Tree Permits in Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek requires a permit to remove any species at 28″ circumference. Measured as trunk circumference at 54″ above grade. Arborist report required in some cases. Permit fee from $85. Verified July 31, 2026.
Last verified · fees checked · Michael Schuck, ISA Certified Arborist WE-15750A, ISA Certified Urban Forest Professional WE-15750AF
Walnut Creek tree ordinance at a glance
| Code section | WCMC Ch. 3-8 (Preservation of Trees on Private Property) |
|---|---|
| Protected trees | 'Tree': single stem 28"+ circumference (~9" dia) OR multi-stem aggregate 40"+ circ. 'Highly protected': 10 native species (valley/blue/coast live/CA black/canyon live/interior live oak, madrone, buckeye, CA black walnut, grey pine). NO heritage category (the 55"/35-ft definition is Pleasanton's) |
| Size threshold | 28" circ single / 40" aggregate multi-stem, at 4.5 ft above natural grade |
| Multi-trunk trees | 40" aggregate circumference multi-stem |
| Dead or hazardous trees | Hazardous-tree emergency removal by WRITTEN PERMISSION of the Director (3-8.03); applications >=10 days before desired removal (3-8.04) |
| Fire-safety removals | No special treatment. Walnut Creek's ordinance has no fire provision; the Director grants the permit on findings such as danger of falling or proximity to structures that cannot be remedied by less drastic means, or that the tree is a Tasmanian blue gum or Monterey pine (WCMC 3-8.04(d)), and applications are filed at least 10 days before removal. Conditions: Normal permit (application at least 10 days before removal for non-development removals); hazardous-tree emergency removal only with the Director's written permission (3-8.03, per matrix and city page). source · all cities |
| Permit fee (FY2026) | $85 application; city arborist performs field evaluation (no applicant arborist report for standalone removals) fee schedule |
| Permit filing by this practice | $750 flat for one tree, $600 with an arborist report or if you post the notice yourself; city fee above is extra. $85 Accela application with diagram and owner signature; City Arborist visits alone and the Director decides; only unapproved trees go to a Zoning Administrator hearing. Have it filed. |
| Penalties for removal without a permit | Civil: up to $200/inch of circumference (highly protected) or $100/inch (others) if tree dies + appraised-value/replacement-cost difference; severe non-fatal damage: 3x damage or $1,000 whichever greater; + misdemeanor <=$1,000/6 mo or infraction (3-8.08) |
| Arborist report | Sometimes required. Required when the tree removal involves development: applicant must provide an arborist report with tree survey plan (WCMC 3-8.04(b)); if development and 3 or more trees are proposed for removal, 'or when otherwise required by the Director', an arborist report and tree appraisal are required (3-8.04(c)); Director may waive. Standalone (non-development) removals: no applicant arborist report - the Director/City Arborist visits and inspects the trees (3-8.04(d); city page step 4 'City Arborist Visit'; application form has no arborist-report item). Who may write it: Registered Consulting Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist, or ISA Certified Arborist, as determined by the Director for the type of development (3-8.04(c), 3-8.02(a),(i)) |
| Who to call | Public Works, Engineering Services: (925) 943-5839, DutyEngineer@walnut-creek.org (Accela portal) · official page |
Sources: aca-prod.accela.com · ecode360.com · walnutcreekca.gov. Urban Forestry Guide is not a city line; for Walnut Creek permit questions use the department above.
Does my tree need a permit in Walnut Creek?
A permit is required when the tree is protected and meets the size rule. Walnut Creek measures trunk circumference at 54″ above the ground.
- Any species: protected at 28″ circumference
- Multi-trunk trees: Multi-stem trees: protected at 40" aggregate circumference.
Ten native species (valley, blue, coast live, black, canyon live and interior live oak, madrone, buckeye, CA black walnut, grey pine) are "highly protected" with stricter findings for removal. There is no heritage category.
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 Walnut Creek require an arborist report?
Sometimes. Required when the tree removal involves development: applicant must provide an arborist report with tree survey plan (WCMC 3-8.04(b)); if development and 3 or more trees are proposed for removal, 'or when otherwise required by the Director', an arborist report and tree appraisal are required (3-8.04(c)); Director may waive. Standalone (non-development) removals: no applicant arborist report - the Director/City Arborist visits and inspects the trees (3-8.04(d); city page step 4 'City Arborist Visit'; application form has no arborist-report item).
Who may write it: Registered Consulting Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist, or ISA Certified Arborist, as determined by the Director for the type of development (3-8.04(c), 3-8.02(a),(i)). none; code says arborist 'shall be subject to the City's approval' for appraisals (3-8.02(k)) but no published list found
“If the tree removal involves development, the applicant shall provide an arborist report including a tree survey plan specifying the precise location and dripline of all existing trees on or in the vicinity of the property.” municipal code
How to get a tree removal permit in Walnut Creek
- A permit is required to remove any tree, dead or alive, that is 9 inches in diameter (28 inches circumference) measured 4.5 feet above natural grade; for urgent hazard removals call Public Works at (925) 943-5854 (hazardous trees may be removed by written permission of the Director under WCMC 3-8.03(b)). source
- Apply online through the Accela permit portal (register at https://aca-prod.accela.com/WC/Account/RegisterDisclaimer.aspx, sign in at https://aca-prod.accela.com/WC/Default.aspx, choose Engineering Applications > New ePermit > Online Tree Removal), or mail/drop off the Tree Removal Permit Application Form (Doc# 2528, Rev 02/17/2026) with a check to Public Works, 1666 North Main Street, or bring it to a City Hall 'Engineering and Commercial Parking Permit' appointment; non-development applications must be filed at least 10 days before the desired removal date (WCMC 3-8.04(a)). source
- Pay the $85 non-refundable application fee (a credit-card convenience fee applies online); each permit covers a maximum of four trees, and the form asks for species, reasons (unhealthy/dead, damaging structures, branching/leans, other), a diagram of tree locations, the owner's signature, and whether the trees are visible from the street for inspection. source
- If the applicant is a homeowners' association, deliver written notice identifying the trees to all association members owning property within 300 feet and certify that notice in the application; applicants in HOA areas must certify the HOA has been notified (WCMC 3-8.04(b)). source
- Before approval the City Arborist visits the site and evaluates the trees for disease, species, form, health, structure, public nuisance, danger of falling, proximity to structures, utility interference, sidewalk or driveway damage, vector hosting, and impact on other trees; the Director grants the permit if one of the 3-8.04(d) findings is made, and must state reasons in writing for a denial. source
- Once approved, Engineering staff email (or mail) the permit; only the trees listed may be removed and the person doing the work must carry the permit (WCMC 3-8.03(c), 3-8.04(i)). Trees the Director does not approve go to a noticed public hearing before the Zoning Administrator (non-development) or the applicable development decision-maker (3-8.04(f)-(g)). source
| Timeline | The application form says to allow 10 working days for the field evaluation and processing; the code requires non-development applications to be filed at least 10 days before the desired removal. No posting or mailed-notice period applies to Director-approved removals; a public hearing with notice under Ch. 10-2, Part IV, Art. 3 is required only for trees the Director does not approve. “Allow 10 working days for a field evaluation and processing of your application.” source |
|---|---|
| Appeal | WCMC 3-8.09: any interested person may appeal a Director decision by filing a notice of appeal with the Director within 10 days after the decision is mailed; the Planning Commission is the appeal board for Director or Zoning Administrator tree decisions not involving discretionary development, with hearing notice mailed at least 5 days before the hearing, and Commission decisions may be further appealed to the City Council. Appeals of tree decisions tied to a discretionary development approval are allowed only as appeals of the whole project decision. “Within ten (10) days after the mailing of a decision of the Director, any interested person may appeal the decision by filing a notice of appeal with the Director” source |
| Replacement | WCMC Ch. 3-8 imposes no replacement requirement on standalone removals approved by the Director, and the application form contains none. Replacement or an in-lieu payment is required only when a reviewing body approves removal of a 'highly protected tree' (native oaks, madrone, buckeye, black walnut, grey pine) that the Director had not approved: the applicant must either plant trees beyond required landscaping with a value equal to the appraised value of the removed tree or pay an in-lieu fee equal to that value, based on a tree appraisal at the applicant's expense (3-8.04(h)). source |
| Forms | Tree Removal Permit Application Form (Doc# 2528, Rev 02/17/2026, $85 fee) · Tree Removal Permit page (online/by mail/in-person instructions) · Accela online permit system (sign in) |
Process verified October 9, 2026 against the city's code, forms and department pages.
The Permit Process: Step by Step
Measure the trunk
Measure trunk circumference at 4.5 feet above natural grade. If a single stem is 28 inches or more (about 9 inches diameter), or multiple stems total 40 inches or more, it's protected. Check if the species is on the highly protected list (valley oak, blue oak, coast live oak, California black oak, canyon live oak, interior live oak, madrone, California buckeye, California black walnut, and grey pine). Walnut Creek has no separate heritage-tree tier.
Get an arborist assessment
Submit the $85 application; the City Arborist inspects the tree. A private arborist report is optional supporting evidence. Applicant arborist reports are required only when removal is part of a development project (a tree survey plan, plus an appraisal when three or more trees are removed or the Director requests one).
Submit the permit application
File the tree removal permit application with Public Works Engineering Services (1666 North Main Street) at least 10 days before the desired removal date, online via the city's Accela portal, by mail, or by appointment. The application needs the number, species, size, and location of each tree plus a brief statement of the reason. Contact: (925) 943-5839 or DutyEngineer@walnut-creek.org.
City review
The Director (or, for development projects, the Zoning Administrator, Planning Commission, or City Council) decides the application under the standards in WCMC 3-8.04, informed by the city arborist's inspection. Highly protected species receive additional scrutiny.
Receive approval and conditions
Once approved, you'll receive conditions including replacement tree species, size, and planting location. Highly protected trees must be replaced at equal appraised value (or an equal in-lieu fee); other replacement is set case-by-case as a permit condition. Schedule removal with a licensed contractor.
Plant replacement trees
Plant approved replacement trees within the specified timeframe. An equal in-lieu fee may substitute for replacement of a highly protected tree. The city may inspect to confirm compliance.
Arborist Notes: Walnut Creek
Measure circumference, not diameter
Walnut Creek protects any tree with a single stem of 28 inches circumference, about 9 inches in diameter, at 4.5 feet. Ten natives, six oaks, madrone, buckeye, black walnut and grey pine, are highly protected. In my experience this second tier catches people more than the threshold does. Damage that kills one draws up to $200 per inch of circumference, double the rate for other trees.
Open space edges
The hardest cases I see border Lime Ridge, Shell Ridge and Acalanes Ridge, where mature valley oaks sit inside defensible space. Contra Costa County Fire wants clearance and the city wants the oak. A hazardous tree comes down early only with written permission from the Director; otherwise file at least 10 days before removal.
The black walnut the city is named for
California black walnut is declining here under development pressure and thousand cankers disease. If you have a mature one, put it on an annual health check. It is highly protected; decline does not remove the permit.
When to call me
For a standalone removal the City Arborist inspects; no applicant report is needed. Development changes that: a tree survey plan with each tree's location and dripline, plus an appraisal when three or more trees come out. The author must be a Registered Consulting Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist or ISA Certified Arborist. A declining walnut or a clearance dispute is also worth an independent look.
Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek
Do I need a permit to remove a dead tree in Walnut Creek?
Hazardous-tree emergency removal by WRITTEN PERMISSION of the Director (3-8.03); applications >=10 days before desired removal (3-8.04) (verified 2026-07-31)
What is the fine for removing a tree without a permit in Walnut Creek?
Civil: up to $200/inch of circumference (highly protected) or $100/inch (others) if tree dies + appraised-value/replacement-cost difference; severe non-fatal damage: 3x damage or $1,000 whichever greater; + misdemeanor <=$1,000/6 mo or infraction (3-8.08) (verified 2026-07-31)
How long does a tree removal permit take in Walnut Creek?
The application form says to allow 10 working days for the field evaluation and processing; the code requires non-development applications to be filed at least 10 days before the desired removal. No posting or mailed-notice period applies to Director-approved removals; a public hearing with notice under Ch. 10-2, Part IV, Art. 3 is required only for trees the Director does not approve. (verified 2026-07-31)
Does Walnut Creek require an arborist report for a tree removal permit?
Sometimes required. Required when the tree removal involves development: applicant must provide an arborist report with tree survey plan (WCMC 3-8.04(b)); if development and 3 or more trees are proposed for removal, 'or when otherwise required by the Director', an arborist report and tree appraisal are required (3-8.04(c)); Director may waive. Standalone (non-development) removals: no applicant arborist report - the Director/City Arborist visits and inspects the trees (3-8.04(d); city page step 4 'City Arborist Visit'; application form has no arborist-report item). (verified 2026-07-31)
Can I remove a tree for fire safety in Walnut Creek without a permit?
No special treatment in the ordinance. Walnut Creek's ordinance has no fire provision; the Director grants the permit on findings such as danger of falling or proximity to structures that cannot be remedied by less drastic means, or that the tree is a Tasmanian blue gum or Monterey pine (WCMC 3-8.04(d)), and applications are filed at least 10 days before removal. (verified 2026-07-31)
How does Walnut Creek measure a tree for the permit threshold?
Trunk circumference at 54 inches above grade. 28" circ single / 40" aggregate multi-stem, at 4.5 ft above natural grade (verified 2026-07-31)
What trees are protected in Walnut Creek?
Walnut Creek protects any tree with a single stem of 28 inches or more in circumference (about 9 inches in diameter), or a multi-stemmed plant with 40 inches or more aggregate circumference, measured 4.5 feet above natural grade on private property (WCMC 3-8.02(j)). Highly protected species include valley oak, blue oak, coast live oak, California black oak, canyon live oak, interior live oak, madrone, California buckeye, California black walnut, and grey pine.
What is a heritage tree in Walnut Creek?
Walnut Creek has no separate heritage-tree tier. Chapter 3-8 regulates every 'tree': a single stem of 28 inches or more in circumference (about 9 inches in diameter), or a multi-stemmed plant with 40 inches or more aggregate circumference, measured 4.5 feet above natural grade (WCMC 3-8.02(j)). It gives extra weight and higher penalties to ten 'highly protected' native species such as valley oak, coast live oak, and madrone (WCMC 3-8.02(h)).
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Walnut Creek?
Yes, if the tree is 28 inches or more in circumference (about 9 inches in diameter) at 4.5 feet above ground, or 40 inches aggregate for a multi-stemmed tree. File the tree removal permit application with the City of Walnut Creek Engineering Services Division (Public Works), 1666 North Main Street, online via the city's Accela portal, by mail, or by appointment; questions to (925) 943-5839 or DutyEngineer@walnut-creek.org. Applications are due at least 10 days before the desired removal date. For a standard removal, the application needs the number, species, size, and location of each tree plus a brief statement of the reason (WCMC 3-8.04); the city's own arborist then inspects the tree. Applicant-funded arborist reports come into play when removal is part of a development project: a tree survey plan is required, and an appraisal as well when three or more trees are proposed for removal or the Director requests one.
What is the in-lieu fee for tree removal in Walnut Creek?
Restitution works by replacement first: the tree must be replaced with the same species as close in size as reasonably possible, and if the replacement costs less than the tree's appraised value, the owner pays the city the difference (WCMC 3-8.08). Appraised value is set under the current Guide for Plant Appraisal published by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.
What is Walnut Creek's highly protected species list?
Walnut Creek designates these native species as highly protected: valley oak, blue oak, coast live oak, California black oak, canyon live oak, interior live oak, madrone, California buckeye, California black walnut, and grey pine. These species face stricter replacement requirements than other protected trees.
Do I need a permit to prune a protected tree in Walnut Creek?
Standard maintenance pruning following ANSI A300 standards (deadwood removal, crossing branches, minor structural corrections) generally does not require a permit. Major structural pruning, crown reduction exceeding 25% of the canopy, or work that could destabilize the tree may trigger permit requirements. Consult Public Works Engineering Services at (925) 943-5839 if unsure.
Tree permits in nearby cities
Contra Costa County (unincorporated) · Danville · Lafayette · Moraga · Orinda · Pleasant Hill
Compare all 56 cities in the 56-city ordinance table, or run the permit checker.
Not sure what Walnut Creek 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.