Boise, ID Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Boise, ID, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Permit fee
- None: permit still required
- Enforced by
- City Forester, Parks and Recreation
- Violation
- Misdemeanor, § 7-2-15
- Elm trees
- Permit required even on private property
- Damage cost
- Compensatory payment per ISA appraisal guide
Summary
Boise requires a free permit from the City Forester before anyone plants, prunes, removes, or otherwise disturbs a public tree, including parkway trees adjacent to private lots.
No person may perform any of the following acts without first obtaining from the City Forester a permit for which no fee shall be charged... 2. Prune, cut, remove or otherwise disturb any public tree...; 4. Dig, trench, excavate or pile soil or any other materials within the critical root zone of any public trees; 5. Prune or remove any elm tree on or within public or private property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-31: Code current through: Ord. 20-26, passed 6-9-2026).
Full Breakdown
Boise City Code Chapter 7-2 puts the City Forester (under Parks and Recreation) in charge of every public tree in the city's rights-of-way. No person may plant a tree in a public place, prune or remove a public tree, dig or pile materials within a tree's critical root zone, or attach anything to a public tree without first getting a no-fee permit. Pruning or removing an elm tree requires a permit even on private property, because of Dutch Elm Disease control. Trees that are hazards, block traffic or streetlights, or harbor pests are declared public nuisances and can be abated at the responsible owner's expense.
Violations & Fines
Damaging, mutilating, or removing a public tree, or doing permitted work without one, is a misdemeanor under § 7-2-15, on top of compensatory payment for the tree's appraised value under § 7-2-14.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to trim the tree in the parking strip in front of my house?
What happens if I remove a city tree without a permit?
Does this chapter regulate trees on my own private property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boise
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