Tree rules in Bellevue: permits, protected trees and fees
What the City of Bellevue's tree pages and permit review guide say about significant and landmark trees, the annual removal allowance, replacement trees, hazard trees and trees on public property.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes four City of Bellevue documents as read on October 9, 2026: the Trees page, the Tree Removal page, the Tree Removal Only Permit page and the Development Services permit review user guide for tree removals on private property with no development. The City says it updated its tree provisions in 2024, and the rules cited are Bellevue City Code (BCC) 23.76.060 for non-development removals and Land Use Code (LUC) 20.20.900 for development. The wider list of cities is on the guide to tree permits in the largest US cities.
Which trees need a permit
The Tree Removal page says a permit is required to remove any landmark tree or any significant tree, and in four other situations. A landmark tree is generally at least 24 inches in diameter (75 inches in circumference), measured four feet above the existing grade. The page says the regulations also carry a landmark tree table with lower diameter thresholds for several slower growing native species. A significant tree is at least 6 inches in diameter (19 inches in circumference), measured the same way.
- The tree is in a designated critical area, buffer or structure setback under LUC 20.25H.
- The tree is within 50 feet of a shoreline, in the Vegetation Conservation Area under LUC 20.25E.
- The property is commercial or multifamily zoned.
- The tree is in a native growth protection area or a retained vegetation area easement or tract.
The permit is a Clearing and Grading permit applied for on MyBuildingPermit. The Tree Removal Only Permit page covers landmark or significant trees on a single-family property, not combined with a building permit, not in the public right-of-way, not in a critical area, buffer or setback and not in a protected area, and it says a preconstruction meeting with the Clearing and Grading inspector is scheduled before work starts. The page gives fees in a separate fee schedule and estimator, and no amount is printed on it.
Annual allowance and replacement
The Tree Removal page says that for residential property outside shoreline, critical areas and buffers, a limited number of significant or landmark trees may be removed per year without replacement, if trees remain after the removal. The limit depends on lot size. The page says a permit is required within the annual limit, and that replanting is always required on nonresidential property unless the site meets its required minimum tree density and approved landscaping.
| Property size | Removal without replacement in a continuous twelve months | Significant or landmark trees to remain |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10,000 square feet | 1 landmark tree or 2 significant trees | 2 |
| 10,001 to 20,000 square feet | 1 landmark tree or 3 significant trees | 3 |
| 20,001 to 40,000 square feet | 1 landmark tree or 4 significant trees | 4 |
| 40,001 square feet or greater | 1 landmark tree or 4 significant trees | 8 |
The permit review guide, written for City reviewers, sets the replacement ratios under BCC 23.76.060.G.1 where the allowance is exceeded or the remaining trees fall below the minimums. For each significant tree removed the permittee plants one replacement tree on the site. For each landmark tree the permittee plants either three replacement trees or two large conifers approved by the director. The guide's submittal checklist asks for a tree protection plan by a qualified professional, with the replacement locations, a single-stemmed form with at least a 2-inch caliper for deciduous trees or 6 feet in height for conifers, and an arborist report. The director may reduce the number if the site meets the minimum tree density in LUC 20.20.900.E.
Hazard trees
The Tree Removal page says annual limits and replanting requirements do not apply to hazardous trees, as determined by a qualified tree professional. It lists the credentials such a professional must hold at least one of: ISA certified arborist, ISA certified arborist municipal specialist, ISA board certified master arborist, ASCA registered consulting arborist, or SAF certified forester. The review guide says hazard tree removals need a Clearing and Grading permit with an arborist report and a Tree Hazard Declaration Form that includes a completed ISA Basic Tree Risk Assessment for each tree, under BCC 23.76.030.G and the criteria in LUC 20.20.900.C.3. For emergencies, the page says to document the emergency with photos, that a permit application is required after the tree is removed, and that if staff cannot verify the hazard, replacement may be required and the owner may face civil penalties.
Trees on public property
The page says the public is not authorized to remove or reduce vegetation on public property or in the public right-of-way without prior approval, including trees next to the owner's own property. It names civil penalties of up to three times the assessed value of the trees for removing, topping or pruning a city tree without approval, and says criminal charges may also be brought. Questions on the right-of-way go to the Right of Way Division of Development Services, whose email is on the Tree Removal page.
Sources
- City of Bellevue, Trees (zoning requirements), read October 9, 2026
- City of Bellevue, Tree removal, read October 9, 2026
- City of Bellevue, Tree removal only permit, read October 9, 2026
- City of Bellevue Development Services, Permit review user guide: tree removals on private property, no development, read October 9, 2026