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Obtain a Street Tree Work Permit

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Use this application for one of the following purposes:

Notice: To request a permit, you must be the property owner of the house adjacent to the tree.

Work You Can Do

You may prune low-growing branches or brush on street trees without a tree work permit if:

  • You use non-powered hand tools
  • You do not use ladders or any climbing equipment and are standing on the ground
  • Branches are less than 1" in diameter

  • Make sure the tree qualifies

    You can request a permit to remove, prune or service a tree that is:

    • In the City right-of-way (the grassy area between the sidewalk and street) adjacent to your house

    Note that the City will not be performing the work. You are responsible for locating public utility lines and hiring a contractor to perform the work if the permit is approved.

  • Allow time for the review process

    Allow at least 21 business days for us to review and process your correctly-completed application. Time may be extended during inclement weather as we respond to damaged or downed tree issues.

  • Find and verify contractor's licenses

    To perform tree care or removal, you must have an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist: Find an ISA Certified Arborist.

    To plant a tree, your contractor must have a California state license.

    To complete the application, you MUST verify and PROVIDE the contractor’s licenses:

  • Gather the rest of your information

    Homeowner

    • You must provide proof of liability and property damage insurance.

    Contractor

    Your contractor must provide the following:

    • Certified International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Arborist license number
    • Current valid Sunnyvale Business License
    • Proof of Workers’ Compensation insurance, Property Damage insurance and Liability insurance in the amount of at least $1 million.
    • State of California Contractors License for tree work. Acceptable licenses include D-49 or a C27 Landscape license.

    To apply any type of spray or soil injection to a street tree, your ISA arborist must have:

    • Qualified Applicators Certificate (QAC) from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

  • Complete the online application

    Ensure your application is correct and complete.

    NOTICE: Your application will not be processed if it is incomplete or incorrect. If your application is incomplete or contains invalid information, you will have to resubmit it. The application submission date will start once we obtain a fully complete valid application.

    APPLY FOR STREET TREE WORK PERMIT

    THIS APPLICATION IS NOT A PERMIT

  • We'll review your application and contact you

    We’ll review your application and required documents, and confirm ownership of the property and tree. The City Arborist will contact you (owner*) to inspect the site and work to be done.

    Following the City Arborist’s approval, you will receive a permit with conditions for your signature (via DocuSign).

    You must provide us with three business days’ notice in advance of the start of work. Your contractor must be on-site for the appointment.

    *Or for a commercial property, the property manager or contractor.

    Note: The City Arborist makes the final decision on all street tree removal requests.