Local tree-rule guide
Toronto: private trees 30 cm+ and protection zones
Private trees 30 cm+ and other protected-tree/ravine situations.
The local rule
Private-property trees 30 cm or more in diameter are protected. Toronto measures DBH at 1.4 m above ground.
Street trees are protected at any size; ownership should be confirmed before work.
Work inside a Tree Protection Zone can require a permit even when the tree is being retained.
As of Sep. 1, 2026, Toronto added a Distinctive Tree category for healthy trees over 61 cm. The general private-tree threshold remains 30 cm; reducing it to 20 cm is a future study, not a current rule.
Application details
What a Toronto tree permit currently costs and requires
- Toronto’s 30 cm private-tree threshold is only the first gate.
- The application itself changes depending on whether the work is construction-related and whether the tree is private, City-owned, or a boundary/neighbour tree.
$145.87 per private tree, $436.39 per City tree and $304.51 per boundary/neighbour tree.
$436.39 per private or City tree and $913.58 per neighbour/boundary tree. Toronto treats excavation, demolition, fill, equipment movement and other work that can injure roots as construction-related activity.
Toronto requires the application fee and an arborist report, with plans and ownership information appropriate to the site. If the City’s ownership determination for a boundary tree is disputed, an up-to-date property survey may be required.
After receiving an application involving a boundary or neighbour tree, the City says it will issue written notice to the other owner within 15 business days. If the application is approved, another notice is issued at least 15 days before the permit.
Permits to remove protected trees are issued with replacement planting conditions. A replacement tree planted as a permit condition remains protected by the bylaw regardless of its size.
Starting September 1, 2026, Toronto also charges separate Ravine and Natural Feature Protection application fees. A property partly inside a regulated ravine area should be checked against that process instead of using the private-tree fee alone.
Local exceptions and conditions
Scope and protected trees
- A homeowner replacing a garage or adding a garden suite should map the tree protection zone before designing the excavation, not only check whether a trunk will be cut.
- Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 813 covers private trees at 30 cm DBH and City street trees at every size, while ravine protection is a separate geographic layer.
- The application can therefore involve an injury permit for roots or soil compaction even where the canopy stays.
- Toronto's TPZ table grows with diameter; a 51–60 cm private tree has a 3.6 m minimum zone, whereas a 61–70 cm tree has 4.2 m.
- A plan that drives machinery through that area needs review.
Applications and timing
- The City's online application asks for ownership and tree details, photographs and the prescribed fee.
- An arborist report and tree protection plan may be needed to explain condition, alternatives, construction impacts and replacement planting.
- The City reviews the proposed reason and may inspect; filing and paying are not permission to fell.
- Toronto does not promise one standard number of days for every tree file in the linked instructions, so schedule the arborist and tree review before the construction start date.
- Permit conditions can require protection fencing, new planting or compensation, and a building permit does not replace the tree approval.
Enforcement and exceptions
- The September 2026 Distinctive Tree category is for a healthy tree with at least one stem over 61 cm, adding a special consideration in the decision.
- It did not make 20 cm the general private-tree trigger.
- Toronto's bylaw review also strengthened investigations and replacement ratios for contraventions; the City's tree permit service warns that offences can produce fines from $500 up to $100,000 per tree.
- A stump left after unapproved cutting can still be evidence.
Before work starts
- Ownership: check the property line. Public and boundary trees may follow a different process.
- Site context: review any development approval, covenant or protected-area conditions.
- Work requirements: confirm any permit, exemption or protection requirements that apply to the planned work.
Official sources
Last verified: October 1, 2026 · Primary Toronto sources rechecked October 1, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the local authority before work. How we research
Local detail review: October 1, 2026.