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

# Tofino tree removal rules and permits

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

**Short answer:** In Tofino, no general permit for cutting trees on private land was found. The Significant Tree Bylaw protects only three Council-designated trees, and a development permit is needed to remove vegetation or soil in certain development permit areas such as riparian (within 30 m of a stream or wetland) and foreshore.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Tofino, https://tofino.ca)  
**Cost:** No tree-cutting permit fee found. Development permit fees in the Fees and Charges Bylaw: $1,040 (Riparian, Foreshore, Mud Flats), $260 (Wildlife Habitat, Steep Slopes), $2,081 (Downtown, Tourism Focus, Cox Bay), column for 2023; table may be out of date.  
**How long:** Not stated.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Planning Services, 250-725-3229
- Online: Maps & Zoning (GIS portal), https://tofino.ca/business-development/maps-zoning/

## Key facts

- **When a permit is needed:** No general permit for cutting trees on private land was found. Bylaw 856 protects only the Council-designated Significant Trees (three entries). A development permit is required before removing vegetation or soil in the Foreshore, Mudflats, Riparian (within 30 m of a stream or wetland), Tourism Focus, Wildlife Habitat and Cox Bay development permit areas.
  - Source: [Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 4 and Schedule A](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/126940/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall cut, damage, or remove a significant tree and without limiting" … "Council designates the trees identified in “Schedule “A” – Significant" … "“Eik Road Tree”"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas, Part 70.6 (Riparian DPA)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "prior to the alteration of land (removal of vegetation or soil) within the Riparian DPA as illustrated on" … "This applies to all areas that are partly" … "or entirely located within thirty (30) metres from the top of bank of a stream or the high water mark of a wetland."
  - Source: [Official Community Plan, s. 8, Policy 24](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/46027/)
  - Official wording: "Consider the development of tree protection regulations."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exemptions:** In those development permit areas no permit is needed to remove a tree in imminent danger of falling or already failed from a natural cause, or for yard or garden work within an existing landscaped area. Planting native species is also exempt.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas, Part 70.6 (Riparian DPA) exemptions](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "Removal of a tree when there is an imminent danger of the tree falling and" … "Yard or garden work within an existing landscaped area." … "The planting of native species trees, shrubs or ground covers for the purpose of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** No tree-cutting permit fee found. Development permit fees (Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2023 column): Riparian, Foreshore, Mud Flats $1,040; Wildlife Habitat and Steep Slopes $260; Downtown, Tourism Focus, Cox Bay $2,081. Riparian, Foreshore, Mud Flats and Cox Bay fees are halved for residentially zoned property. Table may be out of date.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1271 (Consolidated, PDF), Appendix, Table 4. Development Permits](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/173153/)
  - Official wording: "Wildlife Habitat DPA $250 $255 $260" … "Riparian DPA $1000 $1,020 $1,040" … "Fee reduced by 50% for" … "Tourism Focus DPA $2000 $2,040 $2,081" … "Cox Bay DPA $2000 $2,040 $2,081" … "Steep Slopes DPA $250 $255 $260"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Replacement trees:** Not for private tree cutting in general. Where a development permit is needed (for example Riparian DPA), conditions can require native-species replanting kept up by the owner for at least 3 years, and security (cash, letter of credit or cheque) held against permit conditions.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas, Part 70.6 Riparian DPA, guidelines 13 and 14](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "property owner for at least three (3) years from the date of completion of the" … "Security in the form of cash, a letter of credit from a Canadian chartered bank or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **City trees:** No one may cut, remove or damage any tree, shrub or plant in a park, beach or public place. Owners may not remove trees or landscaping from a boulevard without Council's express written permission.
  - Source: [Public Property Use Regulation Bylaw No. 1098 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 4.1 and s. 6.5](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/609/)
  - Official wording: "No person shall cut, break, burn, injure, foul, move, disrupt, remove," … "trees, shrubs, or other landscaping are removed from the boulevard, except with the" … "express written permission of Council."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Cutting, damaging or removing a significant tree: municipal ticket $1,000; bylaw notice $500. Court penalty up to $10,000 per offence. Failing to get a development permit: municipal ticket $2,000; bylaw notice $500.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 1088 (Consolidated, PDF), Schedule 19 and Zoning schedule](https://tofino.civicweb.net/filepro/document/1426/Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20System%20Bylaw%20No.%201088%20(Consolidated%20Version%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Cutting, damaging, or removing a significant tree 1(a) $1000.00" … "Failure to obtain a Development Permit 70.1 to 70.9 $2,000.00"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1107 (Consolidated, PDF), Schedule A, Significant Tree Bylaw](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/163658/)
  - Official wording: "Cutting damaging, or removing a" … "Significant Tree" … "$500"
  - Source: [Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 6(d)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/126940/)
  - Official wording: "a penalty of up to $10,000 for each offence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Tofino Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001
  - Source: [Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 1](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/126940/)
  - Official wording: "District of Tofino Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

In Tofino, the [Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/126940/) protects only the Council-designated Significant Trees (three entries). We found no general permit for cutting trees on private land. The OCP lists tree protection regulations only as a future policy.

A development permit is required before removing vegetation or soil in the Foreshore, Mudflats, Riparian (within 30 m of a stream or wetland), Tourism Focus, Wildlife Habitat and Cox Bay development permit areas, set out in Part 70 of the [Zoning Bylaw](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/). Check your property on the District's map.

In those areas no permit is needed to remove a tree in imminent danger of falling or already failed from a natural cause, or for yard or garden work within an existing landscaped area. Planting native species, emergency works and renovations that do not expand the footprint are also exempt.

## Good to know

- Conditions on a development permit can require native-species replanting kept up by the owner for at least 3 years, and security held against the conditions. They are set case by case; no standard replacement ratio is stated.
- Development permit fees are halved for residentially zoned property in the Riparian, Foreshore, Mud Flats and Cox Bay areas.
- Public land: no one may cut, remove or damage any tree, shrub or plant in a park, beach or public place, and owners may not remove trees or landscaping from a boulevard without Council's express written permission.
- Fines: for a significant tree, a municipal ticket is $1,000 and a bylaw notice is $500; the court penalty is up to $10,000 per offence. For failing to get a development permit, a municipal ticket is $2,000 and a bylaw notice is $500.

## Official forms and pages

- [Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856 (Consolidated, PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/126940/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (PDF), Part 70](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)

## Related questions

- [Tofino zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Tofino building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/building-permit.md)
- [Tofino bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal.md)
- [Ucluelet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ucluelet/tree-removal.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/tree-removal.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/tree-removal.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/tree-removal.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/tree-removal.md)
- [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/tree-removal.md)

## Sources

- [Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/126940/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Official Community Plan (PDF), District of Tofino](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/46027/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1271 (Consolidated, PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/173153/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Public Property Use Regulation Bylaw No. 1098 (Consolidated, PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/609/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 1088 (Consolidated, PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/filepro/document/1426/Municipal%20Ticket%20Information%20System%20Bylaw%20No.%201088%20(Consolidated%20Version%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1107 (Consolidated, PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/163658/) (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 Tofino. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/tree-removal/_