How to apply for a tree removal permit in Boulder, Colorado

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

  1. 1

    Determine if your tree is regulated

    Trees at or above 1.5" DBH (diameter at breast height) are regulated. Public trees (rights-of-way, parks, open space) regulated regardless of size. On private property, trees subject to landscape and development review. Forestry Division has authority over all public trees. Heritage / landmark designation: Boulder Revised Code Chapter 6-6 (Forestry) establishes Forestry Division authority over all public trees on rights-of-way, parks, and open space regardless of size; private-property trees subject to landscape and development preservation review at one of the most stringent DBH thresholds in Colorado — Boulder's enhanced-protection tier in lieu of a separate heritage-tree designation. (Numeric protected-tree threshold stored separately in the protected_tree_dbh_threshold field.)

  2. 2

    Determine who must apply

    Permit applicants are typically the property owner or an authorized agent — confirm directly with Boulder before filing.

  3. 3

    Prepare your assessment report

    Prepare a tree assessment report covering tree species, condition, defects, and proposed action. Required certifications: ISA Certified Arborist or city-licensed contractor.

  4. 4

    Submit to the permitting department

    Submit your application and assessment report to Parks and Recreation / Forestry Division. Reference the full ordinance at https://library.municode.com/co/boulder/codes/municipal_code.

    View the full Boulder ordinance

  5. 5

    Plan for replacement obligations

    Replacement ratio: Based on tree category and site-specific review. Replacement required to maintain canopy coverage; in-lieu fees available.

Where to file

Parks and Recreation / Forestry Division

(303) 441-4406

forestry@bouldercolorado.gov

Other Colorado permit walkthroughs

See Colorado replacement obligations compared — how Boulder's replacement ratio ranks against the rest of the state.

See Colorado heritage criteria compared — how Boulder's designation rules stack against the rest of the state.

Compare with nearby cities

Need an arborist report for your Boulder permit?

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

Start a TRAQ assessment