Boulder, CO Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Boulder, CO, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Boulder Municipal Code § 6-6-2
- Correction deadline
- 15 days after city notice
- Admin fee
- $25 added to correction cost
- Inspection authority
- City manager, no warrant needed
- Emergency action
- Immediate abatement, no notice required
Summary
Boulder Municipal Code section 6-6-2 lets the city manager enter private property without a warrant to inspect trees and order removal of dead trees or overhanging limbs that endanger people or property. Owners get fifteen days' notice to fix the hazard before the city can step in and bill the corrective work to them.
(b)If the city manager finds that there exist on any private property in the city dead trees or overhanging limbs that pose a danger to persons or property, the manager will notify the owner, lessee, agent, occupant, or other person in possession or control of the property upon which the condition exists of the duty to remedy the condition within fifteen days from the date of the notice or such shorter time as the manager finds appropriate in view of the nature and extent of the condition.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 167 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Section 6-6-2, "Removal of Dead, Diseased, or Dangerous Trees," is Boulder's mechanism for forcing hazard abatement on private land, not a voluntary tree-removal permit process. It authorizes the city manager to enter any premises without a warrant to inspect trees and plants citywide. If the manager finds dead trees or overhanging limbs on private property that endanger people or property, the manager must notify the owner, lessee, agent, or occupant of the duty to remedy the condition within fifteen days, or a shorter period if the danger warrants faster action.
" If the notified person does not correct the condition in time, except in extreme emergencies, the city manager may enter under an administrative warrant issued by municipal court, correct the condition, and charge the cost plus $25 for administrative costs to the owner, lessee, agent, or occupant. Unpaid charges can be certified to the Boulder County Treasurer and collected like delinquent property taxes. Subsection (f) preserves the city manager's authority to act immediately, without the notice process, when a diseased, dead, or dangerous tree poses an immediate threat to public health, safety, or welfare.
The section also lets the city manager prune, spray, or remove a diseased or infested tree on private property at the owner's written request and expense.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a fifteen-day correction notice lets the city manager enter under an administrative warrant, remove the hazardous tree or limb, and bill the owner, lessee, agent, or occupant the cost plus $25 in administrative fees. Unpaid charges are certified to the Boulder County Treasurer and collected as a lien like delinquent property taxes. Immediate threats can be abated without prior notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Boulder force me to remove a dead tree on my property?
What happens if I don't remove a hazardous tree after Boulder's notice?
Does Boulder require a certified arborist for diseased tree work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boulder
Compare Boulder to another location·View the Colorado landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Boulder County handle tree removal & heritage trees.