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Saratoga
Tree Permits
Do you need a permit to cut down a tree in Saratoga, CA? Enter your address for Saratoga tree removal and pruning rules, size thresholds and how to apply.
Do you need a permit to cut down a tree in Saratoga, CA? Enter your address for Saratoga tree removal and pruning rules, size thresholds and how to apply.
City guidance supports a permit at about 10 inches, and at about 6 inches for natives, including dead trees. Ordinance 417 was adopted February 4, 2026 (not the January 21 introduction). A November 4, 2026 agenda proposed a further code update that was not confirmed as adopted. This checker does not automate a permit or a no-permit answer. Checked November 6, 2026.
How to apply: Check with the City of Saratoga. The fire exception can waive notice. It does not waive the permit.
Boundary: Santa Clara County LAFCO city limits (NAME SARATOGA), checked November 6, 2026, and Census place GEOID 0670280.
How to measure: most Bay Area cities measure trunk diameter (or circumference) at 4.5 ft (54") above natural grade, but some measure elsewhere: Berkeley at 4 ft, Redwood City at the widest point between 6" and 36". Where a city sets its limit by circumference, we show the diameter (circumference ÷ 3.14).
Official sources: saratoga.ca.us/171/Trees · saratoga.ca.us/731/Arborist-Frequently-Asked-Questions · saratoga.ca.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02042026-1404 · saratoga.ca.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11042026-1490