Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Milton?

No. Milton has no private tree bylaw, so an individual tree on a standard lot can be removed without a municipal permit, regardless of size. Larger treed areas may still fall under a separate regional woodland or woodlot bylaw.

Service Area

Arborist Reports in Milton

Tree removal permits and construction arborist reports for Halton Region, prepared by an ISA Certified Arborist for municipal review.

No private tree bylaw

Regional rule: Halton Region woodlots 0.5 ha+ (more than 500 trees/ha, over 12 cm DBH) regulated under By-law 121-05
Construction: Construction projects still need arborist reports

None

permit required for private trees

2 days

report turnaround

21+

GTA municipalities served

Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Ontario.

No private tree bylaw

Regional rule: Halton Region woodlots 0.5 ha+ (more than 500 trees/ha, over 12 cm DBH) regulated under By-law 121-05
Construction: Construction projects still need arborist reports

Tree Bylaws in Milton

Milton has no private tree protection bylaw for individual trees on residential or commercial lots. If your project involves a single tree on a standard lot, no municipal permit is required to remove it.

Two regimes still apply depending on the site. Halton Region's Tree By-law 121-05 covers woodlots of 0.5 hectares or more with more than 500 trees per hectare over 12 cm DBH, regardless of which Halton municipality they sit in. Separately, the Town's development-application standards require any tree 15 cm DBH or larger to be shown and protected on site plans submitted for building permits, site plan approval, or subdivision.

We work with Milton builders and homeowners to confirm which regime applies before work starts, prepare the tree inventory and protection plan development applications require, and handle Halton Region woodlot documentation when a project touches a qualifying treed area.

Milton Tree Bylaw at a Glance

Minimum Diameter

No private tree bylaw for individual trees. Halton Region woodlots 0.5 ha+ (more than 500 trees/ha, over 12 cm DBH) regulated under By-law 121-05. Development site plans require trees 15 cm DBH and larger to be inventoried.

Permit Fee

No permit fee for private tree removal, since no permit is required. Halton Region woodlot permit fees are set by the Region.

Processing Time

Not applicable for private trees. Development-application tree inventories are reviewed alongside the site plan submission timeline.

Penalty

Not applicable to private trees outside a qualifying Halton Region woodlot; Halton Region By-law 121-05 sets separate enforcement for woodlot contraventions.

Special Zones

Halton Region woodlots under By-law 121-05; Conservation Halton regulated watercourse and floodplain areas

View official bylaw

Bylaw details verified 2026-06-19.

See how Milton compares to other municipalities in our GTA tree bylaw comparison.

Before starting tree work in Milton

Check the Milton permit portal before any tree work begins. Bylaw requirements change, and fines for unpermitted removal start at Not applicable to private trees outside a qualifying Halton Region woodlot; Halton Region By-law 121-05 sets separate enforcement for woodlot contraventions..