Council Permit for Tree Removals in Strathfield

What Strathfield Council requires before you remove or prune a tree on private land, which species are exempt, and the sizes that trigger a permit.

Species exempt here

Exempt under a height limit

Needing a permit

Inner West

Region

When Strathfield Council needs to approve the work

Trees with a height greater than 4m or a girth greater than 0.5m measured 1m above ground level. Works within 5m of the base of a protected tree also need consent.

Pruning without approval

Removal of dead branches to AS 4373-2007, clearances to gutters and clearance for pedestrian movement.

Trees close to a building

Gutter clearance pruning is exempt. There is no blanket proximity removal exemption.

Dead and dangerous trees

Deadwood pruning is exempt in any tree.

Worth knowing

The works within 5m of the trunk rule catches excavation, paving and landscaping, not just the tree itself.

Rules last checked September 2026 against Council’s published pages. Official sources: Council tree rules · Trees FAQs · Council enquiries 02 9748 9999

Species you can remove without a permit in Strathfield

Commercial fruit tree varieties are exempt. The full exempt species list sits in Appendix 2 of the DCP, so confirm anything not shown here. Heritage items, heritage conservation areas and Significant Tree Register listings override the exemptions.

Exempt only under a height limit

None in this encyclopedia.

Species that need a permit

Broad-Leaved Paperbark

Brush Box

Cabbage Tree Palm

Camphor Laurel

Canary Island Date Palm

Giant Bird of Paradise

Norfolk Island Hibiscus

Suburbs we cover in Strathfield

Licensed arborists working across Strathfield every week.

GreenacreHomebushHomebush WestStrathfieldStrathfield South

Common questions

Do I need council approval to remove a tree in Strathfield?

Trees with a height greater than 4m or a girth greater than 0.5m measured 1m above ground level. Works within 5m of the base of a protected tree also need consent. If your tree is on Council’s exempt species list, or the work falls inside one of the exemptions below, you can proceed without a permit. Otherwise you need to apply.

How much can I prune without approval in Strathfield?

Removal of dead branches to AS 4373-2007, clearances to gutters and clearance for pedestrian movement.

Can I remove a dead tree in Strathfield without a permit?

Deadwood pruning is exempt in any tree.

Important note on council rules

This encyclopedia is a practical guide for Sydney property owners, not legal advice. Council tree rules change, and exemptions are frequently overridden by heritage listings, heritage conservation areas, significant tree registers, biodiversity mapping, endangered ecological communities and conditions attached to development consent. Always confirm the current rules with your council for your specific address before any tree work begins, or ask us to check it for you.

Need council approval? We handle the application.

Most councils will not accept a removal application without species identification, photographs and a stated reason. We prepare and lodge the lot, then carry out the work once it is approved. One call, one invoice, no forms to work out yourself.

Council Permit for Tree Removals in Strathfield

When Strathfield Council needs to approve the work

Pruning without approval

Trees close to a building

Dead and dangerous trees

Worth knowing

Species you can remove without a permit in Strathfield

Exempt only under a height limit

Species that need a permit

Suburbs we cover in Strathfield

Common questions

Important note on council rules

Need council approval? We handle the application.

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