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Tree removal permits

How to successfully apply in Melbourne

The City of Melbourne regulates which trees can be removed or pruned, regardless of whether a tree is on public or private land.

Getting a permit

The original Tree Protection Bylaw was established in 1999. To remove a tree, you'll need to contact your local council and submit a permit. Each council has it's own set of rules and guidelines surrounding tree removals.

Why do I need a permit?

The City of Victoria established a new Tree Preservation Bylaw, designed to protect trees (especially those which are native or have significant heritage value).

Victoria has one of rarest forests in the Pacific Northwest. The laws protect trees from damage or removal due to new constructions, diseases, or inconvenience.

If you want to remove a tree, you'll have to check whether it is protected first. The following native species are protected:

  • Oregon White Oak
  • Pacific Madrone
  • Pacific Dogwood
  • Pacific Yew
  • Western Red Cedar
  • Douglas Fir
  • Big Leaf Maple

Getting a permit

Contact us, and we'll look up the address of your site in our system, and find out if you'll need to lodge a permit for your tree. From there, we can help you lodge an application, or you can proceed on your own.

If you do it yourself, check out your council's government website. They'll have a detailed guide on how to lodge a permit to remove a tree. You can also check out the tree removal laws, if you want to know more about why you can or can't remove a tree on your site.

Think you might need a permit?

At Trav's Tree Services, we're expert specialists in removing trees. We know when to apply for a permit, and how.

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We'll get in touch to arrange a visit to your site.

How to get a permit

Contact us

Call us, or send us a photo of the tree in question. We can also check if it's a protected tree or not.

Apply for the permit

Lodge your application according to your council's guidelines.

Get a quote

If your application is approved, we can perform an on-site evaluation and give you a comprehensive quote of our services.


Do the job

We'll come to your site, at an arrange time, and perform the service.

Site clean up

We'll leave your site looking cleaner than when we arrived.

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On-site quote

Book an on-site quote

Please provide your contact details and full address so we can book your quote.

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Ask a question

Got a problem with your trees but don't know which service you need? Contact us and we'll let you know what we can do.

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