Metro Vancouver
Tree bylaw and arborist report rules in Richmond, BC
Richmond, BC protects a tree once its trunk is 20 cm at 1.4 m and it stands 4.5 m tall. Permits cost $70 for one tree or $84.25 a tree for more.
- Application fee
- $70 application fee
Tree bylaws in Richmond
In Richmond, a tree's height counts as much as its trunk. Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057 covers a tree once its diameter at 1.4 m reaches 20 cm and it also stands 4.5 m or taller. On City land, or inside an Environmentally Sensitive Area listed in Schedule E, any tree is covered whatever its size.
A permit for one tree on a parcel costs $70 in any 12 months. Two or more trees cost $84.25 each under the Consolidated Fees Bylaw 8636, and the City takes applications by email.
Schedule A ties replacement to the kind of removal. A one-family lot with no development replaces 1:1. Rezoning, subdivision and other development files replace 2:1, and a significant tree of 92 cm caliper replaces 3:1.
Richmond Tree Bylaw at a Glance
Trees 20 cm or more in diameter at 1.4 m that are also 4.5 m or taller. Any tree of any size on City land or in a Schedule E Environmentally Sensitive Area. A multi-stem tree counts 100% of the largest trunk plus 60% of each additional trunk.
Permit Fee
$70 for one tree per parcel in any 12 months. $84.25 per tree for two or more trees. $70 to renew or extend a permit. A hazard-tree removal is $0.
Processing Time
Confirm with the City of Richmond
Penalty
Confirm with the City of Richmond
Special Zones
Any tree of any size on City land or in an Environmentally Sensitive Area listed in Schedule E. The bylaw sets a separate significant tree class at 92 cm caliper, with a higher replacement ratio and a higher security.
Bylaw details verified 2026-09-01.
See how Richmond compares to other municipalities in our Metro Vancouver tree bylaw comparison.
Before starting tree work in Richmond
We confirm availability for your address before we quote. We do not offer emergency service.
If the removal ground is a hazardous or high-risk tree, ask us first. Some Metro Vancouver bylaws require a report author who also holds the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.
Reports for Richmond properties
Richmond in our Metro Vancouver bylaw references
Our reference pages compare one rule at a time across Metro Vancouver. These links go straight to the Richmond entry.
Richmond tree permit guide
What triggers a permit in Richmond, what it costs and how to apply, drawn from the bylaw and the municipality's own pages.
Read the permit guideGet a quote
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