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

# Radium Hot Springs tree removal rules and permits

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

**Short answer:** Radium Hot Springs has no tree-cutting bylaw posted in its Document Centre. But all Village land is in a wildfire development permit area, where a development permit is typically required for clearing and other land alteration. Check with Building and Development Services before removing trees.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Radium Hot Springs, https://radiumhotsprings.ca)  
**Cost:** No tree-specific permit fee. Wildfire development permit applications have no charge; other development permit applications are $700 (projects over 50 m²) or $420 (under 50 m²).  
**How long:** Not stated by the Village. Ask Building and Development Services.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 4836 Radium Boulevard, Radium Hot Springs, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: Building and Development Services, 250-347-6455 ext. 7 (The Building Official is available Monday to Thursday only.)
- Email: Building and Development Services, building@radiumhotsprings.ca

## Key facts

- **When a permit is needed:** No tree-cutting bylaw is posted in the Village Document Centre. The Official Community Plan sets a Wildfire Development Permit Area over all lands in the Village; a development permit is typically required for altering land, including clearing, grading and disturbing soil. Other development permit areas (flood, steep slope, riparian) apply on mapped land.
  - Source: [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 527, 2025, s. 6.1 and DPA applicability](https://radiumhotsprings.civicweb.net/document/21174/)
  - Official wording: "Wildfire DPA that applies to all lands in the" … "Altering land, including clearing, grading," … "Constructing new buildings or structures;"
  - Source: [Maps and GIS, Maps & GIS](https://radiumhotsprings.ca/building-development/maps-gis/)
  - Official wording: "If Development Permit Areas (DPA's) exist"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exemptions:** Exempt from the wildfire development permit area: removal of danger trees under direction of a qualified arborist, removal of invasive species, removal or replacement of flammable vegetation for wildfire fuel reduction, and works by a municipal, provincial or federal government. Land in the Agricultural Land Reserve is exempt from several other DPAs.
  - Source: [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 527, 2025, DPA exemptions, Wildfire DPA](https://radiumhotsprings.civicweb.net/document/21174/)
  - Official wording: "d) Removal of dangerous trees under" … "direction of a qualified arborist;" … "e) Removal of Invasive Species;" … "undertaken by a municipal, provincial"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** No tree-specific permit fee. Wildfire development permit applications have no charge; other development permit applications are $700 (projects over 50 m²) or $420 (under 50 m²).
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 530, 2026, Schedule E, Development Services](https://radiumhotsprings.civicweb.net/document/21179/)
  - Official wording: "Per each application for projects > 50m2 (Except Wildfire Development" … "Per each application for projects < 50m2 (Except Wildfire Development"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Replacement trees:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **City trees:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Fine:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Bylaw:** No tree bylaw found. Development permit areas are set in Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 527, 2025.
  - Source: [OCP and Zoning, OCP & Zoning page](https://radiumhotsprings.ca/building-development/ocp-zoning/)
  - Official wording: "Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 527, 2025(OCP)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Village has no tree-cutting bylaw posted in its Document Centre. The [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 527](https://radiumhotsprings.civicweb.net/document/21174/) sets a Wildfire Development Permit Area over all lands in the Village. A development permit is typically required for altering land, including clearing, grading and disturbing soil. Other development permit areas (flood, steep slope, riparian) apply on mapped land. The OCP does not say in plain words that cutting a tree needs a permit.

Exempt from the wildfire development permit area: removal of danger trees under the direction of a qualified arborist, removal of invasive species, removal or replacement of flammable vegetation for wildfire fuel reduction, and works by a municipal, provincial or federal government. Land in the Agricultural Land Reserve is exempt from several other development permit areas.

## Steps

1. Look up your parcel on the Village web map; it shows any development permit areas. See the zoning-lookup answer.
2. Contact Building and Development Services (250-347-6455 ext. 7) before removing trees.
3. If a permit is needed, apply as staff direct.

## Good to know

- Wildfire development permit applications have no charge. Other development permit applications are $700 (over 50 m²) or $420 (under 50 m²). We found no tree-specific fee.
- We found no replacement planting rule for private trees, no rules for trees on Village land or boulevards, and no fine for cutting a tree without a permit. Ask the Village.
- The Village's Report a Problem form has a "Trees" type for concerns.

## Official forms and pages

- [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 527, 2025 (PDF)](https://radiumhotsprings.civicweb.net/document/21174/)
- [Maps and GIS, Village of Radium Hot Springs](https://radiumhotsprings.ca/building-development/maps-gis/)

## Related questions

- [Radium Hot Springs zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Radium Hot Springs building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/building-permit.md)
- [Radium Hot Springs fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/fence-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal.md)
- [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/tree-removal.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/tree-removal.md)
- [Golden](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/tree-removal.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/tree-removal.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/tree-removal.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/tree-removal.md)

## Sources

- [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 527, 2025 (PDF)](https://radiumhotsprings.civicweb.net/document/21174/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Maps and GIS, Village of Radium Hot Springs](https://radiumhotsprings.ca/building-development/maps-gis/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [OCP and Zoning, Village of Radium Hot Springs](https://radiumhotsprings.ca/building-development/ocp-zoning/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 530, 2026 (PDF)](https://radiumhotsprings.civicweb.net/document/21179/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Report a Problem, Village of Radium Hot Springs](https://radiumhotsprings.ca/services/community-safety-bylaws/report-a-problem/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building and Development Services, Village of Radium Hot Springs](https://radiumhotsprings.ca/administration/departments-staff/building-and-development-services/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 3 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Radium Hot Springs. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/tree-removal/_