Before you hire anyone to take a tree down in Redwood City, there is one thing you need to know: in almost every case, the city requires a permit first, even when the tree sits entirely on your own property. The good news is that the permit itself is usually free. The risk if you skip it is not. This page is for homeowners who have already decided a tree needs to go and want it done the legal way, without a fine, a stop-work order, or a forced replanting bill.
For the wider picture, including pruning standards and replanting rules, our Redwood City tree permit guide covers every part of the ordinance. This page stays focused on one job: getting a tree removed legally.
Do You Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Redwood City?
Yes, in most cases. Redwood City requires a permit to remove any tree with a trunk 12 inches or more in diameter, which is about 38 inches around, measured at the thickest point between 6 and 36 inches above the ground. That rule covers trees on private property, not just street trees, and it applies whether the tree is healthy or half dead.
The measurement point trips up a lot of homeowners. You are not measuring at chest height. You measure low on the trunk, between 6 and 36 inches off the ground, at the widest spot, and you take the distance around, not across. If a tape wrapped around the trunk reads 38 inches or more, plan on pulling a permit. You can confirm the current rule on the City of Redwood City tree maintenance page before you start.
If you have just bought a home with an overgrown yard, this is usually the first surprise: that leaning tree you assumed you could deal with on a weekend is very likely protected. A tree under the size threshold, and not a street tree, generally does not need a permit. If you are not sure the tree even needs to come out, our guide on the signs a tree needs removal can help you decide before you spend a dollar on paperwork.
First, Confirm Your Property Is Actually Inside Redwood City
Check whether your address sits inside Redwood City limits or in unincorporated San Mateo County before you do anything else, because the two follow completely different rules. A “Redwood City” mailing address does not always mean you fall under the city’s ordinance. Neighborhoods like Emerald Hills and other pockets on the edge of town are unincorporated, which puts you under San Mateo County instead.
The difference matters more than most people expect. Inside city limits, the permit is free and the process is quick. In unincorporated county, a protected tree removal permit runs about $670, pruning runs about $550, and the county protects smaller trees than the city does, down to 6 inches in diameter in hillside districts and lower still for native oaks, madrones, and buckeyes. The penalties are heavier too. Two homes on the same street can be under two different agencies, so a five minute check of your jurisdiction can save you hundreds of dollars and a lot of confusion.
The quickest way to settle it is to look up your parcel through San Mateo County’s property and jurisdiction records, which show whether an address sits inside city limits or in the unincorporated county. If it lands in the unincorporated county, plan on a protected tree removal permit closer to $670 and a review that can run one to two months, rather than the city’s free and faster process. When you are not sure which side of the line you are on, check the parcel before you schedule any work.
Which Trees Are Protected in Redwood City
Any tree that meets the size threshold is a protected tree under Redwood City’s Tree Preservation Ordinance, regardless of species. The ordinance does not keep a short list of special species. It protects the trunk size, so a common ornamental and a rare native are treated the same once they cross 12 inches in diameter.
That said, mature natives draw extra scrutiny during review. Coast redwoods and native oaks take decades to replace and often carry heritage value, so the city looks harder at removals that involve them. If you are staring at a large redwood in the backyard and wondering whether you are even allowed to touch it, you are asking the right question: these are exactly the trees the ordinance was written to protect. The path forward is not to guess, it is to document why removal is justified.
Neighbor trees add another wrinkle. If the tree is on your side but leaning over the property line, or if a neighbor’s tree is dropping limbs onto your roof, the permit rules still apply to whoever owns the trunk. California law on overhanging branches and neighbor tree disputes decides who is responsible before the permit question even comes up.
What a Redwood City Tree Removal Permit Costs
The permit itself is free in Redwood City. The city has issued tree removal and pruning permits at no charge under its Tree Preservation Ordinance, which makes it one of the few Peninsula jurisdictions that does not add a permit fee on top of the work. The city keeps the permit free on purpose, because it would rather have residents apply and get guidance than skip the step to dodge a charge.
Your real cost is the certified arborist report, which usually runs about $200 to $500, plus the removal work itself. Removal price depends on the size of the tree, its location, and how close it is to structures or power lines. To ballpark the removal before you commit, our tree removal cost calculator for the Bay Area gives you a working number in about a minute.
The City of Redwood City’s own Trees and Sidewalks FAQ states there is no fee for a permit to prune or remove a tree at this time. Fee schedules do get revisited from year to year, so it is worth confirming the current cost with the city when you apply, but as of this writing the permit itself still costs nothing.
How to Apply for a Tree Removal Permit in Redwood City
Applying is a short, four-step process, and a complete application is what keeps it short. Rushing in with missing photos or no replanting plan is the fastest way to turn a two week approval into a two month one. Here is the order that works:
- Measure the trunk at the thickest point between 6 and 36 inches above the ground to confirm the tree is protected.
- Get a certified arborist assessment of the tree’s health, structure, and risk so you have a professional basis for the request.
- Submit the application to the city with photos, the tree’s location, the reason for removal, and a plan to replant.
- Wait for the city’s review, then schedule the work once the permit is approved.
Straightforward private tree permits are usually reviewed in about two weeks. Cases that involve a heritage tree, a public notice period, or an appeal from a neighbor can take longer. The single biggest thing you control is the completeness of the application, which is why most homeowners hand this step to a company that files them regularly.
Applications for private trees go through the city’s Public Works department and its Urban Forestry program, which handles pruning and removal permits on private property. The city does not publish a guaranteed turnaround, so treat the two week figure above as a typical case rather than a promise: a clean, well-documented request on a straightforward protected tree tends to move faster, while a heritage tree or anything a neighbor contests takes longer.
Why the City Wants a Certified Arborist Report
A certified arborist report is what turns a request into an approvable application. It documents the tree’s species, size, health, and risk level, and gives the city a professional basis to say yes. Without one, a reviewer is left guessing, and guessing usually means a denial or a request for more information.
The report has to come from the right person. Look for an ISA Certified Arborist, which is the credential the International Society of Arboriculture issues and the one the city recognizes. A certified arborist can tell in one visit whether a tree qualifies for removal or whether the city is likely to push for preservation through pruning or a root barrier instead. Our Redwood City arborists prepare these reports as part of the permit work, so the assessment and the application move together instead of in two separate rounds.
Penalties for Cutting a Tree Without a Permit
Removing a protected tree without a permit in Redwood City is unlawful under the Tree Preservation Ordinance, and the consequences are not just a slap on the wrist. Beyond any fine the city assesses, the ordinance can require you to replace the tree within one year with an approved substitute of similar size and species, and replacement trees of that scale are expensive. If the removal was tied to a construction project, you can also face a stop-work order that stalls everything else.
The stakes climb sharply just outside the city line. In unincorporated San Mateo County, the penalty for unauthorized removal of a significant or heritage tree runs from $2,500 to $10,000 per tree. A free permit is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy against numbers like that. The city does investigate reports, and neighbors, inspectors, and utility crews all pass them along.
Let Firefighter Tree Service Handle Your Redwood City Permit
If you have a tree that needs to come down, the permit is the part most homeowners dread, and it is the part we handle every week. Firefighter Tree Service is a firefighter-owned, ISA-certified crew based right here in Redwood City. We measure the tree, prepare the arborist report, file the permit, and carry out the tree removal once it clears, with a licensed and insured team and a three day service guarantee. Call us at 650-454-0373 and we will tell you in one visit whether your tree needs a permit and how to get it approved.
