Tree Permits in South San Francisco
South San Francisco requires a permit to remove heritage species at 30″; blue gum eucalyptus and others at 75″; any other species at 48″; 1 more protected class. Measured as trunk circumference at 54″ above grade. Arborist report required in some cases. Permit fee from $121. Verified October 12, 2026.
Last verified · fees checked · Michael Schuck, ISA Certified Arborist WE-15750A, Certified Urban Forest Professional WE-15750AF
South San Francisco tree ordinance at a glance
| Code section | SSFMC Ch. 13.30 Tree Preservation (Ord. 1060, 1989; Ord. 1271, 2000; Ord. 1514, 2016) |
|---|---|
| Protected trees | Three circumference tiers for upright, single-trunked trees measured 54" above natural grade: heritage species (California bay, oak (Quercus spp.), cedar (Cedrus spp.), California buckeye, Catalina ironwood, strawberry tree (Arbutus spp.), mayten, Little Gem dwarf southern magnolia) 30" circumference; listed species (blue gum eucalyptus, black acacia, myoporum, sweetgum, glossy privet, Lombardy poplar) 75" circumference; any other species 48" circumference; plus director-designated unique trees/stands and interdependent stands. City/street trees are maintained by the City (Street Tree Ordinance). |
| Size threshold | 48" circumference any species (30" heritage species; 75" blue gum, black acacia, myoporum, sweetgum, glossy privet, Lombardy poplar), measured 54" above natural grade 13.30.020 'Protected tree' (1)-(3). Trunks that branch below 54" are measured at the smallest circumference below the lowest branch; slanted trunks measured at right angles to the trunk 54" along the trunk axis; multi-stem specimens: largest trunk plus one-half of each additional trunk. |
| Multi-trunk trees | Multi-stemmed specimen (two or more trunks connected above ground): measure all trunks at 54" above natural grade and add the full circumference of the largest trunk to one-half the circumference of each additional trunk (13.30.020 'Upright, single-trunked tree') |
| Dead or hazardous trees | No dead-tree exemption; emergency removal, pruning or trimming 'because of disease, or danger to life or property' may be ordered by the director (or, if unavailable, a responsible member of police, fire, parks and recreation or public works), with a report to the commission and a retroactive permit application (13.30.070); the director gives priority to applications 'based on hazard or danger of disease' (13.30.060(b)) |
| Permit fee (FY 2026-27) | $121 non-refundable application fee per tree (removal or pruning) plus $368 refundable tree planting deposit per tree removed ($489 total per removal); deposit forfeited to the Tree Planting Fund if replanting is not proven within 4 months fee schedule |
| Penalties for removal without a permit | Damages equal to twice the replacement value of the tree (ISA standards or city arborist appraisal), not to exceed $1,000, in addition to any other penalties allowed by law (13.30.140); unpermitted removal requires three 24" box minimum landscape trees per tree, or payment of their current cost not to exceed $1,000 if not planted within 4 months (13.30.080(b)); payments go to the tree planting fund |
| Arborist report | Sometimes required. Not required with the application. The director 'may require the applicant to provide a city arborist's report' when reviewing a removal or pruning application (13.30.060(b)); the department's own representative inspects every protected tree and files a written report (13.30.060(a)). The FY 26-27 application asks only for a current color photograph, 'any documentation supporting the condition or need for the pruning or removal', documentation (photos and receipts) if infrastructure damage is claimed, and says 'INCLUDE ANY RELEVANT PHOTOGRAPHS, NOTICES, OR AROBORIST REPORTS THAT YOU HAVE REGARDING THE TREE.' The city page recommends hiring an ISA certified arborist and says to 'hire a professional in the field of arboriculture' if unsure whether a tree is protected. Who may write it: 'City arborist' means any certified arborist designated by the director (13.30.020); applicant-supplied reports are not restricted. |
| Who to call | Parks and Recreation Department, Parks, Facilities and Common Greens Division, 550 N. Canal Street, South San Francisco 94080; apply by email (jeanette.yoshida@ssfca.gov per the FY 26-27 form) or through the online permitting center (ssfca.my.site.com); director of parks and recreation decides, Parks and Recreation Commission hears appeals · official page |
- : Fee schedule updated (FY 2026-27): $121 non-refundable application fee per tree (removal or pruning) plus $368 refundable tree planting deposit per tree removed ($489 total per removal); deposit forfeited…
Sources: ecode360.com · ssfca.gov. Urban Forestry Guide is not a city line; for South San Francisco permit questions use the department above.
Does my tree need a permit in South San Francisco?
A permit is required when the tree is protected and meets the size rule. South San Francisco measures trunk circumference at 54″ above the ground.
- Heritage species (California bay, oak, cedar, California buckeye, Catalina ironwood, strawberry tree/Arbutus, mayten, Little Gem magnolia): protected at 30″ circumference
- Blue gum eucalyptus, black acacia, myoporum, sweetgum, glossy privet, Lombardy poplar: protected at 75″ circumference
- Any other species: protected at 48″ circumference
- Director-designated tree or stand, or interdependent stand: protected at any size
- Multi-trunk trees: Multi-stem specimens: measure every trunk at 54" and add the full circumference of the largest trunk to one-half the circumference of each additional trunk; compare to the tier for the species (13.30.020).
Trimming less than one-third of the crown or roots needs no permit; pruning more than one-third, or removal, needs a permit for each tree ($121 fee + $368 deposit per tree, FY 2026-27).
Trunks that branch below 54" are measured at the smallest circumference below the lowest branch; slanted trunks at right angles to the trunk.
'largest-plus-half' multi-trunk mode is new to the checker; add handling before enabling.
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 South San Francisco require an arborist report?
Sometimes. Not required with the application. The director 'may require the applicant to provide a city arborist's report' when reviewing a removal or pruning application (13.30.060(b)); the department's own representative inspects every protected tree and files a written report (13.30.060(a)). The FY 26-27 application asks only for a current color photograph, 'any documentation supporting the condition or need for the pruning or removal', documentation (photos and receipts) if infrastructure damage is claimed, and says 'INCLUDE ANY RELEVANT PHOTOGRAPHS, NOTICES, OR AROBORIST REPORTS THAT YOU HAVE REGARDING THE TREE.' The city page recommends hiring an ISA certified arborist and says to 'hire a professional in the field of arboriculture' if unsure whether a tree is protected.
Who may write it: 'City arborist' means any certified arborist designated by the director (13.30.020); applicant-supplied reports are not restricted.. None found.
“The director may refer any application to another department, committee, board or commission of the city for a report and recommendation, and may require the applicant to provide a city arborist's report.” municipal code
How to get a tree removal permit in South San Francisco
- Measure the trunk circumference 54" above natural grade and check the tier: 30" for heritage species, 75" for blue gum, black acacia, myoporum, sweetgum, glossy privet or Lombardy poplar, 48" for anything else. Trimming (less than one-third of the crown or roots) needs no permit; pruning more than one-third, or removal, does (13.30.020, 13.30.030(a)). source
- File one Protected Tree Pruning or Removal Permit Application per tree with the Parks and Recreation Department (email to the Parks, Facilities & Common Greens Division, 550 N. Canal St, or the online permitting center) giving the tree's location, species, approximate age, height and trunk circumference, which protected-tree condition applies, the reason for the request, a current color photo with correct botanical identification, and documentation (photos, receipts) if infrastructure damage is claimed; pay the $121 fee and, for removals, the $368 deposit ($489 total; emailed applicants get a card-payment link). source
- A department representative inspects the tree and files a written report and recommendation to the director; the director may require a city arborist's report and weighs the seven criteria in 13.30.060(b) (condition and useful life, necessity for improvements, topography and erosion, neighborhood tree cover within 300 feet, trees the parcel can support, wind/noise/privacy effects, and the economic consequences of retention). source
- Notices are mailed to all property owners within 100 feet with a 10-day comment period; the director then issues a written decision with replacement conditions to the applicant and the noticed owners (13.30.090; form page 3). Do not prune or remove until the signed permit is returned. source
- Complete the work within four months of issuance (permits expire after four months; reapply otherwise) and plant the replacement trees (three 15-gallon or two 24" box landscape trees per tree removed, or as the director directs); submit proof of planting within four months of removal to recover the $368 deposit, otherwise the deposit goes to the Tree Planting Fund (13.30.060(a), 13.30.080(a)). source
- Removals tied to new development must also include a site plan showing buildings, structures and site disturbance, all protected trees on the site and those to be removed or pruned; protected trees that remain must be fenced, with no storage, paving, trenching or grade change inside the drip line (13.30.030(b), 13.30.060(a)). source
| Timeline | No decision deadline in the code; 10-day neighbor comment period after notice to owners within 100 feet (form); permits expire four months after approval; replacement proof due within four months of removal. “If approved for pruning or removal, approved permits shall expire after four months. Owners shall reapply if work has not been completed within four months of issuance of permit.” source |
|---|---|
| Appeal | Any interested person may appeal a director decision (other than a tree-versus-shrub determination, which is final) to the Parks and Recreation Commission by filing written grounds with the commission within ten days of the determination; hearing dates are set administratively with ten days' mailed notice; the commission's decision may be appealed to the city manager or designee by filing with the city clerk within thirty days (13.30.130). “Any other decision of the director may be appealed to the parks and recreation commission by any interested person by filing a written appeal setting forth the grounds for appeal with the commission within ten days after the determination.” source |
| Replacement | 13.30.080(a): 'Replacement shall be three fifteen-gallon-size or two twenty-four-inch-box-minimum-size landscape trees for each tree removed as determined below. However, the director maintains the right to dictate size and species of trees in new developments.' Deposit ($368) refunded on proof of replanting; if proof is not submitted within four months of removal, 'a payment to the tree planting fund in the amount of the current cost of two twenty-four-inch-box trees of a species dictated by the director shall be made.' Replacement may be waived if enough trees exist on the property (13.30.080(c)); off-site in-lieu payment of ISA replacement value plus city planting cost at the director's discretion (13.30.080(d)). source |
| Forms | Protected Tree Pruning or Removal Permit Application, FY 2026-27 (Parks and Recreation) · Online permitting center (tree removal or pruning permit) · Trees (Parks Division page with protected-tree definition, fees and penalty) · SSFMC Chapter 13.30 Tree Preservation (eCode360) |
Process verified October 12, 2026 against the city's code, forms and department pages.
Frequently asked questions about tree permits in South San Francisco
Do I need a permit to remove a dead tree in South San Francisco?
No dead-tree exemption; emergency removal, pruning or trimming 'because of disease, or danger to life or property' may be ordered by the director (or, if unavailable, a responsible member of police, fire, parks and recreation or public works), with a report to the commission and a retroactive permit application (13.30.070); the director gives priority to applications 'based on hazard or danger of disease' (13.30.060(b))
What is the fine for removing a tree without a permit in South San Francisco?
Damages equal to twice the replacement value of the tree (ISA standards or city arborist appraisal), not to exceed $1,000, in addition to any other penalties allowed by law (13.30.140); unpermitted removal requires three 24" box minimum landscape trees per tree, or payment of their current cost not to exceed $1,000 if not planted within 4 months (13.30.080(b)); payments go to the tree planting fund
How long does a tree removal permit take in South San Francisco?
No decision deadline in the code; 10-day neighbor comment period after notice to owners within 100 feet (form); permits expire four months after approval; replacement proof due within four months of removal.
Does South San Francisco require an arborist report for a tree removal permit?
Sometimes required. Not required with the application. The director 'may require the applicant to provide a city arborist's report' when reviewing a removal or pruning application (13.30.060(b)); the department's own representative inspects every protected tree and files a written report (13.30.060(a)). The FY 26-27 application asks only for a current color photograph, 'any documentation supporting the condition or need for the pruning or removal', documentation (photos and receipts) if infrastructure damage is claimed, and says 'INCLUDE ANY RELEVANT PHOTOGRAPHS, NOTICES, OR AROBORIST REPORTS THAT YOU HAVE REGARDING THE TREE.' The city page recommends hiring an ISA certified arborist and says to 'hire a professional in the field of arboriculture' if unsure whether a tree is protected.
How does South San Francisco measure a tree for the permit threshold?
Trunk circumference at 54 inches above grade. 48" circumference any species (30" heritage species; 75" blue gum, black acacia, myoporum, sweetgum, glossy privet, Lombardy poplar), measured 54" above natural grade
Tree permits in nearby cities
Atherton · Belmont · Burlingame · East Palo Alto · Foster City · Hillsborough · Menlo Park · Pacifica
Compare all 45 cities in the 45-city ordinance table, or run the permit checker.
Not sure what South San Francisco 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.