The destruction, removal or injury of trees on public and private property may be prohibited under the Public and Private Tree By-law unless authorized by a Tree Permit.
For information on our Tree By-laws and our tree permit application process please return to our Forest Protection & Tree Permits page.
If your proposed work requires a building permit, or if you are building a swimming pool or swim spa, do not use this application form. Please visit the Pre-Building Approval Application and Pool Permits webpages.
The new application eform will require a login. You will be required to make an account that will provide you access to a portal that allows you to keep track of all your tree permits.
Get your documents ready before you begin!
You will need to upload documents and photographs during your tree permit application. Some of these requirements will be mandatory and you will not be able to continue the application until they are provided. If you are providing documents from a qualified tree professional, please remove all pricing ($) information from the documents before uploading. The preferred format for electronic documents is PDF and the preferred format for pictures are jpegs. There will be file size limits which are provided below.
Some or all of the following may be required to support your application:
| Document Name | Maximum File Size |
|---|---|
|
Owner authorization form (if applying on the owner’s behalf) |
1MB |
|
A location or sketch map of where the tree(s) are on the property with tree inventory details if details are not provided elsewhere |
4MB |
|
An arborist report prepared by a qualified tree professional |
8MB |
|
A tree protection plan drawn to scale with tree inventory details if details are not provided elsewhere |
4MB |
|
Consent letter (where applying to remove or injure a boundary tree or a tree you do not own) |
1MB |
|
Basic risk assessment form from a qualified tree professional for high risk tree applications |
4MB |
|
City authorization documentation for public tree permits |
1MB |
|
Tree replacement plan |
4MB |
|
Photograph(s) of the full tree(s) you are applying for |
2MB |
An application is not considered complete until the City of Burlington has received all required documents and permit fees. Where you are not applying for a fee exempt tree (e.g., dead tree), an application processing fee will be required to move your application forward. Payment will be online and requested when you submit your application. Have your credit card ready to proceed with payment.
Once your application is screened and reviewed by staff additional permit fees and/or security deposits may be required. This will be identified by staff with further directions on how to make the final payment prior to issuing your tree permit. For a list of fees and securities, please visit our Forest Protection & Tree Permits page.
Please note that a completed application is not a tree permit or guarantee that a tree permit will be issued. For questions concerning the tree permit application process and/or the City Tree By-laws, contact Service Burlington through email at city@burlington.ca or by phone 905-335-7777.
Please ensure you have read the above instructions before applying for your tree permit application.