Brisbane Tree Removal Permits

Not always. Many trees can be removed without a permit. You need a permit if the tree is listed as protected under Brisbane City Council's vegetation management provisions, is within a Vegetation Protection Order (VPO) area, or is specifically listed on your property's development approval. We check VPO status as part of every quote.

Use Brisbane City Council's Property Search tool to check for VPOs on your property. Alternatively, call us and give us the address — we check VPO status as part of our standard quoting process.

BCC tree removal applications typically take 5–25 business days depending on complexity, the type of vegetation, and whether an arborist report is required. We'll give you a realistic timeline when we see the tree.

Fines can be substantial — BCC can issue on-the-spot fines of up to $2,669 for individuals and up to $13,345 for companies for vegetation clearing offences. Serious cases can be prosecuted further.

If the tree's trunk is on your side of the boundary, it's your tree. If it straddles the boundary, it's jointly owned. You can generally prune branches that overhang your property without permission, but you cannot remove a shared tree without the neighbour's consent.

You'll need to sign the application as the property owner. Beyond that, we handle the preparation, the arborist report (if required), and submission to BCC. You just wait for the approval.