Tree rules in Richmond: permits, protected trees and fees
What the City of Richmond, British Columbia, says in its Tree Protection Bylaw 8057 page and bulletins about the 20 cm permit threshold, exemptions, replacement tree sizes and ratios, topping, penalties and the appeal route to Council.
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 the City of Richmond's Tree Protection Bylaw page and three of its bulletins as read on October 9, 2026: Bulletin TREE-01 (the bylaw summary), TREE-10 (the replacement tree guideline) and TREE-11 (the permit appeal process), each marked revised August 20, 2025. The rule itself is Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057, effective May 9, 2006. The wider list of cities is on the guide to tree permits in Canadian cities.
When a permit is needed
Bulletin TREE-01 says a person must not cut or remove a tree except under a valid permit. A permit is required for a tree with a trunk diameter at breast height of 20 centimetres or larger that can reach a height of 4.5 metres, on private or City land, and for any tree in an environmentally sensitive area regardless of size. Diameter is measured 1.4 metres above the natural grade, and for a tree with several trunks the bulletin counts 100 per cent of the largest trunk plus 60 per cent of each additional one. The City page adds that the bylaw generally prohibits cutting or removing a tree larger than 20 centimetres without a permit. The bulletin says trees are approved for removal only if they are dead, dying, hazardous or in unresolvable conflict with buildings or utilities.
| Case | What bulletin TREE-01 says |
|---|---|
| Tree under 20 cm | No permit, unless it is in an environmentally sensitive area |
| Emergency | No permit when natural causes have severely damaged a tree and it poses imminent danger |
| Normal pruning | No permit for pruning of trees or hedges that follows the ANSI A300 pruning standards |
| Farms and nurseries | No permit under a valid licence for a tree farm, nursery or Christmas tree farm, or for necessary farm operations under the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act |
| Development | No separate permit where an approved development permit or rezoning already addresses the tree |
| Utilities | No permit for public utility companies or their contractors providing a public service |
Applications
The bulletin says the application fee is non-refundable, charged per lot and per tree in a twelve-month period, and waived for imminently hazardous trees. It does not print the amount. Approved permits must be displayed on site 72 hours before tree removal. The City page lists separate forms for non-development removal, for demolition or new construction and for a rezoning in process, and asks for a letter of authorization when the applicant is not the registered owner.
Replacement trees
TREE-01 requires one or more replacement trees for each tree removed. On sites with no development the ratio is 1 to 1 with a minimum size of 6 centimetres caliper for a deciduous tree or 3.5 metres in height for a conifer. For new development the ratio is 2 to 1 with 8 centimetres caliper or 4 metres in height. TREE-10 says non-development replacements must be planted within one year of the permit, development replacements before final building inspection, and that an inspection by a Tree Preservation Official is required. It lists placement conditions: the same lot, at least 1.5 metres from a property line and not directly under BC Hydro power lines. It names what is not accepted as a replacement: hedging cedars, palms, banana plants, dwarf species or topiaries, and trees planted as a hedge. Replacement trees are themselves protected, with a permit needed to remove or relocate them regardless of size.
Topping, penalties and appeals
The City page says the bylaw prohibits topping on both private and City property, with fines up to CA$50,000 per tree. TREE-01 gives the same maximum for any contravention and requires replanting, and it lists offences such as physical damage inside the drip line, cutting without a permit, failing to keep a protection barrier up and failing to post the permit for 72 hours. TREE-10 gives a fine of up to CA$750 per tree for failing to comply with the terms of a valid permit.
TREE-11 describes the appeal after a refusal. The owner can ask the Director of Building Approvals in writing to review the refusal, and a claim that the tree is hazardous needs a Certified Tree Risk Assessment report. If no permit follows, section 6.5 of the bylaw lets the owner apply to City Council for reconsideration within 30 days of the decision being communicated. The application goes in writing to the City Clerk and sets out the grounds and the decision the owner thinks Council should substitute. Council may confirm the Director's decision or substitute its own. The bylaw staff's phone on the page is 604-276-4158.
Sources
- City of Richmond, Tree Protection Bylaw page, read October 9, 2026
- City of Richmond, Bulletin TREE-01 Tree Protection Bylaw 8057, revised August 20, 2025, read October 9, 2026
- City of Richmond, Bulletin TREE-10 Replacement Tree Guideline, revised August 20, 2025, read October 9, 2026
- City of Richmond, Bulletin TREE-11 Tree Permit Appeal Process, revised August 20, 2025, read October 9, 2026