The short answer, as at September 2026
Western Australia has no single state law that covers trees on private suburban land. There is no Perth-wide rule that says "you can" or "you can't". Instead, whether you need approval to remove a tree depends on:
- Your council. Each local government sets its own planning scheme and policies, and several have changed theirs in the past year.
- The tree itself. Its size, whether it is native, and whether it is on a significant tree register or on a heritage-listed place.
- What else is going on. Building, subdividing or developing the lot can bring trees into an approval process that would not apply to a gardening job.
- Where it is. A tree on the verge belongs to the council, and native bush on a larger block can fall under state clearing laws.
So the honest answer is "it depends, and check first". This guide sets out what we found on each council's own website for the areas we cover most, as at September 2026. Council rules are changing quickly across Perth, so treat the table below as a starting point and confirm with your council before anyone starts cutting.
Council-by-council summary
This table is a summary of what each council publishes. It is not a legal opinion, and a council can change its policy at any meeting.
| Council | Private land | Verge trees | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Joondalup | We found no general approval requirement for removing a tree on private property. The City's Significant Tree Register covers trees on land the City owns or manages, not private land. | Owned by the City. Only the City or its licensed contractors may remove a street tree, and unauthorised pruning or removal is an offence under local law. | Confirm with the City before removing a large tree, especially if you are also building. |
| City of Wanneroo | No pre-approval is described for residential trees. The City says it only gets involved if a tree may be dangerous, and treats neighbour issues as a civil matter. | Residents are not permitted to prune street trees, and must not damage or remove one without authorisation. | Rural and bushland lots, and any native vegetation clearing. |
| City of Bayswater | The Trees on Private Land and Street Verges Policy, adopted 26 August 2025, ties approval for regulated trees to new grouped dwellings, multiple dwellings and non-residential development. Single-house owners may maintain and remove trees without approval. | Covered by the same policy. Ask the City before touching a verge tree. | Whether the tree is on the City's Significant Tree Register, which protects listed trees on private land. |
| City of Kalamunda | The old Tree Retention policy has been revoked. A replacement "Future Forest" policy went to Council for adoption in June 2026. The consultation FAQ for the draft said approval would not be needed unless you are building or subdividing, and most regular garden maintenance would be exempt. | Public property. Residents may only prune limbs that overhang their own boundary. | The current status of the Future Forest policy, and state clearing rules for native trees. |
| Town of Cottesloe | We found no tree provisions in the Town's local planning scheme text. Do not assume the rules match those of neighbouring western suburbs councils. | The Town is responsible for removing street trees. Unauthorised removal is not permitted and unauthorised pruning may lead to prosecution. | Confirm with the Town, and check heritage listings on older lots. |
| City of Melville | The City says it does not currently regulate trees on private land, and no permission or development approval is needed to remove one. | You cannot plant, prune or remove a verge tree without the City's approval. | A draft policy on regulated trees on private land is out for comment until 31 October 2026. |
| City of Cockburn | Since 28 May 2026, development approval is needed for removal, significant branch lopping or root damage to regulated trees. That is generally a mature tree over 8 metres, excluding palms and some pest species, plus trees on the Significant Tree Register. | Pruning street trees on your verge is prohibited. Non-urgent requests to the City can take up to five months. | Routine pruning, hazardous trees and bushfire management requirements are exempt. Confirm how your tree is treated. |
| City of Rockingham | The City's Town Planning Scheme No. 2 has no approval requirement for removing a tree on residential property. Native trees on Rural, Special Rural and Special Residential zoned land need City approval. | The City plants, maintains and removes street trees. Report problems on 9528 0333 or through Rock Port. | The City consulted in March and April 2026 on extending approval to significant trees on all private lots. Check the outcome. |
The councils that changed recently
Cockburn is the big one. Since 28 May 2026, a mature tree over 8 metres on private land is likely to be a regulated tree, and taking it down, lopping major branches or cutting through its roots near a new slab needs development approval first. Routine pruning is still fine, and a genuinely hazardous tree is exempt, but get that assessment in writing. Our Spearwood tree removal page covers the local ground and the trees you are likely to be dealing with.
Melville does not regulate private trees today, but it is consulting on a policy that would apply to all zoned land under its planning scheme. If you are in Applecross, Attadale or Booragoon and planning a removal for next year, the rules may be different by then. See our Melville page for more on the area.
Kalamunda and Rockingham have both been working on new tree policies through 2025 and 2026. We could not confirm the final outcome in either council, so ask before you book.
Heritage places and significant tree registers
Separately from the general rules, two kinds of listing can bring a tree into an approval process in almost any council:
- Heritage-listed places. If the property is heritage-listed, works on the site can need development approval, and that can extend to its trees. Check with your council's planning team.
- Significant tree registers. Several councils keep a significant tree register. Some registers only cover council land (Joondalup's, for example). Others, like Bayswater's, include private trees whose owners have agreed to list them, and listed trees are protected. In Cockburn, register trees are regulated trees under the new policy.
If you bought the property recently, the previous owner may have nominated a tree without it ever coming up in the sale. A quick call or email to the council settles it.
Native vegetation and state clearing permits
Council rules are only half of it. Under Part V, Division 2 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986, you need a permit to clear native vegetation unless an exemption applies. Some exemptions do not apply in Environmentally Sensitive Areas.
In practice, this mostly matters on larger blocks: rural-residential lots in Wanneroo, the Kalamunda hills, or the Rockingham rural fringe, where there is remnant jarrah, marri or tuart bushland rather than a single planted tree. The tuart woodlands and forests of the Swan Coastal Plain are also listed as a threatened ecological community under the federal EPBC Act.
We have not set out any area thresholds or penalty figures here, because they depend on the exemption and the location. If you are clearing more than a garden tree or two of native species, read the state government's clearing permit guidance and speak to your council before anything is cut.
Verge and street trees
The tree on the verge in front of your house is almost always council property, even if you water it and rake its leaves. Across the councils in the table:
- Joondalup, Wanneroo, Cockburn, Cottesloe and Melville do not allow residents to prune or remove verge trees without authorisation.
- Kalamunda allows residents to prune limbs that overhang their own boundary, and nothing more.
- Rockingham plants, maintains and removes its street trees itself.
If a verge tree is dropping limbs, lifting the crossover or blocking sight lines, lodge a request with the council and keep the reference number. Cottesloe notes that if you ask for pruning for your own benefit, such as northern light, it may ask you to pay for the arborist advice and the work.
An arborist we send can prune or remove trees on your side of the boundary, but should not touch a council tree without the council's written go-ahead.
Trees near power lines
Power lines add a separate layer of responsibility.
- Trees on private property are the resident's responsibility. Western Power says this applies even if you rent. Planted verge trees are the council's.
- The service wire is yours to keep clear. The service wire runs from the pole to your house. Western Power issues a safety notice when vegetation is within 30 cm of it, and it does not cut vegetation around service wires. You then have 40 days to have the tree cut back.
- Notices on street lines work the same way. Western Power inspects its lines each year and sends a 40-day notice to the responsible party. If the owner does not act, the state guideline says the network operator may enter the land, do the work and recover the cost.
- Work near live lines has its own rules. The danger zone is the area above any power line, within 3.0 metres of lines up to 33,000 volts and within 6.0 metres of higher-voltage lines. Anyone paid to do vegetation work that may enter it must comply with the EnergySafety code of practice for that work.
If a line is down or damaged, stay at least 8 metres away and call Western Power on 13 13 51. Do not try to clear anything yourself.
A checklist before you book a removal
Work through this before you ask for quotes, and before anyone climbs the tree:
- Identify the council. Suburb names can mislead near boundaries, so check your rates notice.
- Check the council's current tree policy. Look for words like "regulated tree", "tree protection" or "trees on private land", and note the date of the page.
- Measure roughly. Is the tree over 8 metres tall? In Cockburn that alone may make it regulated.
- Ask about registers and heritage. One email to the council covers both.
- Confirm the tree is on your side. If the trunk is on or near the boundary, read our neighbour tree disputes guide first.
- Think about native bush. On larger or rural lots, check whether clearing rules apply.
- Look up. Note any service wire or street line near the canopy and mention it when you ask for a quote.
- Plan for the green waste. The whole metro is in the shot-hole borer quarantine area, which limits how wood can be moved. Our shot-hole borer guide explains what to ask.
- Keep it in writing. Save the council's reply, any approval and the arborist's written quote together.
Once you know where you stand, the next question is usually cost. The tree removal cost guide sets out 2026 planning bands, and our tree removal service explains how a job is quoted and carried out.
Why we date-stamp this guide
Tree rules on private land are one of the fastest-moving areas of Perth local planning. Cockburn's policy took effect in May 2026, Melville's consultation closes in October 2026, and Kalamunda and Rockingham have both been reviewing theirs. Everything above reflects the councils' own published information as at September 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Your council has the final word, and a two-minute email to them is cheaper than getting it wrong.