Permission to Cut Down a Tree in Brisbane: 5 Quick Checks

Maybe, but usually only if the tree is on council’s Protected Vegetation map and your job isn’t covered by an exemption. Five quick checks will tell you which side of the line you are on: the species, the size, the overlay, the heritage status and the zone. Most people can work through them in about ten minutes.

If you have ever stood in the backyard wondering whether you can legally take a tree down, you are not the first. The question we hear most is some version of “do you need permission to cut down a tree in Brisbane?”, and the honest answer depends on where the tree sits, how big it is and what the council has mapped over your block. This is a plain-English guide, not a legal ruling. If you are close to the line, check with council or ask us. We do this every week.

We have already covered the situations where no permit is needed in our guide to Brisbane council tree removal permit exemptions. This one works the other way round. It is the checklist you run before you pick up a chainsaw or ring a tree company.

So, do you need permission to cut down a tree in Brisbane?

Here is the short version. Permission comes down to whether council protects your tree, and council only protects what it has mapped or put an overlay over. The five checks below find that out, in the order we run them on the phone.

Check 1: What species is the tree?

Start with what you are actually looking at. A lot of folks say “gum” for anything tall and green. Is it a native you would find in the bush, or a garden plant, or a weed? That matters because the rules lean on species in some council areas.

In Logan, for example, Cadaghi and Umbrella trees are exempt from the vegetation rules. In Brisbane the main driver is not the species at all but whether the vegetation is mapped as protected, which brings us to Check 3. Either way, work out what the tree is first. If you are not sure, take a photo of the leaves, the bark and the whole tree, and send it through. A decent arborist can usually name it from three pictures.

Check 2: How big is it, and how close to the house?

Size is where most backyard jobs get sorted. Under Brisbane’s Natural Assets Local Law there are a few size-based situations where you do not need a permit, and they are worth knowing:

• A tree with a trunk under 30 cm in diameter, measured at 1.4 m above the ground, in a garden.
• A tree whose trunk is within 3 m of the house, on a lot of 4,000 m² or less.
• Pruning up to 20% of the live foliage in any 12 months, done properly.

Grab a tape and measure around the trunk at about chest height, then divide by three to get a rough diameter. Write the number down. If the tree is a big old gum on an acreage block like the ones out towards Greenbank, expect the answer to be “yes, this one needs a proper look”. If it is a leggy young tree jammed up against the back verandah, you may be in exempt territory.

Check 3: Is it on the map or inside an overlay?

This is the one that decides most cases, and it takes two minutes. Brisbane’s rules are tied to council’s Protected Vegetation map, so open the Brisbane City Council protected vegetation map, type in your address and see whether a vegetation category is drawn over your lot. Screenshot it with the address showing. If a question comes up later, that screenshot is your proof of what the map said on the day.

Logan and Ipswich work differently. Logan City Council uses its Planning Scheme 2015, with Biodiversity and Waterway overlays. Approval is needed to clear protected vegetation in mapped areas unless an exemption applies, and the Logan vegetation protection page explains how. Ipswich City Council runs under City Plan 2025, and whether you need approval depends on the zone and overlays on your lot, including the Biodiversity overlay. Council’s ePlan tool shows them, or you can ring and ask. Our pages for each area, Logan and Ipswich, give the longer version.

Check 4: Is there any heritage on the property?

This one catches people out because it sits outside the vegetation rules. If your house or yard is on a heritage register, or the tree is part of a listed place, there can be separate approvals. It is not common on a standard suburban block, but if you live in an older character home, it is worth a quick look before you commit.

We are not going to quote you the rules for heritage places here, because they vary by listing and we would rather you hear it from council than from us. The check itself is simple. Ask council whether the property has any heritage listing. If the answer is no, tick the box and move on.

Check 5: What zone and lot size are you in?

Last check. Zones and lot sizes shift the answer, especially across council borders. In Brisbane the 3 m rule above applies to lots of 4,000 m² or less. In Logan, lots under 5,000 m² outside environmental and rural zones are exempt, and so is native vegetation within 10 m of a house for bushfire reasons.

Take a block in Logan Central, Woodridge or Beenleigh. A typical suburban lot there is likely to be well under 5,000 m², which can put it on the exempt side, but only if it is not in an environmental or rural zone and no overlay says otherwise. Our local teams cover Logan Central, Woodridge and Beenleigh every week and see how the rules play out on the ground. Acreage further out is a different story, and the answer there often turns on the zone.

What if the tree is an immediate hazard?

If a tree is about to come down on the house, you do not wait for paperwork. In Brisbane, an immediate hazard is one of the situations where removal does not need a permit up front. What council expects afterwards is photos and an arborist report, sent in within 10 business days. Take the photos before anything is cut, and get the report done. Our arborist reports are written by AQF Level 5 arborists, and our dangerous tree removal crew can make the site safe quickly.

Think hard about the word “immediate”. A tree you have been meaning to deal with for three years is not an emergency. A split trunk after a storm cell is. If you are on the fence, ring council or us before you cut.

Who do you call if the answer is “I don’t know”?

If you have run the five checks and still cannot tell, that is normal. Two calls fix it. Council can confirm whether a permit is needed, and in Brisbane the protected vegetation permits are free. Or you can tell us the address and we will check the map and the overlays with you, then quote the work. Our Brisbane City Council tree regulations page sets out what we look at every time, and our tree removal team handles the job once you have the green light.

One last tip. Do not take a neighbour’s word for it, and do not take ours as a legal ruling either. Check the map, write down what you found, and keep the screenshot with your quote. It takes two minutes and it settles most arguments.

Not sure where your tree sits? Call us on 1300 239 626 or request a free quote online, and we will help you work out the next step.

Written by Kyle O’Leary, founder and director of Dynamic Tree Solutions, Ellen Grove. Council rules change, so check the links above for the latest wording.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Brisbane?

Only if the tree is protected on Brisbane City Council's Protected Vegetation map and your job is not covered by an exemption. Small garden trees, trees close to the house on smaller lots and immediate hazards are common exemptions. Check the map first.

How do I check if my tree is protected?

Open the council's Protected Vegetation map, enter your address and see whether a vegetation category covers your lot. Take a screenshot with the address showing and keep it with your quote.

Is a Brisbane tree removal permit free?

Brisbane City Council's protected vegetation permits are free. Any cost usually sits in the arborist report and photos that support the application.

Do Logan and Ipswich have the same tree rules as Brisbane?

No. Logan uses its Planning Scheme 2015 with Biodiversity and Waterway overlays, and Ipswich uses City Plan 2025 with zone and overlay checks. Each council has its own exemptions, so check the council that covers your address.

Can I cut down a tree that is an immediate danger?

In Brisbane an immediate hazard is one of the situations where you can act first. Council expects photos and an arborist report within 10 business days, so document the tree before it is cut.