Tree Removal Permit in Cambridge, MA
Permit Summary
Do You Need a Tree Removal Permit?
Exemptions
Ordinary private trees under 6 inches DBH do not require a Tree Removal Permit; routine pruning of private trees also does not require that permit. A designated Replacement Tree remains permit-protected for 10 years regardless of its size. Dead, dangerous, and other specified special-circumstance trees are not exempt from the permit requirement; qualifying circumstances may waive mitigation. The Tree Protection Ordinance excludes certain qualifying affordable-housing projects, but this does not waive separate public-shade-tree or environmental approvals.
Protected Trees & Removal Eligibility
Protected Tree Rules
Cambridge Municipal Code chapter 8.66 protects private Significant Trees (6 inches DBH or greater) and applies heightened mitigation valuation and potentially more extensive review to Exceptional Trees (30 inches DBH or greater). Species, including invasive species, do not create a general permit exception. Replacement Trees remain designated and protected for 10 years after planting, regardless of trunk size. City-owned street and public shade trees are separately regulated under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 87.
When Removal Is Allowed
A Significant or Exceptional Tree can be removed only with the City Arborist's permit. Mitigation is generally required when removal does not satisfy a listed special circumstance. Qualifying mitigation-free circumstances include a tree certified completely dead, a professionally assessed dangerous tree, a documented emergency, significant adverse effects on an existing structure with City Engineer approval, removal beneficial to other Significant Trees or canopy health, and specified qualifying utility and City park projects. Decline or dormancy alone does not establish that a tree is dead; the existing-structure exception does not cover planned buildings. An applicant can otherwise seek permission by meeting replacement planting or payment requirements.
Replacement Requirements
Replacement Rules
For removals not qualifying for a mitigation exception, mitigation can consist of City Arborist-approved Replacement Trees on the property, a Tree Replacement Fund payment, or both. Current payment rate: $850 per inch DBH, with Exceptional Trees assessed at 1.5 times measured DBH; approved planting credits reduce payment under the ordinance's distinct formulas for ordinary removals and large projects. Eligible residential-tax-exemption owners pay 10% of the calculated mitigation, and qualifying financial-assistance recipients pay none. Replacement submissions specify species, size, location, timing and a five-year care plan. Trees generally must be planted the next planting season unless the City Arborist approves otherwise; submit planting photographs to close the permit. Replacement Trees are protected for 10 years. Large projects may place replacements on approved nearby lots and have additional security requirements.
Arborist & Professional Requirements
Professional Requirements
For private removal applications, a Certified Arborist means a professional certified by the Massachusetts Arborists' Association or International Society of Arboriculture; municipal forestry staff cannot supply the owner's private-tree certification. Dead and dangerous tree claims require Certified Arborist Form A; dangerous trees also require an ISA Level 2 Tree Risk Assessment. Canopy-benefit requests require a Certified Arborist narrative and Form B. The City Arborist may require an owner-funded ISA Level 3 risk assessment for Exceptional Trees. For claims of adverse impact to an existing structure, City Engineer approval and, when requested, a professional engineer's report or certification are required.
Public Notice Requirements
Notice Rules
Cambridge does not prescribe a general public hearing for an ordinary private-tree removal permit under chapter 8.66. Healthy public shade-tree removals, however, generally require an advertised public hearing under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 87. Statutory notice identifies each tree's size, type and location; it is posted on the tree and in at least two public places at least seven days before the hearing and published in a local newspaper in two successive weeks. Written objections can be submitted before or at the hearing; a removal with a timely objection requires the additional approval specified by chapter 87, section 4. Statutory exceptions apply to certain public-tree work and hazards.
Emergency Tree Removal
For a Significant Tree presenting an emergency, normally apply for the City Arborist's permit with an owner-signed emergency narrative and tree/DBH photos; the City Arborist may require a Certified Arborist's Form A and ISA Level 2 Tree Risk Assessment. If an imminent safety threat requires removal when prior approval cannot be obtained, the City's Type 2 emergency procedure requires a completed Tree Removal Permit application within 24 hours or on the next business day, a detailed explanation of the threat and why the City Arborist was unavailable, Certified Arborist Form A, an ISA Level 2 assessment and photographs if possible. Qualifying emergency circumstances avoid mitigation; the after-the-fact application remains required. Contact Public Works for an immediate hazard involving a City tree.
Development & Special Areas
Development-Related Rules
City permit holders must take reasonable precautions to protect Significant Trees on the lot from construction damage; damage or resulting removal may trigger enforcement and mitigation. Projects requiring specified Planning Board special permits, or buildings of 25,000 square feet or more subject to zoning section 19.50, must provide a Tree Study including a tree survey, protection plan and, where applicable, mitigation plan. Submit the study to the City Arborist at least 21 days before the relevant development permit filing. Covered large projects use the full aggregate DBH-replacement calculation (Exceptional Tree DBH multiplied by 1.5) and must post a bond equal to mitigation-plan costs, with a $5,000 minimum, generally maintained for at least five years following occupancy. City Arborist approval is required for off-site replacement plantings.
Special Zone Rules
Public street and right-of-way trees are governed by Massachusetts General Laws chapter 87 and City Arborist control rather than the private-lot Significant Tree threshold. Cambridge's Conservation Commission separately reviews work affecting jurisdictional wetlands, floodplains and water bodies; its guidance requires filing for proposed work, including landscaping, within 100 feet of an area under its jurisdiction. Work on designated properties or tied to site-specific zoning approvals may require separate agency review; those approvals do not replace any applicable Tree Removal Permit.
What You Need Before Applying
Requirements
For removal of a regulated private tree, submit an online application to the City Arborist before cutting, accurately record trunk diameter at 4.5 feet above ground, document the reason for removal, and provide supporting photos and any required professional certification. Comply with approved mitigation by planting, payment to the Tree Replacement Fund, or both unless a qualifying mitigation exception applies. Obtain separate City authorization before any work on a public street tree.
Required Documents
Complete online application, property and tree information, purpose of removal, a full-tree/crown photograph and a photograph showing DBH or circumference measurement at 4.5 feet. Dead-tree applications require visible-condition photos and Certified Arborist Form A; dangerous-tree applications also require an ISA Basic (Level 2) Tree Risk Assessment. Other circumstances may require Forms A/B, engineer documentation or a higher-level arborist assessment. If mitigation involves planting, provide replacement-tree species, number, size, location, planting date, site photo/map/plan and five-year care plan; if the trunk crosses a boundary, provide the neighboring owner's approval letter.