---
title: Clearwater tree removal rules and permits
question: "Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property?"
place: Clearwater, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/clearwater
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Clearwater
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/tree-removal/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/tree-removal.json"
---

# Clearwater tree removal rules and permits

**Question:** Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property?

**Short answer:** Clearwater has no tree-cutting bylaw for private land. A development permit is needed to remove vegetation inside a development permit area in the Official Community Plan, such as steep slopes, floodplain or environmental areas. Trees on a boulevard or public land need District approval.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Clearwater, https://www.districtofclearwater.com)  
**Cost:** No tree-cutting fee found. If a development permit is needed, $250 if staff decide it or $500 if Council considers it.  
**How long:** Not stated.  
**Where:**
- Phone: TNRD Planning (contracted by the District), 250-377-8673 (Email planning@tnrd.ca.)
- Phone: District of Clearwater office, 250-674-2257 (209 Dutch Lake Road. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **When a permit is needed:** No District tree-cutting bylaw was found. A development permit is needed to remove or destroy vegetation inside a development permit area in the 2026 OCP (DPA 4 Hazard Lands: steep slopes and floodplain; DPA 5 Environmental; and the centre DPAs 1 to 3), but only for the part of the lot inside the DPA boundary (OCP Maps 7 and 8).
  - Source: [Official Community Plan (PDF, 2026), s. 4.1.4, 4.5.2, 4.6.2, 4.6.3](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/107122/)
  - Official wording: "A development permit is required in accordance with Section 489 of the Local Government Act, for any" … "Removal, alteration, disruption, or destruction of vegetation." … "DPA 4 guidelines apply to all lands identified as Steep Slopes or Floodplain, as shown on Map 7." … "DPA 5 guidelines apply to all lands identified as Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Blue Listed Species" … "For clarity, these requirements apply only to the portion of the parcel located within the DPA boundary."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exemptions:** No development permit is needed to remove danger trees identified by a qualified arborist, to remove invasive plants, or for FireSmart work within 30 m of a structure (OCP s. 4.1.5). DPA 5 also exempts clearing of land for agricultural purposes; DPA 4 exempts removal of hazardous trees on steep slopes.
  - Source: [Official Community Plan (PDF, 2026), s. 4.1.5 General Exemptions](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/107122/)
  - Official wording: "danger trees as identified by a qualified arborist and removal of invasive plant species." … "FireSmart vegetation management: within 30 metres of a structure, where conducted in" … "5. Removal of: danger trees as identified by a qualified arborist and removal of invasive plant species." … "b. Clearing of land for agricultural purposes." … "c. Removal of trees deemed hazardous by a Qualified Arborist that threaten the immediate"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** No tree-cutting permit or fee was found. Where a development permit is needed, the fee is $250 if issuance is delegated to staff or $500 if considered by Council (Bylaw 118, Schedule A).
  - Source: [Development Procedures Bylaw No. 118, Schedule A fees](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/24118/)
  - Official wording: "Development Permit where issuance is delegated $250" … "Development Permit where considered by Council $500" … "Development Permit where issuance is delegated" … "Development Permit where considered by Council"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Replacement trees:** No general tree replacement rule. In a development permit area the District may require a security deposit of 125% of a qualified professional's cost estimate; on steep slopes (DPA 4) replanting must occur promptly where removal is needed for grading or construction.
  - Source: [Official Community Plan (PDF, 2026), ss. 4.1.8, 4.5.6](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/107122/)
  - Official wording: "be calculated at 125% of the cost estimate prepared by the Landscape Architect, Designer, Professional" … "Where removal is necessary for grading or construction, replanting must occur promptly"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **City trees:** A person must not cut, prune, top or remove trees, hedges, shrubs or other plantings from a boulevard, road allowance, park or other public place unless Council or the Public Works Manager authorizes it.
  - Source: [Traffic and Use of Highways Bylaw No. 160, 2017 (PDF, consolidated), s. 5.1(j)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28336/)
  - Official wording: "5.1 Except as specifically authorized, directed or permitted by Council, the Public Works" … "(j) alter or remove any fence or guardrail, or cut, prune, top or remove any trees," … "hedges, shrubs or other plantings from a boulevard, road allowance, park or other public place;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Boulevard trees: municipal ticket $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days) for topping or removing trees or plants on a boulevard without a permit. No ticket was found for cutting trees on private land.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF, consolidated to September 2024), Schedule 8; s. 3.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)
  - Official wording: "Top or remove trees, plants, on boulevard without" … "5.1 (j) 100 75" … "the discounted fines pursuant to section 265(2) of the Community Charter for the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** No tree bylaw found. Development permit areas: Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 331, 2026; boulevard trees: Traffic and Use of Highways Bylaw No. 160, 2017
  - Source: [Planning Department, District Planning page](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/developers/planning-department/)
  - Official wording: "Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 331 2026 (OCP)"
  - Source: [Traffic and Use of Highways Bylaw No. 160, 2017 (PDF, consolidated), s. 1.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28336/)
  - Official wording: "District of Clearwater Traffic and Use of Highways Bylaw No. 160, 2017"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

We found no District bylaw that protects trees or requires a permit to cut them on private land. The one exception is a **development permit area (DPA)** in the 2026 [Official Community Plan](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/107122/). A development permit is needed to remove or destroy vegetation inside a DPA, but only for the part of the lot inside the DPA boundary. The DPAs are:
- DPA 4, Hazard Lands (steep slopes and floodplain)
- DPA 5, Environmental
- DPAs 1 to 3, the centre areas

Check OCP Maps 7 and 8 to see if your lot is in one.

**Public land:** under the [Traffic and Use of Highways Bylaw No. 160](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28336/), no one may cut, prune, top or remove trees, hedges, shrubs or other plantings from a boulevard, road allowance, park or other public place unless Council or the Public Works Manager authorizes it.

## Steps

1. Check OCP Maps 7 and 8 for your lot, or ask TNRD Planning (250-377-8673).
2. If the tree is in a DPA, apply for a development permit through the District. The fee is $250 if issuance is delegated to staff or $500 if Council considers it (Development Procedures Bylaw No. 118, Schedule A).
3. For a boulevard tree, ask the District office (250-674-2257) first.

## Good to know

- No development permit is needed to remove danger trees identified by a qualified arborist, to remove invasive plants, or for FireSmart work within 30 m of a structure. DPA 5 also exempts clearing land for agricultural purposes, and DPA 4 exempts removing hazardous trees on steep slopes.
- There is no general tree replacement rule. In a DPA the District may require a security deposit of 125% of a qualified professional's cost estimate. On steep slopes, replanting must happen promptly where removal is needed for grading or construction.
- **Fine:** topping or removing trees or plants on a boulevard without a permit is a municipal ticket of $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days). We found no ticket for cutting trees on private land.
- The Bylaw 118 fees are from a 2014 schedule with a 2019 amendment, so a newer fee may apply.

## Official forms and pages

- [Official Community Plan (PDF, 2026), development permit areas](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/107122/)
- [Traffic and Use of Highways Bylaw No. 160, 2017 (consolidated)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28336/)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (consolidated)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)

## Related questions

- [Clearwater zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Clearwater secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/secondary-suite.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/tree-removal.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/tree-removal.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/tree-removal.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/tree-removal.md)
- [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/tree-removal.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/tree-removal.md)

## Sources

- [Official Community Plan (PDF, 2026), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/107122/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Planning Department, District of Clearwater](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/developers/planning-department/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Traffic and Use of Highways Bylaw No. 160, 2017 (PDF, consolidated)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28336/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF, consolidated to September 2024)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Development Procedures Bylaw No. 118 (PDF), Schedule A fees](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/24118/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Clearwater. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/tree-removal/_