Local tree-rule guide
West Vancouver tree rules
West Vancouver requires permits for protected trees and now uses different size triggers depending on whether a property is being developed, so project status must be checked before relying on diameter.
The local rule
A permit is required to cut a protected tree on private property in West Vancouver.
Current municipal guidance protects any tree at 75 cm DBH or more, while properties being developed can bring trees at 20 cm DBH or more into the protected category.
The development-related 20 cm rule applies in contexts such as new residential or commercial work and subdivision for an additional residential parcel, with the lower development threshold effective December 15, 2025.
Other protected categories—replacement, retained, heritage, species and watercourse-related trees—mean diameter is not the only protection test.
Local exceptions and conditions
Protected trees on an existing property
- West Vancouver’s private-property permit system starts with the protected-tree definition rather than a general right to remove privately owned trees.
- For properties outside the development-trigger context, a very large tree at or above 75 cm DBH is one of the protected categories requiring a permit.
- Other status-based protections can apply even when a tree is smaller, so review heritage, replacement, retained-tree and species provisions before relying on size.
- If a tree is close to a watercourse or environmental feature, confirm the additional protection rules before pruning, excavation or removal.
Development lowers the size trigger
- West Vancouver amended its rules so development activity can bring trees at 20 cm DBH or more into the protected-tree system.
- The lower trigger is relevant to properties undergoing specified new residential/commercial construction or subdivision activity and should be assessed with the active development file.
- A homeowner doing ordinary maintenance should not blindly apply the development threshold, while a builder should not rely on the 75 cm figure from a non-development scenario.
- Put tree inventory and protection decisions into the design stage so removals are reviewed before building locations, access and grading are fixed.
Status can override diameter
- Replacement trees, trees previously required to be retained and heritage or otherwise protected trees can remain regulated even when a simple size screen would suggest otherwise.
- Species and watercourse rules can also change the answer, which is why a diameter-only calculator would be unsafe here.
- If the property has prior permits or covenants, check whether a tree was planted or retained as a condition of an earlier approval.
- When uncertain, provide the District with the property address, development status, tree diameter and any known permit history.
Applying before work
- Use the District’s private-property tree-cutting permit page and current application material before scheduling removal.
- Measure DBH consistently and photograph the trunk and site so the development/non-development category can be reviewed against the same tree.
- For a hazard, explain the immediate risk and ask whether emergency procedures or professional evidence apply instead of assuming hazard status cancels the permit.
- The checker keeps West Vancouver in a conditional/confirmation path because the correct size trigger itself changes with property status.
- The current District permit page displays a non-refundable $330 private-property tree-cutting permit fee plus $120 for each additional tree removal, and states that the fee can change. Confirm the amount at submission.
Before work starts
- Ownership: confirm whether the trunk is private, shared or on public land before authorizing work.
- Site context: check development approvals, environmental controls, easements and any prior tree-retention conditions that apply to this property.
- Work requirements: obtain the current permit, certificate, exemption or written municipal confirmation before the contractor starts.
- Keep the record: retain photos, measurements, professional reports and the municipal decision with the property file.
Official sources
Last verified: October 7, 2026. Rules, maps and application procedures can change; confirm with the local authority before work. How we research