size
- what species it is
- whether it is native, significant or specifically protected
- heritage or conservation controls over the property
- why you want it removed
It is also why advice from a mate, a neighbour or a contractor who worked somewhere else can be unreliable. Their block may not be under the same rules as yours.
When to slow down and check first
Approval is more likely to come into it when the tree is:
- mature, or obviously a feature of the street
- large for the block it is on
- close to a boundary
- near public land, or a street tree
- part of a strata, heritage or development situation
- coming out for convenience rather than an obvious hazard
If any of those sound like your tree, check before you lock in a date.
What to have ready before you ask
The better the information at the start, the easier the whole thing is. Get together:
- clear photos of the whole tree
- photos of the problem — the crack, the deadwood, the lean, the damage
- where the tree sits on the property
- why you want it out
- anything nearby that matters — access, structures, safety issues
If the real issue is risk rather than the tree itself, pruning may be the better conversation to start with.
Dead, damaged or dangerous trees still have a process
This is the one that catches people out. A tree that is dead, damaged or genuinely dangerous may be treated differently, but that does not always mean cut first and ask later. The council may still require photos, an assessment or a written notice, so check its current process.
If the tree has:
- fresh storm damage
- a lean that has changed
- major deadwood
- cracking through the structure
- a real chance of failing soon
then the right next step is getting it looked at properly, not guessing. Our guide on what to do after storm damage to a tree covers the safety side.
Strata, boundaries and neighbours
It gets more complicated when the tree is not simply yours, in your backyard. The usual complications are:
- strata or owners corporation approval
- working out whose tree it actually is
- needing the neighbour's consent, or access through their place
- a development application or renovation in the mix
A tree can be entirely on your side of the fence and still raise questions about access, method or council interest. Sort that out early rather than after you have accepted a quote.
What councils are usually trying to work out
Even where the rules differ, councils are generally asking the same thing: why does this tree need to go, rather than be kept and managed differently?
The council may ask for:
- a genuine safety risk
- the tree declining structurally
- the tree being wrong for the site
- repeated property damage that pruning cannot solve
- photos and, where the council asks for one, an independent arborist's assessment
Focus on the condition of the tree, the effect on the property and the work you are asking to do.
A practical way to check
If you think approval might be involved:
- work out which council or authority actually covers your address
- get photos and the basic details of the tree together
- read the council's tree management page or policy
- ask them whether the tree looks likely to need approval
- get proper advice if the tree is hazardous, complex or borderline
- do not book the removal until that side is clear
That is a lot safer than going off what happened at a job down the road years ago.
When removal is not the first answer
Sometimes the approval conversation gets a lot easier once the job is defined properly. A tree that is inconvenient is not always a tree that needs to come out.
Often the better starting point is:
- selective pruning to clear the roof
- bringing the canopy down in size
- taking the deadwood out
- correcting the structure
- keeping an eye on it rather than removing it
That does not make removal wrong. It just means it should be the right answer to the actual problem.
Where to check, officially
- Your council — the tree and vegetation pages on its own website, and its customer service contact for questions about a specific address
- The NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer (opens in new tab) — to check the planning layers shown for an address
- The NSW legislation website (opens in new tab) — for the current state planning instrument covering biodiversity and conservation
- NSW Rural Fire Service (opens in new tab) — to check whether the 10/50 vegetation clearing entitlement applies to the property
- Your owners corporation or strata manager — where the tree is on common property
We also have guides for individual council areas: Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, Willoughby, the Northern Beaches, Ryde, the Inner West, Parramatta, Blacktown, the Hills District, Randwick and the Sutherland Shire.
Last reviewed August 2026. We check these guides against the official sources whenever they change, and at least once every twelve months.
Common questions
Do I always need a permit to remove a tree in Sydney?
No. But never assume you do not. It depends on the council area, the tree, and the reason for the work.
Can I prune it heavily instead of applying to remove it?
Not necessarily. A big cutback can still bring the council into it, depending on the tree and how much is coming off. What you call the job matters less than how much work it actually is.
How long does approval take?
That varies by council and application type, and published estimates can change. Check the council's current process before planning the work around a particular date.
What if it is an emergency?
Deal with the safety side first, but still get the right advice. Emergency situations usually need prompt assessment, clear photos and the correct process rather than informal cutting by whoever is available.
What to do next
If you are not sure whether approval applies, check the current council rules before you book anything. You can still send us photos of the tree, the site and the work you want done to get the quote conversation started.
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