Tree Permits in Hillsborough
Hillsborough requires a permit to remove any species at 18″ diameter. Measured as trunk diameter (DBH) at 54″ above grade. Arborist report required with the application. Permit fee from $1,076. Verified July 31, 2026.
Last verified · fees checked · Michael Schuck, ISA Certified Arborist WE-15750A, ISA Certified Urban Forest Professional WE-15750AF
Hillsborough tree ordinance at a glance
| Code section | HMC Title 14, Ch. 14.04 (Ord. 789, eff. 7/1/2023) |
|---|---|
| Protected trees | Single category 'Protected Tree': ANY species at 18"+ CUMULATIVE diameter (multi-trunk aggregated) + town-approval-condition trees. No native/heritage tiers |
| Size threshold | 18" cumulative diameter at 4'6" (54") above natural grade |
| Multi-trunk trees | CUMULATIVE diameter, multiple trunks added together |
| Dead or hazardous trees | Hazard track: application reviewed by town-qualified arborist; 30-day hazard-removal window (14.04.040(E)); no remove-then-notify |
| Fire-safety removals | No special treatment. Hillsborough's ordinance has no fire provision; the only fast route is the hazard track, where a certified arborist's written opinion that the tree must be removed within 30 days because of disease, damage or danger, verified by a town-qualified arborist, lets staff issue the permit (HMC 14.04.040(E)). Conditions: Normal permit; hazard track requires a certified arborist's written 30-day hazard opinion verified by the town arborist. 14.04.040(F) factors: type, desirability, condition re disease/danger of falling/utilities, erosion, forestry, trees remaining, alternatives. source · all cities |
| Permit fee (FY 2026-27) | FY 26-27: $1,076 planning review + $218 building permit (voluntary); $287 visibly dead; $682 hazardous w/ arborist report fee schedule |
| Permit filing by this practice | Quoted after a call: routine permits in Hillsborough go to a hearing. A non-hazard removal is filed by appointment with a planner, requires the applicant to mail neighbor notices and file an affidavit, and is heard by the ADRB at a noticed public hearing (one hearing trip); the hazard track (arborist states removal needed within 30 days) is staff-level and would be Tier A, and the Town's own page says some removals are handled administratively. How permit filing works. |
| Penalties for removal without a permit | $150 PER INCH of trunk diameter OR ISA-appraised value, WHICHEVER GREATER + misdemeanor + 36"-box replacement within 6 months (14.04.060) |
| Arborist report | Required. All protected tree removal permits: HMC 14.04.040(C) (improved land), 14.04.050(B) (unimproved land) and 14.04.030(B) (subdivisions) each require 'An arborist report' with the site plan, reason letter, replacement statement and fee. Hazard track (14.04.040(E)): a 'written opinion from a certified arborist' that the tree must be removed within thirty days, reviewed by a town-qualified arborist. Town's Arborist Report Template (v. 23-07-03): 'An arborist report is a required component of a tree removal permit application.' Who may write it: 'Certified arborist means an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) with current certification standing ... or an American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) consulting arborist with current membership standing' (14.04.020). Template: report 'shall be completed by a certified arborist, registered with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or American Society of Consulting Arborists.' |
| Who to call | Building & Planning (650) 375-7411 · official page |
Sources: hills-trk.aspgov.com · library.municode.com · hillsborough.net. Urban Forestry Guide is not a city line; for Hillsborough permit questions use the department above.
Does my tree need a permit in Hillsborough?
A permit is required when the tree is protected and meets the size rule. Hillsborough measures trunk diameter (DBH) at 54″ above the ground.
- Any species: protected at 18″ diameter
- Multi-trunk trees: Cumulative diameter: multiple trunks are added together.
Check my tree in the permit checker
Street trees, city-designated heritage trees and trees required by a development approval are protected at any size in every city. Trees on lot lines belong to both owners.
Does Hillsborough require an arborist report?
Yes. All protected tree removal permits: HMC 14.04.040(C) (improved land), 14.04.050(B) (unimproved land) and 14.04.030(B) (subdivisions) each require 'An arborist report' with the site plan, reason letter, replacement statement and fee. Hazard track (14.04.040(E)): a 'written opinion from a certified arborist' that the tree must be removed within thirty days, reviewed by a town-qualified arborist. Town's Arborist Report Template (v. 23-07-03): 'An arborist report is a required component of a tree removal permit application.'
Who may write it: 'Certified arborist means an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) with current certification standing ... or an American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) consulting arborist with current membership standing' (14.04.020). Template: report 'shall be completed by a certified arborist, registered with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) or American Society of Consulting Arborists.'. No. The Town links the ISA 'Find an Arborist' site (treesaregood.org) and uses a mandatory Arborist Report Template (DocumentCenter/View/5461); 'town-qualified arborist' refers to the Town's own reviewing consultant, billed at actual cost.
“A tree removal permit, issued by the building and planning department, must include the following: 1. A site plan showing the location, species, and size of the tree(s). 2. An arborist report, which shall include a discussion of those matters city council shall consider ... 3. A letter indicating why removal is requested.” municipal code
How to get a tree removal permit in Hillsborough
- Contact the Building & Planning Department at (650) 375-7411 (Planning 375-7422) before starting; all protected-tree (18-inch cumulative diameter or larger) removals need review and approval by Building & Planning, either administratively at staff level or by the Architecture and Design Review Board, and then a tree removal permit from the building official (HMC 14.04.040(A)). source
- Assemble the submittal: a site plan showing location, species and size of the tree(s); an arborist report on the Town's Arborist Report Template (version 23-07-03) prepared by an ISA- or ASCA-credentialed arborist ('Reports that do not include all the information will not be accepted by staff'); a letter stating why removal is requested; a statement of replacement replanting feasibility; and the fee. source
- For a non-hazard, non-development removal file the 'ADRB Application for Tree Removal (Unrelated to a Development Proposal)' by appointment with a planner (375-7422): completed form, 3 full-size and 8 reduced plan sets with location map and site plan, 8 photo sets with photo key, arborist report and reason note, electronic files, and the application fee ($1,016 on the July 2021 form; FY26-27 fee schedule lists Planning 'Tree Removal: Nonhazardous/Voluntary' at $1,076); the ADRB meeting is a noticed public hearing. source
- Within three business days of submitting the application mail a written notice to the owners of each adjacent residential parcel using the Town's Neighbor Noticing Template, and within one business day of mailing file the signed affidavit of mailing with the building division (HMC 14.04.040(D)). source
- Hazard track: the building and planning official may issue the permit directly if the owner presents 'a written opinion from a certified arborist that, because of disease or damage or danger to persons or property, the protected tree needs to be removed within the next thirty days', after a town-qualified arborist verifies the opinion (HMC 14.04.040(E)). source
- Pay the Building Division permit fee through eTRAKiT (hills-trk.aspgov.com) or the counter: FY26-27 fees are Visibly Dead $287, Hazardous with Arborist Report $682 plus Town Consulting Arborist review at hourly rate as needed, Nonhazardous Approved by Planning $218. source
- Plant the required replacement (minimum 24-inch box, within one year of removal) or pay the in-lieu fee if the site cannot support replacements, and maintain the replacement tree, replacing it within six months if it dies (HMC 14.04.055). source
| Timeline | No published review/decision time. Neighbor notice must be mailed within 3 business days of applying and the affidavit filed within 1 business day of mailing; ADRB items are heard at the next available noticed meeting. Hazard track applies when an arborist states removal is needed within 30 days. “Within three business days of submitting an application for a tree removal permit under this section, the property owner shall mail written notice to all the owners of record of each of the adjacent residential parcels” source |
|---|---|
| Appeal | Administrative (staff-level) design review determinations may be appealed to the ADRB by a written notice of appeal filed with the Planning Division within ten days after the decision letter, with an appeal fee (FY26-27: Appeal of a Staff-Level Decision $4,652); ADRB decisions may be appealed to the City Council (fee schedule: Appeal of ADRB Decision $5,793; window not published on the pages read). For subdivisions the code says a city officer's decision 'may be appealed to the city manager' (HMC 14.04.030(F)). “A notice of appeal regarding an Administrative Design Review determination shall be filed within ten days after the date of the Administrative Design Review decision letter to the applicant.” source |
| Replacement | HMC 14.04.055(A): 'Protected trees approved for removal shall be replaced, unless the finding is made at the time of granting an application that the site is inadequate to support the required number of replacement trees'; trees that prevent reasonable development 'shall be replaced within one year of removal by a minimum of one tree recommended or approved by the town-qualified arborist. Minimum replacement tree size shall be twenty-four-inch box', with a continuing duty to replace a dead replacement within six months. 14.04.055(B): where the site cannot support all required trees 'the applicant may instead pay in-lieu fees to the town's tree replacement fund according to a fee schedule established by resolution of the building and planning department' (amount not published in the FY26-27 schedule). source |
| Forms | Tree Removal Permit Application Process (Tree Removal Guidelines flowchart) · ADRB Application for Tree Removal (Unrelated to a Development Proposal), July 2021 · Arborist Report Template (version 23-07-03) · Neighbor Noticing Template · Procedure for Appeal of Administrative Design Review Determination · eTRAKiT permit portal · Appendix A - Schedule of Fees and Charges FY 2026-27 (tree removal permit fees) |
Process verified October 9, 2026 against the city's code, forms and department pages.
What happens if you remove a tree without a permit?
$150 per inch of trunk diameter, or full appraised value
Hillsborough calculates penalties at $150 per inch of trunk diameter or the full appraised value of the tree, whichever is greater. For a protected oak with a 30-inch trunk, that's $4,500 under the per-inch formula, and the appraised value applies instead if it is higher. Mature oaks on Hillsborough estates can appraise at $50,000 to $150,000+. Illegal removal is also a misdemeanor and requires a 36-inch box replacement tree within six months (HMC 14.04.060).
A voluntary removal permit costs $1,076 in planning review plus a $218 building permit (FY 2026-27), and processing time varies with the scope of review. The penalties for skipping it are orders of magnitude higher. There's no scenario where unpermitted removal saves money.
Arborist Notes: Hillsborough
Simple threshold, many more trees
In my experience, the biggest misconception in Hillsborough is that one 18-inch number is looser than Palo Alto's tiers. It is not. Any species at 18 inches cumulative diameter, about 56.5 inches around, measured 54 inches above natural grade, is protected. Multi-trunk stems are added together, so three 7-inch stems qualify. Simpler to understand, and it reaches far more trees.
The penalty scales with the trunk
Unauthorized removal costs $150 per inch of trunk diameter or the ISA-appraised value, whichever is greater, plus a misdemeanor. A 36-inch box replacement is due within six months. Estate properties here are expected to keep their mature canopy, and enforcement follows that expectation.
Oaks, Sudden Oak Death, and defensible space
The hard problem on Hillsborough's large lots is the mature oak canopy. Sudden Oak Death is endemic on the Peninsula, and state defensible space rules push owners to clear around structures. Both collide with the strictest thresholds on the Peninsula. Pruning for fire safety has to stay well short of anything that would compromise a protected oak.
When to call me
Every removal permit here must include an arborist report on the town's template, plus a site plan, reason letter, and replacement statement. For a hazard, the town wants a certified arborist's written opinion that the tree must come down within 30 days, reviewed by its own arborist. There is no remove-then-notify option, so the report comes first.
Hillsborough neighborhoods: canopy, fire exposure and species
Tap a neighborhood for canopy cover, fire and pest exposure, and common species. Permit facts shown here come from the verified table above.
Select a neighborhood to explore its canopy profile.
Frequently asked questions about tree permits in Hillsborough
Do I need a permit to remove a dead tree in Hillsborough?
Hazard track: application reviewed by town-qualified arborist; 30-day hazard-removal window (14.04.040(E)); no remove-then-notify (verified 2026-07-31)
What is the fine for removing a tree without a permit in Hillsborough?
$150 PER INCH of trunk diameter OR ISA-appraised value, WHICHEVER GREATER + misdemeanor + 36"-box replacement within 6 months (14.04.060) (verified 2026-07-31)
How long does a tree removal permit take in Hillsborough?
No published review/decision time. Neighbor notice must be mailed within 3 business days of applying and the affidavit filed within 1 business day of mailing; ADRB items are heard at the next available noticed meeting. Hazard track applies when an arborist states removal is needed within 30 days. (verified 2026-07-31)
Does Hillsborough require an arborist report for a tree removal permit?
Required. All protected tree removal permits: HMC 14.04.040(C) (improved land), 14.04.050(B) (unimproved land) and 14.04.030(B) (subdivisions) each require 'An arborist report' with the site plan, reason letter, replacement statement and fee. Hazard track (14.04.040(E)): a 'written opinion from a certified arborist' that the tree must be removed within thirty days, reviewed by a town-qualified arborist. Town's Arborist Report Template (v. 23-07-03): 'An arborist report is a required component of a tree removal permit application.' (verified 2026-07-31)
Can I remove a tree for fire safety in Hillsborough without a permit?
No special treatment in the ordinance. Hillsborough's ordinance has no fire provision; the only fast route is the hazard track, where a certified arborist's written opinion that the tree must be removed within 30 days because of disease, damage or danger, verified by a town-qualified arborist, lets staff issue the permit (HMC 14.04.040(E)). (verified 2026-07-31)
How does Hillsborough measure a tree for the permit threshold?
Trunk diameter (DBH) at 54 inches above grade. 18" cumulative diameter at 4'6" (54") above natural grade (verified 2026-07-31)
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Hillsborough?
Yes. Hillsborough protects any tree of any species measuring 18 inches or more in cumulative trunk diameter (roughly 56.5 inches circumference), measured at 4 feet 6 inches above natural grade (HMC 14.04.020); multi-trunk trees are measured cumulatively. You need a permit from the Town Building & Planning Department before removing any protected tree, and adjacent landowners must be notified by mail within 3 business days. Applications must include an arborist report from a certified arborist (ISA-certified or ASCA member), which the Town's town-qualified arborist then reviews for accuracy (HMC 14.04.020, 14.04.030(E), 14.04.040). Processing time varies with the scope of review (staff-level vs. Architecture and Design Review Board); the code sets no standard timeline. Confirm current turnaround with the Building & Planning Department at (650) 375-7411.
Can I prune a protected tree without a permit in Hillsborough?
A tree removal permit is required for protected trees, and 'removal' includes any pruning, cutting, or damage that a town-qualified arborist determines would permanently compromise the tree's health and safety (HMC 14.04.020). Hillsborough's code sets no percentage-based pruning allowance. Routine structural pruning to ISA A300 standards that does not compromise the tree is normally not treated as removal, but get town guidance before major pruning. Poorly done pruning that damages the tree can trigger enforcement action.
When does Hillsborough require a 36-inch box replacement tree?
Only as a penalty. Approved removals require at least one replacement tree, minimum 24-inch box, planted within one year (HMC 14.04.055); illegal removals additionally trigger a 36-inch-box replacement within six months (HMC 14.04.060(B)). The 36-inch size reflects the town's emphasis on maintaining mature tree canopy and the fact that Hillsborough's large lots (0.5 to 2+ acres) can accommodate larger replacement trees. A 36-inch box tree typically costs $500 to $1,500+ depending on species, compared to $200 to $500 for a 24-inch box.
What trees are protected in Hillsborough?
Hillsborough protects any tree of any species measuring 18 inches or more in cumulative trunk diameter (roughly 56.5 inches circumference), measured at 4 feet 6 inches above natural grade (HMC 14.04.020); multi-trunk trees are measured cumulatively. There are no invasive or water-user exclusions, so nearly all mature oaks, redwoods, cedars, and many other species are protected. Hillsborough has no separate heritage tier; trees planted as a condition of town approval are also protected. The Town's Tree Removal Guidelines and Arborist Report Template set out the application requirements.
What is a town-qualified arborist, and do I need one?
A town-qualified arborist is the Town's own reviewing consultant, who checks the arborist report you submit (HMC 14.04.030(E), 14.04.040). Your report must come from a certified arborist, meaning ISA-certified or an ASCA consulting arborist (HMC 14.04.020), using the Town's Arborist Report Template. There is no approved list; the Town links the ISA Find an Arborist site.
How much does a tree safety inspection or arborist report cost in Hillsborough?
Prices vary by purpose. A permit report from this practice is $750 to $1,250 for one to three trees; a written risk assessment is $650 to $850 for a single tree; a tree protection plan is $2,500 to $4,500. See the pricing page for all services and what changes the price.
Tree permits in nearby cities
Atherton · Belmont · Burlingame · East Palo Alto · Foster City · Los Altos Hills · Menlo Park · Pacifica
Compare all 56 cities in the 56-city ordinance table, or run the permit checker.
Not sure what Hillsborough will ask for?
A 20-minute call with an ISA Certified Arborist usually settles it: permit or no permit, report or no report, and what it will cost.