Tree Removal Permit Guide for West Vancouver, BC

When West Vancouver requires a permit

Tree Bylaw No. 4892, 2016 sets a high general line. Under s.4.3, a tree on private land is protected once its DBH passes that size. A multi-stem tree counts when its stems combine to it. DBH is taken above the highest natural grade next to the trunk. The confirmed sizes:

Size	Applies to
15.24 cm	land in the CD77, CD81 or CD82 zones, tree also over 1.8 m in height
20 cm	Arbutus, Garry oak, Pacific yew, Pacific dogwood or Yellow cedar
20 cm	parcel being developed with a new residential or commercial building, or subdivided for a new residential building
75 cm	parcel not being developed, outside Watercourse and Foreshore Protection Areas and the CD24, CD77, CD81 and CD82 zones, for species not listed in the species paragraph
any size	within a Watercourse Protection Area or Foreshore Protection Area

Several groups are protected well below that line:

• six named species above a lower size: Arbutus, Garry Oak, Pacific yew, Pacific dogwood, Yellow cedar, and Shore pine in the shoreline zone;
• any tree, of any size, within a 15 m Watercourse Protection Area or Foreshore Protection Area;
• replacement trees, retained trees and trees on the heritage registry;
• trees that hold a raptor nest or listed wildlife habitat.

The CD77, CD81 and CD82 zones have their own rule under s.6.8. There, a tree is protected at a lower DBH once it reaches a set height. The table above lists both figures.

What the permit costs

A private-property tree cutting permit has a base fee, and each additional tree on the same permit adds a fee. The confirmed amounts:

Amount	Applies to
$120	private property, each additional tree removal
$330	private property, pruning or removal of one tree

Replacement trees and cash in lieu

Replacement under s.7.1 is 1:1 with no size tiers. Confirm with the District of West Vancouver which removals need a replacement tree. New stock must be at least 5 cm caliper for a deciduous tree or 3 m tall for a conifer, picked from the Schedule B species list. Caliper is measured 15 cm above grade.

The District holds a security per replacement tree: $1,000 (per replacement tree, total security capped at ten trees).

Cash-in-lieu is $1,000 (per replacement tree, when planting a replacement tree is not possible).

How to apply

West Vancouver takes private-property permit applications online only, through the Document Upload Centre. There is no paper or counter route. The District’s permit page gives a review time of 2 to 3 weeks. For questions, Land Development takes email at districttrees@westvancouver.ca.

What the arborist report covers

A report for a West Vancouver permit screens each tree against the right line before it measures anything else. A maple and an Arbutus of the same size on the same lot can fall under different rules, and a tree within 15 m of a watercourse or the foreshore is protected at any size. It also notes the zone for lots in CD77, CD81 or CD82.

For trees that stay, Schedule A of the bylaw sets a minimum fence distance by trunk diameter. The fence is 1.2 m high, built of 2×4 verticals with top and bottom rails and X cross-bracing, covered with continuous snow fence, staked, and signed as a protection zone.

Development parcels changed in December 2025

Before Bylaw 5373 came into force on 2025-12-15, the 2022 consolidation sent development-scoped removal to the development permit process (s.3.1.6) instead of the tree permit. On a parcel under development with a new residential or commercial building, or a subdivision, the District’s page now puts that tree inside a lower size rule. Council approved Bylaw 5373 on 2025-11-17, and the published consolidation still reads as it did in 2022, so the page and the bylaw text do not yet match.

If your project involves new construction or a subdivision, settle the track with the District before you order a report. The answer decides which trees the report has to cover.

What we do and do not do

We prepare tree removal permit reports. Ask us before you order a West Vancouver report. We tell you whether we can take your file. We confirm availability for your address before we quote.

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.

We do not offer emergency service. We do not supervise construction.