How to apply for a tree removal permit in Santa Cruz, California

A 5-step walkthrough drawn from Santa Cruz's tree-protection ordinance. For the underlying DBH thresholds, protected-species list, and full fee schedule, see the city ordinance page.

Expected processing time: 3-6 weeks. Plan removal timing accordingly — emergency-tree provisions may differ.

  1. 1

    Determine if your tree is regulated

    Trees at or above 14" DBH (diameter at breast height) are regulated. Heritage Tree: any tree with 14+ inch trunk diameter at 4.5 feet. All street trees protected regardless of size. Heritage / landmark designation: Any tree meeting 14 inch DBH threshold is automatically a Heritage Tree.

  2. 2

    Determine who must apply

    Eligible applicants in Santa Cruz: Property owner, adjacent property owner (for parkway trees), or authorized agent with arborist report.

  3. 3

    Prepare your assessment report

    Your assessment report must include: Species identification, DBH (14+ inch heritage threshold at 4.5 feet), health and structural assessment, justification for removal or for crown pruning beyond 25%, photo documentation, replacement plan from approved Santa Cruz Heritage Tree species list. Required certifications: ISA Certified Arborist; Heritage Tree applications and crown-pruning beyond 25% benefit from ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) for structural assessment.

  4. 4

    Submit to the permitting department

    Submit your application and assessment report to Parks and Recreation Department. Typical processing time: 3-6 weeks. Reference the full ordinance at https://www.codepublishing.com/CA/SantaCruz/html/SantaCruz09/SantaCruz0956.html.

    View the full Santa Cruz ordinance

  5. 5

    Plan for replacement obligations

    Replacement ratio: 1:1 minimum for heritage tree removal; 24-inch box replacement from approved species list. 24-inch box replacement trees from the approved Santa Cruz heritage tree species list emphasizing native and climate-adapted species; in-lieu fees to the Heritage Tree Preservation Fund accepted when on-site replanting is infeasible.

Where to file

Parks and Recreation Department

Other California permit walkthroughs

See California replacement obligations compared — how Santa Cruz's replacement ratio ranks against the rest of the state.

See California heritage criteria compared — how Santa Cruz's designation rules stack against the rest of the state.

Compare with nearby cities

Need an arborist report for your Santa Cruz permit?

Capture an ISA TRAQ Level 1, 2, or 3 assessment in the field and export a municipality-ready PDF that fits Santa Cruz's required report sections. Free, no account required.

Start a TRAQ assessment