Tree Permits in San Rafael

N/A, no private permit regime; defensible space enforced by Fire Dept (verified 2026-07-31)

General code penalties only: infraction/misdemeanor <=$500; civil <=$500/day; admin <=$500/day capped $100k (Titles 1); street-tree violations = public nuisance (11.12.100); wildfire citations from $250 (verified 2026-07-31)

Not applicable; no published timeline (no private tree permit regime). (verified 2026-07-31)

Not required. Not applicable: San Rafael has no private-property tree removal permit. SRMC Chapter 11.12 (Trees) regulates only trees 'in, upon or along any public street, sidewalk or walkway' and is administered by the Public Works Department. Title 14 (Zoning) chapter list (Municode, current through Supp. 37, online Aug 11, 2026) contains no tree-preservation or heritage-tree chapter; tree review arises only through discretionary development review (e.g., 14.12 Hillside overlay, 14.25 Environmental and Design Review) for development projects. Adopted-but-uncodified ordinances listed on Municode (Ords. 2058-2064, Feb-Jun 2026) do not include a tree ordinance. (verified 2026-07-31)

No special treatment in the ordinance. San Rafael has no private tree removal permit (SRMC 11.12 regulates only trees in, upon or along public streets and sidewalks), so no fire exemption is needed; defensible space is enforced by the San Rafael Fire Department's Wildfire Mitigation team. (verified 2026-07-31)

Usually not. San Rafael has no citywide permit requirement for removing trees on private property. Municipal Code Chapter 11.12 applies only to street and sidewalk trees, which require a Public Works Department permit to plant, prune, or remove (SRMC §§ 11.12.030, 11.12.050). Trees on private land are regulated only where a planning approval imposed conditions or in overlay districts such as the Hillside Development Overlay, which requires part of the lot to remain in a natural state (SRMC Ch. 14.12). No arborist report is required by San Rafael's code for removing a tree on your own property; for street or sidewalk trees, apply to the Public Works Department for a permit under SRMC Chapter 11.12. Separately, juniper, bamboo, acacia, and Italian cypress must be removed within 5 to 30 feet of any structure under the fire code (SRMC § 4.12.030(B)(5)). Contact the Community Development Department at (415) 485-3085 if you are unsure whether a planning condition applies.

An ISA Certified Arborist has passed the International Society of Arboriculture's certification exam and maintains ongoing education requirements. This credential demonstrates knowledge of tree biology, diagnosis, safety, and proper pruning standards (ANSI A300). ISA certification signals competence with Marin's native oaks and fire-safety pruning standards, even though San Rafael's code does not require arborist reports for tree removal on private property.

Yes. San Rafael's vegetation management standards (SRMC § 4.12.030(B)(5)) require removing all juniper, bamboo, acacia, and Italian cypress growing 5 to 30 feet from any structure. The rule applies citywide, not just in the WUI, and the fire chief can grant single-specimen exemptions, for example for erosion control (§ 4.12.030(D)). Fire-prone species removal is often included as part of defensible space compliance work.

Defensible space is required by California law (PRC 4291), which calls for 100 feet of managed vegetation around structures. Within 100 feet of a structure, San Rafael requires crowns raised up to 5 feet from the ground (removing growth under 3 inches in diameter, never more than the lower third of the tree), grasses cut to 3 inches, and combustible shrubs separated by two to six times their height depending on slope (SRMC § 4.12.030). In the first 5 feet from the structure, single specimen trees are allowed only if irrigated, limbed up, and kept 5 feet clear of other canopies. San Rafael's standards apply citywide. Cost ranges from $1,500 to $10,000+ depending on property size and vegetation density. Check with your insurance carrier. Many require proof of compliance.

San Rafael Fire Department operates a vegetation management program focused on defensible space compliance and fire-safety tree work. Reach them at (415) 485-3054 or srfd.dspace@cityofsanrafael.org. They enforce the vegetation management standards in SRMC Chapter 4.12 and can provide guidance on defensible space requirements, fire-prone species removal, and compliance documentation needed for insurance carriers.

Only street and sidewalk trees. San Rafael has no citywide permit requirement for removing trees on private property. Municipal Code Chapter 11.12 applies only to street and sidewalk trees, which require a Public Works Department permit to plant, prune, or remove (SRMC §§ 11.12.030, 11.12.050). Trees on private land are regulated only where a planning approval imposed conditions or in overlay districts such as the Hillside Development Overlay, which requires part of the lot to remain in a natural state (SRMC Ch. 14.12). Unpermitted work on San Rafael street trees is a public nuisance subject to abatement (SRMC § 11.12.100) and to the city's general code-enforcement remedies, including administrative citations (SRMC Chs. 1.40 to 1.46). San Rafael imposes no fines or replacement requirements for removing trees on private property because no private-tree permit exists.

San Rafael identifies juniper, bamboo, acacia, and Italian cypress as fire-prone species. They must be removed within 5 to 30 feet of any structure (SRMC § 4.12.030(B)(5)); the rule applies citywide, and the fire chief can grant single-specimen exemptions. Contact the Fire Department vegetation management program at (415) 485-3054 or srfd.dspace@cityofsanrafael.org for guidance on fire-risk trees on your property.