Northern Beaches Council Tree Removal and Permit Rules (2026)

The Short Answer

On the Northern Beaches, you generally need a Council permit to remove or prune a tree on private land unless the work fits one of Council's exemptions. Common exemptions include trees under 5 metres, species on Council's exempt list, trees within 2 metres of an approved building, dead trees not needed as habitat, storm-fallen trees that are still dangerous, and pruning of no more than 10 per cent of the canopy in 12 months. Heritage listings, threatened species, development consent conditions and biodiversity mapping can still override an exemption, so check the actual property before any work starts.

This guide reflects Northern Beaches Council's private-land tree page and its 2026–27 fees as checked in October 2026. Council can change its rules, so treat that page as the final word.

Which Rules Apply on the Northern Beaches

Trees on private land are protected under Chapter 2 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021, which Council administers through its tree permits and development control plans.

The Northern Beaches still uses the planning controls of the former Manly, Warringah and Pittwater councils, listed on Council's planning controls page. A draft Northern Beaches LEP and DCP were on public exhibition from 20 July to 30 August 2026, so the controls for your address may change once the new plans are finalised.

Tree Removal Without a Council Permit

Council's current page lists these situations where a tree can be removed without its permit.

Council also lists removal under other legislation, removal by the Rural Fire Service for bush fire access, and Council-authorised hazard reduction programs.

The exempt species list

Council's Exempt Tree Species List is worth reading in full before you rely on it. Species you will often see on local properties include:

• Camphor laurel, privet, Chinese elm, coral tree and umbrella tree
• Cocos palm, and all palms other than the cabbage tree palm (Livistona australis)
• Jacaranda, liquidambar, silky oak and Illawarra flame tree
• Non-native fruit trees, such as citrus, avocado, mango, mulberry and loquat
• True pines (Pinus species) and the bunya pine. Norfolk Island pines are not on the list
• Pittosporum, but only up to 8 metres
• Most figs, except Moreton Bay, Port Jackson and sandpaper figs

Identification matters: Council warns that working on a protected tree because of incorrect identification is still a breach. Our guide to common Northern Beaches trees can help you start.

The 2-metre rule in practice

The 2-metre exemption is measured from an approved building to the base of the trunk. A tree 1.5 metres from the house wall may qualify. A tree 1.5 metres from an attached timber deck, but 3 metres from the wall, does not. Measure from the building itself, and photograph the tape measure in place.

Pruning Without a Permit

Council allows these pruning and clearing works without a permit:

• Reasonable pruning of up to 10 per cent of a tree's canopy within 12 calendar months, carried out in accordance with Australian Standard AS 4373-2007
• Removal of deadwood
• Removal of mistletoe or other parasitic plants
• Clearing that meets other legislation, such as the 10/50 rules where they apply

Three points catch people out:

1. The 10 per cent is per tree, per 12 months. Two "small" prunes in the same year can add up to more than the allowance.
2. The pruning must follow AS 4373. That means correct cuts at suitable growth points, planned around the tree's health.
3. Council will not permit lopping or topping. Council refuses requests to lop or top a tree (cutting it back hard without regard to growth points), and it will not permit pruning beyond what a species will tolerate. Controlled reduction is a form of pruning under AS 4373, so it still has to fit the 10 per cent allowance or have a permit. Council gives the example that figs pruned by more than 10 per cent are predisposed to sunburn.

If you want more than 10 per cent removed, for example a large clearance over a roof, apply for a permit first. Our tree pruning service works within these limits, and our pruning and lopping cost guide explains how the scope affects price.

When an Exemption Does Not Apply

Council states a permit is required for:

• Native vegetation clearing where the vegetation is declared in Council's development control plan
• Any tree or native vegetation that is a threatened species, threatened species habitat or part of an endangered ecological community
• Any tree that is a heritage item or within a heritage conservation area
• Any tree specifically identified to be retained as a condition of a development consent

Council also notes that trees, native vegetation and bushland are protected under its development control plan, and consent is needed to remove or clear understorey vegetation.

You can check heritage status and planning controls for your address through Council's property search. If the house was built or renovated under a development consent, check the conditions for any trees that must be kept.

The Biodiversity Values Map and the Native Vegetation Panel

Many Northern Beaches properties are on the NSW Biodiversity Values Map, which identifies areas of high biodiversity value such as Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest. Council says a permit from the Native Vegetation Panel, rather than Council, is likely to be required if all of these apply:

• The property is within the Biodiversity Values Map area
• The trees are native to NSW
• The trees are not dying, dead or a risk to life or property
• The trees are not required as habitat for native animals
• The removal is not part of a development application

Check your lot on the Biodiversity Values Map tool and call Council on 1300 434 434 if you are unsure which pathway applies. Council's Biodiversity and Planning team handles native vegetation clearing questions.

What Council Says It Will and Will Not Approve

Council also says it will not assess tree removal for complying development certificates, and will not accept an application without the owner's (or their agent's) signature.

How to Apply for a Tree Permit

1. Check the exemptions first. If the work clearly fits one, you do not need to apply. If you are unsure, apply or ask Council.
2. Prepare the site plan. Download Council's Tree Removal Site Plan form, number each tree on the plan and mark the street frontage. Council recommends tying a marker to each tree after lodging.
3. Get every owner's signature. All owners must sign. If the tree is on a neighbour's property or on the boundary, the neighbours must sign too. Strata common property needs the owners corporation's consent.
4. Attach any arborist report. Council's form says applications to remove significant trees need a report by an independent qualified arborist. It describes significant trees as local endemic trees, habitat trees, heritage-listed trees and trees of large amenity or visual significance.
5. Lodge and pay. Use the online Tree Removal and Pruning Application, or lodge paper Form 4000 at a Customer Service Centre in Manly, Dee Why or Mona Vale with payment.

If a development application is already lodged for the property, tree removal may be assessed under that application instead.

Fees for 2026–27

These fees come from Council's 2026–27 Fees and Charges and the current Form 4000. They apply from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 and are non-refundable.

Example: an application covering three trees on one property would be $201 + $58.50 + $58.50 = $318, plus $116 if you want to meet the Council officer on site.

How long it takes

Council's main tree page does not publish a processing time. The help notes attached to Council's online application say the initial assessment is done within 28 business days of submission. That note is several years old, so treat it as a guide, lodge early, and ask Council about timing if you have a deadline.

After approval

Council's conditions say the permit must be displayed at the front of the property while the approved work is carried out, and it expires 12 months after issue. Replacement planting may be a condition, so read the permit before booking the work.

Penalties for Illegal Tree Work

Council warns that you can be fined for illegal tree work or native vegetation clearing even on your own property. Its illegal tree works page states the Land and Environment Court can impose fines of up to $1.1 million, plus a daily amount if the offence continues, and may order replacement planting and maintenance.

Keep Evidence If You Rely on an Exemption

If you remove or prune a tree without a permit, keep a record in case a neighbour or Council asks questions later:

• Dated photographs of the whole tree before work
• A tape measure in shot for height or distance exemptions
• The species identification and a copy of the exempt list entry
• For a dead tree, photographs showing no living foliage
• For a storm-fallen tree, photographs showing how it fell
• For an imminent-danger exemption, the AQF Level 5 arborist's written confirmation and proof it was sent to Council
• For 10/50 clearing, the RFS online tool result from the day of the work

How We Can Help

We can inspect the tree on a free on-site assessment, talk you through which Council exemption or permit pathway looks relevant, and give you a written quote for the tree removal or pruning work. If Council has asked for a basic report, we can check whether the request fits our arborist report service, prepared and signed by an AQF Level 5 team member.

We do not lodge applications or deal with Council for you. You, as the owner, stay in control of the application and Council makes the decision. Once you have the permit or confirmed exemption, send it with your quote request so the work matches what was approved. There is no travel surcharge anywhere in our 47-suburb Northern Beaches service area, and for a tree that has fallen or is dangerous now, call us any time for emergency help.