Most trees on a developed Los Gatos lot with a trunk 12 inches or more across are protected, and taking one down, or cutting back more than a quarter of it, needs a permit from the Town. On Hillside lots the line drops to 8 inches, and four native species are protected at 8 inches anywhere in town. The permit costs $256 for the first tree, takes about two to three weeks to decide, and usually comes with replacement planting.
This guide is from Firefighter Tree Service, a firefighter-owned company whose ISA-certified arborists work on trees across Los Gatos and the West Valley. Everything here comes from the Town of Los Gatos permit FAQ and application (revised June 28, 2025) and the Town’s private tree pages, read in October 2026. Where the Town’s own documents disagree, we say so.
When we say “permit,” we mean both the removal permit and the pruning permit, because the Town regulates heavy pruning as well as removal. If you own a flat lot near Vasona and a pine is lifting your driveway, the rules are simpler than you fear. If you live up a Hillside road above Highway 17, the thresholds are lower and the replacement rules are stricter. And if a tree is leaning toward your house right now, skip ahead to the emergency section.
By the end you will know whether your tree is protected, how to measure it, what the Town will ask for, what it costs, and what happens after approval. We have grouped it into four parts: which trees are covered, how to apply, what approval obligates you to, and the exceptions and penalties. Then a short look at how the rules change once you cross into Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Campbell or county land.
So, the first question is the one that decides everything else: is your tree protected?
Which Trees the Los Gatos Tree Ordinance Protects
The Los Gatos tree ordinance (Chapter 29 of the Town Code) protects trees by size, location and species. According to the Town’s tree removal and pruning permit FAQ and application, a Protected Tree is any of the following:
- Any tree 12 inches or more in diameter on developed residential property.
- Any tree 8 inches or more on developed Hillside residential property. The Town publishes a Hillside Area Map so you can check your lot.
- Blue oak, black oak, California buckeye and Pacific madrone 8 inches or more on any developed residential property.
- Any tree 4 inches or more on vacant or non-residential property.
- Any tree 4 inches or more when the removal is tied to development review.
- Any tree that a development approval, building permit, tree permit or code enforcement action required you to plant or keep.
Two more categories sit above that. A Large Protected Tree is any tree 48 inches or more in diameter, or any oak, California buckeye or Pacific madrone 24 inches or more. A Heritage Tree is one the Town Council has designated.
One detail trips people up. Coast live oak and valley oak are not on the 8 inch species list. They follow the general rule (12 inches on a flat lot, 8 inches on a Hillside lot), then become Large Protected at 24 inches because they are oaks. A big coast live oak in a backyard off Blossom Hill Road is very often a Large Protected Tree, which changes the process.
How to measure a tree the way the Town does
The Town measures diameter “at a height of 4.5 feet above the average natural grade.” On a slope, that means the average of the uphill and downhill ground levels, not the high side. For a multi-trunk tree, measure every trunk at 4.5 feet and add the diameters together. Three 5 inch trunks make a 15 inch tree for permit purposes, so a clump of skinny stems on a flat lot can still be protected.
If you only have a tape measure, wrap it around the trunk to get the circumference and divide by 3.14. A 38 inch circumference is a little over 12 inches in diameter.
Trees that never need a permit
The Town exempts some species from both removal and major pruning permits, as long as they are under a size limit:
- Fruit and nut trees under 18 inches in diameter.
- Under 24 inches: black acacia, tulip tree, tree of heaven, blue gum and red gum eucalyptus, palms (except Canary Island date palm) and privet.
- Other eucalyptus under 24 inches, but only on Hillside lots.
Picture a homeowner near La Rinconada Park with an old plum tree and a 20 inch blue gum along the back fence. The plum, if it measures under 18 inches, needs nothing from the Town. The blue gum is under 24 inches, so it is exempt too. The 14 inch liquidambar next to them is the one that needs a permit, even though it is the smallest of the three.
When Pruning Needs a Permit in Los Gatos
You need a Los Gatos pruning permit to remove more than 25% of a Protected Tree within any 3 year period. On a Large Protected or Heritage Tree, you also need one to cut any single branch or root over 4 inches in diameter.
The 3 year window matters more than most people realize. Say you thin a protected oak by 15% one summer and raise the canopy by another 15% two years later for defensible space clearance. Neither job looks heavy alone, but together they cross the 25% line inside 3 years, and the second job needed a permit. Good tree trimming on a protected tree is planned across years, not one visit at a time.
Root cuts count too. Trenching for a new sewer line or a retaining wall near a Large Protected oak can require a permit before anyone touches a branch.
How to Apply for a Los Gatos Tree Removal Permit
You apply through the Town’s online citizen portal at permits.losgatosca.gov. You need an account, the application takes about 20 minutes, and you pay by credit card. Paper applications go to Parks and Public Works at 41 Miles Avenue, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Questions go to (408) 399-5771 or PPWPermits@losgatosca.gov.
The property owner signs the application. A tree company cannot apply in your place without your signature. The Town asks for:
- The signed application, listing every tree by species and diameter.
- Photos and a site plan showing where each tree stands. For pruning, mark the proposed cuts.
- The Replacement Canopy Worksheet, which estimates the canopy of each tree you plan to remove.
- A check for active bird nests, especially from February 1 to August 31.
An arborist report is required only if the Town Arborist asks for one after the inspection. If your reason for removal is structural damage to a foundation, wall or pipe, the Town may want a report from an engineer or architect as well. The Town will not recommend a tree company, but it suggests using ISA Certified arborists.
If you are not sure whether a tree is protected, have it measured before you apply. A certified arborist can measure trunk diameter at the right height, count multi-trunk stems correctly and note the species, which is most of what the application asks for.
What the Permit Costs and How Long It Takes
The Los Gatos tree removal permit fee is $256 for the first tree and $128 for each additional tree, according to the application form revised June 28, 2025 and the Town’s Private Trees page. The FAQ text bundled in the same PDF still shows the older $250 and $125 figures, so expect the form price.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| First tree | $256 |
| Each additional tree | $128 |
| Denied application | 50% of the fee refunded |
| Appeal to the Planning Commission | Within 10 days; appeal fee “currently $76” per the FAQ |
The Town Arborist generally decides within 10 to 15 business days of a complete application. Large Protected and Heritage Trees take longer, because the Town sends a notice to neighbors and allows a 10 day comment period. Incomplete applications stall, so the photos and worksheet are worth getting right the first time.
Here is how the numbers stack up for a real situation. Picture a family on a flat lot in Belwood with a 16 inch Monterey pine and a 13 inch Chinese elm, both too close to the house. The permit fee is $256 plus $128, or $384, before any tree work or replacement planting. If the pine had been the only tree, it would be $256. What the removal itself costs is covered in our Los Gatos tree removal cost guide.
What Approval Obligates You To
An approved Los Gatos tree permit is valid for 90 days, and three things must happen inside that window:
- Post the permit on site where it can be seen while the work is done.
- Notify Parks and Public Works 48 hours before work starts.
- Plant the replacement trees before the permit expires, unless the removal is part of an approved development application.
Replacement trees and in-lieu fees
Los Gatos sizes replacement planting by the canopy of the tree you remove, not by its trunk. The Replacement Canopy Worksheet sets these minimums:
| Canopy of removed tree | Standard replacement | Single-family option* |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft or less | 2 trees, 24 inch box | 2 trees, 15 gallon |
| Over 10 to 25 ft | 3 trees, 24 inch box | 3 trees, 15 gallon |
| Over 25 to 40 ft | 4 trees, 24 inch box, or 2 trees, 36 inch box | 4 trees, 15 gallon |
| Over 40 to 55 ft | 6 trees, 24 inch box, or 3 trees, 36 inch box | Not available |
| Over 55 ft | 10 trees, 24 inch box, or 5 trees, 36 inch box | Not available |
*The single-family option applies only to developed single-family lots under 10,000 square feet that are not under the Hillside standards.
If the trees cannot reasonably fit on your property, the Town Arborist may approve an in-lieu fee instead: $250 for each 24 inch box (or 15 gallon) tree and $500 for each 36 inch box tree. Approval is not automatic, so ask before you assume you can pay instead of plant.
On Hillside lots there is one more rule. Protected trees removed 30 feet or more from the house must be replaced with native species from Appendix A of the Town’s Hillside Development Standards and Guidelines. Different rules apply inside 30 feet.
The dead tree and high risk exception
No replacement is required if the tree is dead, or if the Town Arborist rates it High or Extreme risk. That is a real saving on a big tree, since a large canopy can mean 6 or 10 replacement trees. You still go through the Town: the exception is decided by the Town Arborist, not by the homeowner.
This is where situations split:
- If the tree is clearly dead (no leaves in season, bark falling away), apply and say so. Photos of the whole tree help the Town Arborist confirm it quickly.
- If the tree is alive but you think it is dangerous (a crack in a main stem, heavy lean toward the house, decay at the base), apply and describe the defect. A risk rating from the Town Arborist decides whether you replant.
- If the tree is healthy and simply unwanted, plan on replacement planting or an in-lieu fee, and budget for it from the start.
Emergency Tree Removal in Los Gatos
When a tree poses “imminent danger to life, property, utilities or essential transportation facilities,” the Town allows removal or severe pruning without a permit. The catch is that you must notify the Town and get approval before the work, not after.
- Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: call Parks and Public Works at (408) 399-5771.
- After hours and weekends: call the Los Gatos Police at (408) 354-8600.
- Within 72 hours: send the Town photos and a description of the hazard.
Take the photos before the crew cuts anything. A split trunk resting on a roof is obvious in a picture and much harder to prove from a pile of rounds.
Imagine a coast live oak limb cracking over a Hillside driveway during a winter storm, with the family’s only car on the other side. That is the kind of situation the emergency process exists for. A call to the Police line gets the approval on record, and our emergency tree removal crew answers 24/7 at no after-hours surcharge. A tree that has been leaning the same way for five years is not an emergency in the Town’s eyes, and should go through the normal permit.
Penalties for Removing a Protected Tree Without a Permit
Removing or over-pruning a protected tree without a permit costs a $337 administrative fee on its own, according to the Town of Los Gatos Private Trees page. The permit FAQ adds that owners “may be subject to significant fines and civil actions,” and replacement planting can still be required on top.
You will see much larger per-tree figures quoted online. Those come from specific development conditions of approval, not the general rule for homeowners, and we could not confirm the Town’s general civil penalty formula from the code text. The safe reading is simple: the permit is $256, and skipping it costs more than that in fees alone, before any fines or replanting.
Street Trees Are a Separate Process
Trees in the public strip between the sidewalk and the street belong to the Town and are handled by Parks and Public Works, not through the private tree permit. Contact ppw@losgatosca.gov or (408) 399-5770. If you want a healthy street tree removed, the Town’s FAQ says the owner pays all of the costs.
Next Door Is Different: Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Campbell and County Land
A Los Gatos mailing address does not always mean Town of Los Gatos rules. Monte Sereno is its own city, parts of the hills are unincorporated Santa Clara County, and Saratoga and Campbell share long borders with the Town. Check which agency your parcel falls under before you measure anything.
| Jurisdiction | What is protected | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Monte Sereno | Oak or redwood over 20 inches in circumference, or any tree over 25 inches circumference, measured 48 inches above grade | Dead or “unsuitable” trees (including Monterey pine, eucalyptus, palms and fruit trees) get staff review; other significant trees go to a public hearing |
| Saratoga | Any tree 10 inches or more in diameter; listed natives (oaks, maples, redwoods and others) at 6 inches | A permit is needed even for dead or fallen protected trees (free with documentation). Multi-trunk trees count the largest trunk plus half of each other trunk |
| Campbell | On single-family lots: oak, redwood, cedar or ash 12 inches or more, measured 4 feet above grade | Fruit trees and eucalyptus are never protected; the City says requests are “frequently denied” |
| Unincorporated county | 12 inches diameter (37.7 inch circumference) at 4.5 feet on Hillside zoned parcels of 3 acres or less, “d” design review parcels and the Los Gatos Specific Plan area | Apply at least 10 days ahead; the approved permit is posted for 7 days with copies to adjoining owners. County planning: (408) 299-5700 |
The biggest trap is Monte Sereno, which measures circumference instead of diameter. A 20 inch circumference oak is only about 6.4 inches across, far smaller than anything Los Gatos regulates.
Quick Answers on Los Gatos Tree Permits
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Los Gatos?
You need a Town permit if the tree is a Protected Tree. On a developed residential lot that usually means a trunk 12 inches or more in diameter, 8 inches or more on a Hillside lot, or 8 inches or more for blue oak, black oak, California buckeye and Pacific madrone. Diameter is measured 4.5 feet above the average natural grade.
How much is a tree removal permit in Los Gatos?
The Town’s application form, revised June 28, 2025, lists $256 for the first tree and $128 for each additional tree. If the application is denied, half the fee is refunded.
How long does a Los Gatos tree permit take?
The Town Arborist generally decides within 10 to 15 business days of a complete application. Large Protected and Heritage trees add a neighbor notice with a 10-day comment period. An approved permit is valid for 90 days.
Can I remove a dangerous tree in Los Gatos without a permit?
Only when the tree is an imminent danger to life, property, utilities or essential transportation facilities, and you still have to notify the Town and get approval before acting. Call Parks and Public Works at (408) 399-5771 on weekdays from 8 to 4, or the Police at (408) 354-8600 after hours, then send photos and a description within 72 hours.
What happens if I remove a protected tree without a permit in Los Gatos?
The Town charges a $337 illegal tree removal administrative fee and warns of significant fines and civil actions. Replacement planting can also be required.
Planning a Tree Removal in Los Gatos With Firefighter Tree Service
The permit is the slow part of most Los Gatos removals, so start there. Measure the tree, check the Hillside map, and file a complete application with good photos. Once the permit is posted, the work itself is usually the quick part, and our 3-day service guarantee covers standard jobs from the approved estimate. Firefighter Tree Service is firefighter-owned and insured, and our ISA-certified arborists will measure your tree and give you a free estimate for tree removal in Los Gatos. Call (650) 454-0373 to set up a visit.
