---
title: Prince Rupert tree removal rules and permits
question: "Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property?"
place: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/prince-rupert
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Prince Rupert
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/tree-removal/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/tree-removal.json"
---

# Prince Rupert tree removal rules and permits

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

**Short answer:** Prince Rupert has no tree bylaw, but the City issues a Tree Cutting and Removal Permit ($25) whose form covers City or private property. No bylaw found says which private trees need one. Trees on a highway and land in a Development Permit Area have their own rules, so confirm with the City before cutting.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Prince Rupert, https://www.princerupert.ca)  
**Cost:** $25 application fee (printed on the application form).  
**How long:** A permit is deemed to expire 30 days after it is issued.  
**Where:**
- In person: Development Services, City Hall, 424 3rd Avenue West, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1L7 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: City Hall, 250-627-0960
- Phone: Number printed on the permit form, 250-627-0950
- Email: Address printed on the permit form, engineering.requests@princerupert.ca

## Key facts

- **When a permit is needed:** The City issues a Tree Cutting and Removal Permit ($25); its form covers City or private property, but no bylaw found says which private trees need one. Removing vegetation needs a development permit in a Development Permit Area, such as land within 30 m of a watercourse or slopes of 30% or more.
  - Source: [Application for Tree Cutting and Removal Permit, Application form](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2026-06/Tree%20Cutting%20Permit%20Application.pdf)
  - Official wording: "APPLICATION FOR TREE CUTTING AND REMOVAL PERMIT" … "This tree is on: ☐ City Property ☐ Private Property"
  - Source: [Official Community Plan, s. 6.1](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/634)
  - Official wording: "alteration of land (including removing" … "vegetation, construction of, addition to, or" … "30 metres of the natural boundary/high water" … "slopes of 30 percent or greater is designated as"
  - Source: [Hazardous Areas Development Permit Guidelines, Guideline 2](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/Hazardous%20Areas%20DP%20Guidelines.pdf)
  - Official wording: "no disturbance of vegetation or" … "movement of substrate will be allowed where there is any potential for erosion"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exemptions:** No general exemptions are stated for the permit. In the Hazardous Areas guidelines, trees that present a safety hazard are excluded from the no-disturbance rule. In the Riparian Development Permit Area, removing invasive vegetation with a qualified environmental professional and replanting native vegetation immediately needs no development permit.
  - Source: [Hazardous Areas Development Permit Guidelines, Guideline 2](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/Hazardous%20Areas%20DP%20Guidelines.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Excluding trees that present a safety hazard"
  - Source: [Official Community Plan, s. 6.2 (Riparian exemptions)](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/634)
  - Official wording: "Removal of invasive vegetation with the" … "consultation of a qualified environmental" … "replacement with native vegetation."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fee:** $25 application fee
  - Source: [Application for Tree Cutting and Removal Permit, Application form](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2026-06/Tree%20Cutting%20Permit%20Application.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Date of Issuance: Date of Expiry: Director of Operations or Designate Application Fee $25.00 MS ENG Receipt # Clerk"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Replacement trees:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **City trees:** Traffic Bylaw s. 9.02: except under a permit from the Engineer, no one may cut down or remove trees growing on a highway, or damage or remove trees and shrubs the City planted there. Part IX does not apply to arterial highways. Permit conditions include a registered faller for larger trees and no topping by more than 3.5 m.
  - Source: [Traffic Bylaw No. 2470 (PDF, consolidated to December 2004), s. 9.02(k), (l)](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/BL%202470%20-%20Traffic%20Bylaw%20No.%202470%2C%201983%20%28Consolidated%20to%20December%202004%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall, except as authorized by a permit issued by the Engineer" … "Cause damage to, cut down or remove trees, grass, shrubs, plants, bushes and" … "cut down or remove trees or" … "timber growing on a highway" … "9.01 The provisions of this Part do not apply to arterial highways."
  - Source: [Application for Tree Cutting and Removal Permit, Permit conditions](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2026-06/Tree%20Cutting%20Permit%20Application.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Removal or topping of a tree over 100 mm (4 inches) in diameter" … "No tree is to be reduced in height by more than 3.5 m (12 feet)."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** $150 for 'Removing trees' (Traffic Bylaw s. 9.02, trees on a highway). No ticket amount was found for cutting trees on private land.
  - Source: [Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2783 (PDF, consolidated to 2000), Schedule B (Traffic Bylaw)](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/664)
  - Official wording: "Removing trees 9.02 (k) $150.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** None set. Prince Rupert has no tree bylaw.

## How it works

Prince Rupert has no tree bylaw that we found. The City does issue a Tree Cutting and Removal Permit, for $25. Its form asks whether the tree is on City or private property, but no bylaw we found says which private trees need a permit. The form says an application is not a permit and does not authorize work until approved. A permit expires 30 days after it is issued.

Other rules can still apply:

- **Highway trees:** [Traffic Bylaw No. 2470](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/BL%202470%20-%20Traffic%20Bylaw%20No.%202470%2C%201983%20%28Consolidated%20to%20December%202004%29.pdf) s. 9.02 says that, except under a permit from the Engineer, no one may cut down or remove trees growing on a highway, or damage or remove trees and shrubs the City planted there. This does not apply to arterial highways.
- **Development Permit Areas:** under the Official Community Plan, removing vegetation needs a development permit in areas such as land within 30 m of a watercourse or slopes of 30% or more.

## Steps

1. Download the Tree Cutting Permit Application.
2. Attach a sketch or aerial map and the signed written agreement of affected neighbours.
3. Submit it with the $25 fee. Ask Development Services where to send it.
4. After approval, notify the Operations Department immediately before work starts.

## Good to know

- Conditions on the form: contact BC Hydro and CityWest about trees near power or phone lines. A registered faller with liability insurance and WCB coverage must remove or top a tree over 100 mm (4 inches) across, or cut it from a height over 3 m. No tree may be reduced in height by more than 3.5 m. Cuttings must be removed or taken to the landfill, and no unsafe holes left. Breaking the conditions can bring a stop-work order or a significant fine.
- No general exemptions are stated for the permit. In the Hazardous Areas guidelines, trees that present a safety hazard are excluded from the no-disturbance rule. In the Riparian Development Permit Area, removing invasive vegetation with a qualified environmental professional, and replanting native vegetation immediately, needs no development permit.
- The form lists no replacement planting.
- A ticket for removing trees on a highway is $150 (Ticket Information Bylaw 2783 schedule, a 2000 consolidation whose section letter may be out of date). No ticket amount was found for cutting trees on private land.

## What you'll need

- Sketch plan or aerial map showing the trees relative to homes and roads
- Signed written agreement of affected neighbours
- Details of the registered faller, insurance and WCB number, for trees over 100 mm across

## Official forms and pages

- [Tree Cutting Permit Application (PDF)](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2026-06/Tree%20Cutting%20Permit%20Application.pdf)
- [All Application Forms](https://www.princerupert.ca/building-development/all-application-forms)

## Related questions

- [Prince Rupert building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/building-permit.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal.md)
- [Port Edward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/tree-removal.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/tree-removal.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/tree-removal.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/tree-removal.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/tree-removal.md)
- [Fraser Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/tree-removal.md)

## Sources

- [Application for Tree Cutting and Removal Permit (PDF), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2026-06/Tree%20Cutting%20Permit%20Application.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Traffic Bylaw No. 2470 (PDF, consolidated to December 2004), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/BL%202470%20-%20Traffic%20Bylaw%20No.%202470%2C%201983%20%28Consolidated%20to%20December%202004%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2783 (PDF, consolidated to 2000), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/664) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Official Community Plan (PDF), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/634) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Hazardous Areas Development Permit Guidelines (PDF), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/Hazardous%20Areas%20DP%20Guidelines.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [All Application Forms, City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/building-development/all-application-forms) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Contact a City Department, City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/contact-city-department) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Ticketing, Fine Payment and Disputes, City of Prince Rupert (City Hall hours)](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaw-ticketing-fine-payment-and-disputes) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Prince Rupert. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/tree-removal/_