Permits Needed for Portland Area Tree Work

Oregon City generally does not require a permit for:

• Normal pruning and maintenance of a street tree abutting your property.
• Removing a tree growing on a privately owned, residentially zoned lot, so long as it does not meet any of these special criteria.

In contrast, a tree removal permit is always needed in the following situations:

• Trees on non-residentially zoned property.
• Street tree removals. See the street Tree Removal Application.

Oregon City Planning Department
503-657-0891
Oregon City Tree Removal Permit Information

In Portland, a permit is always required to remove a street tree. Additional requirements may apply if the property is in a regulated historic or environmentally sensitive zone or plan district.

On private property, a removal permit is generally only required for trees that are 12 inches in diameter or larger at four and half feet.

Guide: Do I need a permit to remove trees on private property?

Urban Forestry
503-823-8733
Portland Tree Removal & Replanting Permits

Trees on individual single-family lots in Tigard do not require a permit, unless they are a street tree, heritage tree, a tree planted using the Urban Forestry Fund or are native and located within sensitive lands (steep slopes, 100-year floodplain, stream corridors, significant habitat areas or wetlands).

Trees on commercial, industrial or apartment/condominium properties will most likely require a permit prior to removal.

Street trees can only be removed with prior approval. In most cases, a replacement tree is required.

Tigard Community Tree Program

Tigard Community Development Department
503-718-2421
Tree Permit Requirements

In Troutdale, a permit is required to plant, remove, or prune a street tree. You can apply for street tree permits on the City's Citizen Self Service portal. There is no cost to obtain a street tree permit.

Troutdale Public Works, Parks Division
503-674-7271
Street Tree Information

Removal of trees on private property in Tualatin is regulated by Chapter 33 of the Tualatin Development Code. Tree removal may require approval before cutting, limbing or removal can occur.  Street trees (trees along a public street) are regulated by the Tualatin Parks and Recreation Department. Tree pruning is not regulated by the city.

Tree Removal Permit Requirements in Tualatin

• Removal of up to 4 trees in a calendar year is allowed without a tree removal permit, except for:
  • Trees approved as part of a site plan approval.
  • Trees designated as a Heritage Tree.
• Removal of 5 or more trees in a calendar year on sites without a site plan approval may be allowed with a tree removal permit.
• Removal of 10 or fewer trees in a calendar year on sites with a site plan approval may be allowed by approval of a Minor Architectural Review (MAR) application.
• Removal of 11 or more trees in a calendar year on sites with a site plan approval may be allowed by approval of an Architectural Review application (AR).
• Tree removal from a wetland or other environmentally sensitive area requires approval from Clean Water Services.

Tree Removal Permit/Review

Tualatin Planning Division
503-691-3026
Tualatin Tree Removal Regulations

A Tree Removal Permit is required for any tree defined as a "Tree" or "Street Tree" in the West Linn, OR City Ordinance.

• Tree: Any woody, perennial plant, deciduous, evergreen, or coniferous, having a main stem or trunk of a minimum of 6 inch DBH for Oregon white oak, Pacific madrone, and Pacific dogwood, and 12 inch DBH for all other tree species. Trees with multiple trunks will be measured at the 54-inch standard and computed as a total DBH. Plants that otherwise meet the above description but are typically grown as shrubs will not be considered trees (typical examples of shrubs are hazelnut, photinia, and laurel).
• Street Tree: Any tree planted by the City or authorized to be planted by another party in a Right of Way and designated as such. Street Trees do not include existing native or non-native trees or new plantings that are not authorized by the City.

West Linn Parks & Recreation
503-557-4700
West Linn Tree or Street Tree Removal Permit

In Wilsonville, a permit is required prior to cutting down any tree six inches or more in diameter at breast height (DBH), measured at four and one-half feet above grade. A permit is not required for tree pruning, but the work must be done according to ANSI A300 standards and tree topping is not allowed.

The type of permit you’ll need depends on how many trees you plan to cut down.

• A Type A Tree Removal Permit allows a property owner to remove three trees per property, per calendar year, per permit.
• A Type B Tree Removal Permit is required when removing 4 or more trees on a single property (apply through the City's Online Permitting Portal).
• For site development work, you’ll need a Type C Tree Removal Permit

Wilsonville Planning Division
503-682-4960
Wilsonville Tree & Tree Permit FAQs