It depends on where the tree is. In unincorporated Sacramento County, a hazardous tree can be removed in an emergency with permission from Public Works during working hours or the fire district after hours. Roseville, Folsom, and Citrus Heights exempt storm-damaged or imminently dangerous trees, usually once an official or arborist makes that call. The City of Sacramento's tree code has no written emergency exemption for private parties, so call 311 before cutting a protected tree. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first. That is the storm damaged tree removal permit Sacramento answer in one paragraph.
| Jurisdiction | Emergency rule | Who to call | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Sacramento | No written emergency exemption for private parties. Call 311 before cutting a protected tree. | 311, including after hours for a city street tree | City permit guide |
| Sacramento County (unincorporated) | A hazardous tree may be removed with permission from Public Works during working hours, or the fire district at other times. | Director of Public Works, or the fire district at other times | County permit guide |
| Citrus Heights | Exempt when the Director, General Services Director, law enforcement, or the Fire Department determines an imminent threat. | 916-727-4770, 8 AM to 5 PM; police 916-727-5500 after hours for a tree in the road | Citrus Heights permit guide |
| Roseville | A storm-damaged tree may be removed without a Tree Permit when a listed official determines it is a danger and notifies the Planning Manager. | Peace officer, firefighter, utility official, civil defense official, or code enforcement officer | Roseville code §19.66 |
| Folsom | Emergency work to remove limbs or trees damaged by extreme weather, chance occurrence, or unavoidable accident is exempt. | City arborist or fire chief for an imminent public safety risk | Folsom permit guide |
Rules change; confirm with your city or county before cutting a protected tree.
First: is anyone in danger?
If a tree, limb, or line is an immediate danger to people, call 911 or the fire department. Do not wait on a permit while someone is at risk. Life safety comes first.
If a line is down or touching the tree, stay away. Do not touch the tree or anything in contact with the line. Call 911, then the electric utility. In SMUD territory, the City of Sacramento tells people to assume the line is energized and to call SMUD. We don't work on trees touching energized lines until the utility has made them safe.
When people are clear of the tree, the permit question is the next step. Our emergency tree service page covers the work itself. Call us: (916) 580-7932; we typically respond the same day.
City or county? Check your address first.
A Sacramento mailing address does not tell you which ordinance applies. Sacramento County’s Tree Permits page says that if you live in a city, you contact that city. Use the county Parcel Viewer: cities on the map are colored and labeled. Unincorporated communities such as Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, and Antelope follow the county ordinance below.
City of Sacramento
This section is for property inside city limits, including Midtown, South Sacramento, Land Park, and East Sacramento. The rules are in City Code Chapter 12.56. The city explains permits on its Urban Forestry tree permits page. More detail is in our City of Sacramento tree permit guide.
A permit is required for regulated work on a city tree or a private protected tree. Regulated work includes removal, pruning, and topping. The code says topping is not routine maintenance.
A private protected tree includes a valley oak, blue oak, interior live oak, coast live oak, California buckeye, or California sycamore at 12 inches or more in diameter at standard height (DSH, 4.5 feet). It also includes any tree of 32 inches or more DSH on a lot with a single-family or duplex dwelling, and any tree of 24 inches or more DSH on an undeveloped lot or on other property, such as commercial, industrial, and apartments. A tree the City Council designates for special historical, environmental, or community value is also protected. A city tree is one partly or fully in a city park, on city property, or in the public right-of-way, including a street, sidewalk, park strip, mow strip, or alley.
Section 12.56.050 says no person shall perform regulated work without a tree permit, except as provided in Sections 12.32.020, 12.56.080(E), and 12.56.080(F). Section 12.32.020 is the owner’s duty to repair a defective sidewalk. Where roots caused the defect, the director may grant permission to cut the roots after consulting the city arborist. Section 12.56.080(E) is utility work, and the utility needs the director’s permission before it cuts or prunes a protected tree. Section 12.56.080(F) is flood-protection work by a public agency on public property or in a public easement. Those exceptions are not a written emergency exemption for a private owner. For a damaged protected tree, call 311 and ask Urban Forestry before cutting beyond what life safety requires.
Minor pruning is routine maintenance, and regulated work does not include routine maintenance. The code defines minor pruning as the removal of dead branches, or cutting of roots or branches less than two inches in diameter, from a private protected tree, in a cumulative amount of no more than 10 percent of the root system and crown within 12 months.
If a city street tree is down, call 311, including after hours or during a storm. The city’s tree questions page says private-tree emergencies are the property owner’s responsibility. The city says permits are generally processed within ten business days.
Even an approved removal permit is not instant. Section 12.56.050(E) says the director posts notice for 15 days, and the permit “shall not be effective until expiration of the fifteen (15) day notice period or final resolution of all appeals, whichever is later.”
Section 12.56.090(C) sets civil penalties of not less than $250 and not more than $25,000 for each day a violation continues.
Unincorporated Sacramento County
Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, and Antelope are unincorporated, so County Code Chapter 19.12 applies. Our Sacramento County tree permit guide walks through the ordinary application.
The ordinance defines a tree as any living native oak with at least one trunk of 6 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet, or a multi-trunk native oak with an aggregate diameter of 10 inches or more at that height. The native oaks named in the code are valley oak, interior live oak, blue oak, and oracle oak. The county’s Tree Permits page says a permit is required to remove or prune native oaks, along with public trees and certain landscaping trees.
The emergency rule is Section 19.12.170: “In case of emergency caused by the tree being in a hazardous or dangerous condition, requiring immediate action for the safety of the structures or human life, such tree may be removed by permission of the Director of Public Works during normal working hours or the applicable fire district at other times.” You still need that permission before the tree is removed.
For a normal county permit, the Tree Permits page lists a $31.95 fee, due when the approved permit is released, and says review typically takes less than 10 working days. That fee is paid to the county. It is separate from our filing charge, described below.
Citrus Heights
Citrus Heights Zoning Code Chapter 106.39 is published on Municode, the host linked from the city’s zoning code page. See also our Citrus Heights permit guide.
A protected tree includes a native oak (blue oak, interior live oak, coast live oak, or valley oak) of 6 inches or more measured at 54 inches above the ground, or a multi-trunk oak with an aggregate of 10 inches or more at that height. The chapter also protects heritage or landmark trees and groves identified by council resolution, certain mature trees of 19 inches or more, trees required by a permit or as mitigation, and a tree of 19 inches or more within 25 feet of a seasonal stream. The 19-inch category has location limits and a species list in the code, including exclusions such as pine, eucalyptus, and fruit trees.
A Tree Permit is required before removal of a protected tree, before ground-disturbing work in the protected zone, and before “any pruning of a protected tree.” Trimming and pruning are the same work under that pruning rule.
Removal of a native oak (subsection A.1) or a qualifying 19-inch tree (subsection A.4) is exempt on a residential parcel with a single dwelling that is 10,000 square feet or less, or that cannot be further subdivided. That exemption is for removal. Any pruning of a protected tree still needs a permit.
The emergency exemption applies when the Director, the General Services Director, a member of a law enforcement agency, or the Fire Department determines that a protected tree poses an imminent threat to the public safety or general welfare. Removal is also exempt when the Director, or an arborist approved by the Director, determines the tree is dead or dying, has become hazardous or unsightly as a result, and provides limited habitat value.
If a tree has fallen in the road or on a sidewalk, the city’s storm-ready page says to call Citrus Heights at 916-727-4770 from 8 AM to 5 PM, or the Police Department at 916-727-5500 after hours. If the tree grew in your yard, you are responsible for its removal.
Roseville
Roseville’s oak rules are in Municipal Code Chapter 19.66. A protected tree is a native oak of 6 inches or more DBH, measured as a total of a single trunk or multiple trunks. Section 19.66.020 defines a native oak as valley oak, blue oak, interior live oak, or hybrids of those species.
Section 19.66.030(C) lists when a Tree Permit is not required for removal. One case is a tree damaged by thunderstorm, windstorm, flood, earthquake, fire, or other natural cause, when a peace officer, firefighter, public utility official, civil defense official, or city code enforcement officer, acting in an official capacity, determines that it presents a danger to persons or property. That official must immediately give written notification of the condition and the action taken to the Planning Manager.
The Planning Manager may allow removal of a protected tree that an arborist has certified is dead. A protected living tree that presents a hazard because of its structure and location may be removed after an arborist determines the hazardous condition and the Planning Manager reviews that determination and the tree’s location. Removal of a protected tree on property developed with a single-family or two-family dwelling that has been granted occupancy is also exempt from a Tree Permit.
Folsom
Folsom’s rules are in Chapter 12.16. Our Folsom permit guide covers the ordinary permit. A native oak in that chapter is a valley oak, blue oak, interior live oak, or coast live oak, or a hybrid of those, at 6 inches DSH, or 20 inches combined DSH for a multi-trunk tree. Protected trees also include heritage trees, landmark trees, and regulated trees as the chapter defines them.
The chapter defines emergency as an imminent danger to the safety of persons or property, or the imminent loss of water, sewer, gas, or electrical service, or of access to property. Section 12.16.050(C) exempts emergency work that removes limbs or trees damaged by extreme weather, chance occurrence, or unavoidable accident beyond the owner’s reasonable control. It also exempts removal of a protected tree that poses an imminent safety risk to the public as determined by the city arborist or the city fire chief.
Removal of a protected tree that is dead or dying, as determined by an arborist and/or verified by the city arborist, is exempt “provided that the tree replacement requirements are met.” Minor pruning is also exempt. The code defines minor pruning as cutting an individual branch or root of less than two inches in diameter, totaling no more than 10 percent of the roots, the crown, or both, within 12 months. Pruning that substantially reduces the size or density of the tree, or destroys its symmetry or natural shape, is not minor pruning.
Rocklin, Loomis, and Granite Bay
Check with the City of Rocklin, the Town of Loomis, or Placer County (Granite Bay) before cutting a protected oak. No emergency rule for those places is stated here. See our Granite Bay permit guide.
What to photograph before anything is moved
Before anything is moved, photograph the whole tree, the trunk from about 10 feet away, the break or defect, and any damage to your home, fence, or car. Write down the date and time. These photos help with a permit and with an insurance claim.
Sacramento County asks for exactly this kind of set with a permit application: the entire tree, the trunk from 10 feet away, any defective part, and photos of damaged property such as a sidewalk, driveway, or foundation. For a valley oak in Carmichael, take that set before the trunk is cut up.
We provide the paperwork insurers ask for: an itemized invoice and, when the insurer requests it, documentation that backs up our pricing. We're very familiar with insurance claim procedures. Coverage depends on your policy. What to do on the property after the photos is covered in what to do after storm damage.
Can pruning save it?
Removing dead branches is treated as routine maintenance in the City of Sacramento, and Folsom exempts minor pruning. But Citrus Heights requires a permit for any pruning of a protected tree, and Sacramento County requires one to prune a protected oak. Broken limbs that threaten people or property are an emergency. Anything more than that should wait for the permit.
Broken limbs come off as a hazard. Whether the rest of the tree can stay is something we look at during the visit or the estimate. Trimming and pruning are the same work. Only light maintenance pruning happens year-round. Heavier corrective pruning is planned for the dormant season. See tree pruning and hazardous limb removal.
If a tree still standing shows cracks, a new lean, or soil lifting at the base, call us. The city’s storm guidance says heaving soil around the base should be taken seriously.
We can file the permit for you
The $150 permit filing includes follow-up with the agency and any resubmittals. It doesn't guarantee approval, and it's still due if the permit is denied.
Most tree permits don't need an arborist report. When one is required, we can provide a standard arborist report for $250.
Both are separate from government fees.
Your estimate is provided by an ISA Certified Arborist; the work is done by our own crews.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Call us: (916) 580-7932; we typically respond the same day. Start with an estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree that fell in a storm?
It depends on where the tree is. In unincorporated Sacramento County, a hazardous tree can be removed in an emergency with permission from the Director of Public Works during working hours or the fire district at other times. Roseville, Folsom, and Citrus Heights each have a written exemption for some storm-damaged or imminently dangerous trees, and the code names who has to make that call. The City of Sacramento has no written emergency exemption for private parties, so call 311 before cutting a protected tree. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.
Does a dead tree need a permit?
It depends on the jurisdiction. The City of Sacramento's cited code does not list a dead-tree exception for private parties, so call 311 before cutting a protected tree. Sacramento County defines a tree under its preservation ordinance as a living native oak of the listed species and size. Citrus Heights exempts removal when the Director, or an arborist approved by the Director, determines the tree is dead or dying, has become hazardous or unsightly as a result, and provides limited habitat value. In Roseville, the Planning Manager may allow removal of a protected tree that an arborist has certified is dead. Folsom exempts removal of a protected tree that is dead or dying as determined by an arborist and/or verified by the city arborist, provided that the tree replacement requirements are met.
Who gives permission at night or on a weekend?
Use the agency named in the code. In the City of Sacramento, call 311, including after hours, for a city street tree. Private-tree emergencies are the owner's responsibility, and there is still no written emergency exemption for a private party. In unincorporated Sacramento County, Section 19.12.170 says a hazardous tree may be removed with permission from the Director of Public Works during normal working hours or the applicable fire district at other times. In Citrus Heights, the emergency exemption applies when the Director, the General Services Director, a member of a law enforcement agency, or the Fire Department determines an imminent threat. For a tree in the road or on a sidewalk, call the city at 916-727-4770 from 8 AM to 5 PM, or the Police Department at 916-727-5500 after hours. In Roseville, a peace officer, firefighter, public utility official, civil defense official, or code enforcement officer can determine that a storm-damaged tree presents a danger, and that official must give written notice to the Planning Manager. In Folsom, an imminent public safety risk is determined by the city arborist or the fire chief.
Can I prune broken limbs without a permit?
Removing dead branches is treated as routine maintenance in the City of Sacramento, and Folsom exempts minor pruning. But Citrus Heights requires a permit for any pruning of a protected tree, and Sacramento County requires one to prune a protected oak. Broken limbs that threaten people or property are an emergency. Anything more than that should wait for the permit. Trimming and pruning are the same work. Light maintenance pruning can happen year-round. Heavier corrective pruning is planned for the dormant season.
Who pays for a fallen private tree?
If the tree is private, the owner pays for the work. The City of Sacramento says tree emergencies involving private trees are the property owner's responsibility, and debris from a private tree is cleaned up by the homeowner. The city maintains city trees and clears the public right-of-way. Citrus Heights says that if the tree grew in your yard and has fallen, you are responsible for its removal. A tree in the road or on a sidewalk is a call to the city, at the numbers above. Coverage depends on your policy.
What should I photograph, and what insurance paperwork can you provide?
Before anything is moved, photograph the whole tree, the trunk from about 10 feet away, the break or defect, and any damage to your home, fence, or car. Write down the date and time. These photos help with a permit and with an insurance claim. Sacramento County asks for the whole tree, the trunk from 10 feet away, the defect, and any property damage with a permit application. We provide the paperwork insurers ask for: an itemized invoice and, when the insurer requests it, documentation that backs up our pricing. We're very familiar with insurance claim procedures. Coverage depends on your policy.
Can TreeMax file the permit for me?
The $150 permit filing includes follow-up with the agency and any resubmittals. It doesn't guarantee approval, and it's still due if the permit is denied. Most tree permits don't need an arborist report. When one is required, we can provide a standard arborist report for $250. Both are separate from government fees. Your estimate is provided by an ISA Certified Arborist; the work is done by our own crews.