Tree rules in Philadelphia: permits, protected trees and fees

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes Philadelphia Parks and Recreation pages on street trees, as read on October 8, 2026. They are written mostly for property owners, and they set out the city's street tree system more than a private tree permit. The wider list of cities is on the guide to tree permits in the largest US cities.

Street trees and yard trees

The street tree FAQ says a street tree is planted in the sidewalk or a planting strip in the public right-of-way, and a yard tree is planted on private property. It says the city has jurisdiction over street trees but the trees are owned by the property owner. Parks and Recreation manages all street trees and park trees and is responsible for planting, pruning and removing street trees, and the FAQ says most of that work is done by contracted arborists overseen by the department.

The FAQ says the department prunes and removes hazardous street trees for free, does not remove living, healthy trees, and does not prune or remove trees on private property, in vacant lots or in alleyways. Trees in yards and alleyways are the property owner's responsibility. The maintenance request page repeats that the department prunes mature street trees and removes dead and hazardous ones as needed, and that a property owner can request maintenance online.

Permits and contractors

The FAQ says that for anything more than basic care, "major pruning or removing", a permit is required. Both the maintenance page and the dead tree page say property owners may hire a certified arborist to maintain street trees at their own expense, and that contractors must obtain a tree work permit from the Street Tree Management office at (215) 685-4362 or (215) 685-4363. The street tree planting page describes a faster route for owners: a certified arborist on the city's Qualified Contractor list obtains a tree planting permit, picks the tree from the approved street tree list, and plants it, cutting the sidewalk if necessary. The page says the contractor list comes from the department's street tree information address.

Sidewalks, roots and heritage trees

On sidewalk damage, the FAQ says the Philadelphia Code makes the property owner responsible for keeping sidewalks safe, with no exception for damage from tree roots. The department decides case by case: a healthy tree will not be replaced, an unhealthy one may be listed for removal or replacement, and an owner can remove a tree sooner with a Parks and Recreation approved contractor. A sidewalk block can be repaired without removing the tree provided the roots are not damaged.

The tree forms and documents page lists a Philadelphia heritage tree list, described as heritage trees that may not be removed without special exception approval, revised August 27, 2013. It also lists an approved street tree list released May 18, 2023, an invasive species list released September 23, 2021 on replacement of invasive trees removed from development sites, and a builders guide to planting street trees released November 15, 2017.

Storms, emergencies and contact

The storms page says that if a tree falls and blocks a road, or falls on a house, car or other property, the call is to 911, and that a Parks and Recreation arborist crew is on call. It says the crew removes the hazard and any part of the tree that is an immediate risk, with trunks and stumps removed later. A tree on electrical wires goes to the electric utility's emergency line, (800) 841-4141. Non-emergency requests go through 311. The FAQ says staff aim to visit within 7 to 10 working days of a report, and gives the Street Tree Management division's hours as 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. The pages give no fee for a street tree permit.

Tree rules in Philadelphia: permits, protected trees and fees

Street trees and yard trees

Permits and contractors

Sidewalks, roots and heritage trees

Storms, emergencies and contact

Sources