City of Boroondara Permit Guide

Tree Removal Permits
in City of Boroondara

When you need a permit, what the application involves, and what the arborist report must contain — verified against City of Boroondara's own planning scheme on 2026-09-17. We prepare permit-ready arborist reports in-house to AS 4970:2025 and AS 4373-2007.

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Verified2026-09-17
AQF L5Arborist Reports
$20MPublic Liability
$20M Insured & AQF Qualified
AS 4970 & AS 4373 Reports
In-House AQF Level 5
Permit-Ready Documentation

Source & verification. Every threshold on this page is quoted from City of Boroondara's own permit information: https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/services/planning-and-building/building/works-permits/trees-and-construction/tree-works-permits. Verified 2026-09-17. Council thresholds change — the date on this page reflects when we last checked. If you're planning a job in the next few weeks, call us or check the source link before committing.

Overlays in Force

Which Planning Controls
Apply in Boroondara?

City of Boroondara uses several layered controls to protect trees on private property. Which one applies to your specific tree depends on the overlay mapped over your property and the tree's own dimensions.

  • Boroondara Tree Protection Local Law 2024 — the primary tree-protection mechanism in Boroondara
  • Significant Tree Register (individual protected trees)
  • Clause 52.37 (Canopy Trees) applies site-wide in residential zones
Clause 52.37 (Canopy Trees)

Victoria-Wide Canopy Tree Rule

Since 15 September 2025, Clause 52.37 (Amendment VC289) applies state-wide to all residential zones — including throughout City of Boroondara.

Under the Boroondara Tree Protection Local Law 2024, a canopy tree is defined as a tree with a trunk circumference of either 110 centimetres or more measured at 1.4 metres above ground level, OR 150 centimetres or more measured at ground level. Note that Boroondara's local-law definition differs from the state Clause 52.37 canopy-tree definition (5m+ height, 0.5m+ circumference at 1.4m, 4m+ canopy). Boundary canopy trees under Clause 52.37 — those within 6 metres of the narrowest street frontage or 4.5 metres of the rear boundary — attract a VicSmart planning permit requirement in addition to any Local Law permit.

Boroondara-Specific Rules

City of Boroondara's Own
Additional Requirements

On top of Clause 52.37, City of Boroondara adds its own overlay-based controls — often stricter than the state minimum.

You must get a permit to remove canopy trees in Boroondara even when the tree is dead or is a recognised weed species. Canopy trees can be pruned without a permit, but must be pruned to Australian Standard 4373-2007 (Pruning of Amenity Trees). Significant Trees listed on Boroondara's Significant Tree Register have additional protections — a Tree Removal or Works Permit is required for any work within the Tree Protection Zone of a Significant Tree, on either private or public land.

Exemptions

When You Don't Need a Permit

Genuine exemptions listed by City of Boroondara. If your situation is unclear, we recommend confirming with Council or with us before removing anything — retrospective enforcement can be expensive.

  • No general dead-tree or weed-species exemption — Boroondara requires a permit even for canopy trees that are dead or are recognised weed species (see Council's explicit statement).
  • AS 4373-2007 pruning is permitted without a permit for canopy trees (removal still requires a permit).
Application Fee

What the Permit
Actually Costs

Boroondara publishes the current fee directly on its Tree Works Permits page: **$226.90 to remove a canopy or significant tree**. Permits are valid for 12 months from application.

Arborist Report Requirements

What the Report Must Contain

Boroondara's Tree Protection Local Law application typically requires a suitably qualified arborist report addressing tree health, structural condition, and — where relevant — the impact of any proposed works. We prepare these in-house to AS 4970:2025 (protection of trees on development sites) and AS 4373-2007 (pruning standards).

More on our arborist reports →
Local Context

What Else to Know
About Boroondara

Boroondara's tree protection is unusually strict compared to neighbouring councils — the Local Law requires a permit even for dead canopy trees and recognised weed species, which is not the case in surrounding councils. The tool 'myLot' on Council's website is a free planning enquiry tool useful for checking permit requirements on a specific address.

Get In Touch

Boroondara Permit
Support & Quotes

Send us your address and what you want to do. The TLC Team will confirm the overlay status on your property, quote the works, and prepare the arborist report Boroondara Council needs — all in-house, same business day for a written response.

The TLC Team will respond the same business day with next steps.

Common Questions

Boroondara Permit FAQs

Answers to what Boroondara property owners ask us most often.

When do I need a permit to remove a tree in Boroondara?

Under the Boroondara Tree Protection Local Law 2024, a canopy tree is defined as a tree with a trunk circumference of either 110 centimetres or more measured at 1.4 metres above ground level, OR 150 centimetres or more measured at ground level. Note that Boroondara's local-law definition differs from the state Clause 52.37 canopy-tree definition (5m+ height, 0.5m+ circumference at 1.4m, 4m+ canopy). Boundary canopy trees under Clause 52.37 — those within 6 metres of the narrowest street frontage or 4.5 metres of the rear boundary — attract a VicSmart planning permit requirement in addition to any Local Law permit. You must get a permit to remove canopy trees in Boroondara even when the tree is dead or is a recognised weed species. Canopy trees can be pruned without a permit, but must be pruned to Australian Standard 4373-2007 (Pruning of Amenity Trees). Significant Trees listed on Boroondara's Significant Tree Register have additional protections — a Tree Removal or Works Permit is required for any work within the Tree Protection Zone of a Significant Tree, on either private or public land.

Are dead trees exempt from permit requirements in Boroondara?

No general dead-tree or weed-species exemption — Boroondara requires a permit even for canopy trees that are dead or are recognised weed species (see Council's explicit statement). AS 4373-2007 pruning is permitted without a permit for canopy trees (removal still requires a permit).

What does the arborist report need to contain for a Boroondara permit?

Boroondara's Tree Protection Local Law application typically requires a suitably qualified arborist report addressing tree health, structural condition, and — where relevant — the impact of any proposed works. We prepare these in-house to AS 4970:2025 (protection of trees on development sites) and AS 4373-2007 (pruning standards). We prepare these in-house with our AQF Level 5 arborists — no third-party consultant, no scheduling gap between the site visit and the report delivery.

How much does a Boroondara tree removal permit cost?

Boroondara publishes the current fee directly on its Tree Works Permits page: **$226.90 to remove a canopy or significant tree**. Permits are valid for 12 months from application. Our arborist-report fee is separate and quoted on the specific job; we send you a fixed written quote after seeing the site or the drawings.

Can TLC apply for the permit on my behalf?

We prepare the arborist report Boroondara Council requires and can advise on the application, but the property owner or their agent lodges the permit with Council. We coordinate with your planning consultant, builder, or facilities manager if the tree work is part of a larger application.

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