Service Area

Arborist Reports in Richmond Hill

Tree removal permits and construction arborist reports for City of Richmond Hill, prepared by an ISA Certified Arborist for municipal review.

Permit required at 15 cm DBH

Application fee: $314 application fee
Processing time: No published standard timeline

15 cm

protected tree threshold

2 days

report turnaround

21+

GTA municipalities served

Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Ontario.

Permit required at 15 cm DBH

Application fee: $314 application fee
Processing time: No published standard timeline

Tree Bylaws in Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill updated its tree bylaws in April 2025, replacing the previous Tree Preservation By-law 41-07 with By-law #19-25 (Municipal Code Chapter 1015). The current bylaw protects all trees with a diameter at breast height of 15 cm or more at 1.4 metres above ground, down from the previous threshold of 20 cm. Tree injury is defined as removing more than 20% of live tissue within a 12-month period.

A standard Tree Permit application requires a Certified Arborist report and a non-refundable fee of $314 + HST for the first tree, plus $109 + HST for each additional tree to a maximum of $859 + HST. The current cash-in-lieu rate is $945 per tree under the 2026 Tariff of Fees By-law. Active Plan of Subdivision or Site Plan applications use arborist-prepared Tree Inventory and Preservation Plans through the planning process and do not require a separate Tree Permit.

Richmond Hill's blend of established neighbourhoods and active development areas means tree preservation comes up in a wide range of situations. From homeowners looking to remove a single problem tree to builders working on infill projects with multiple protected trees on site, we prepare the documentation that Richmond Hill's forestry department requires.

Richmond Hill Tree Bylaw at a Glance

Minimum Diameter

15 cm

Permit Fee

$314 + HST (first tree), $109 + HST each additional (max $859 + HST). Cash-in-lieu: $945/tree

Processing Time

No published standard timeline

Penalty

AMPS: $50 posting, $200 false information or continuing offence, $350 compliance-order violation, $500 Exemption Permit violation, and $750 injury without permit or obstruction; court fines up to $100,000 per offence and special fines may exceed $100,000

Special Zones

Oak Ridges Moraine and other natural heritage areas can trigger additional planning requirements

View official bylaw Application page

Bylaw details verified 2026-07-18.

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

Before starting tree work in Richmond Hill

Review the current municipal permit and exemption requirements before work begins. Removing or injuring a protected tree without approval can lead to fines and replanting orders.