Tree removal permit rules in Chino, CA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
San Bernardino County requires CDFW permits for Joshua tree removal and county permits for trees in the public right-of-way. Private property removal is generally permitted without a permit.
San Bernardino County generally does not require permits for removal of trees on private residential property, except in specific circumstances. Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia and Yucca jaegeriana) are protected under the California Desert Native Plants Act and the 2023 Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, requiring a permit from California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for removal or relocation. This is especially important in the Morongo Basin, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Lucerne Valley, and other High Desert areas. Heritage oak trees and certain native desert plants may require permits under the California Desert Native Plants Act in specified desert zones. Trees in the public right-of-way require a permit from the San Bernardino County Department of Public Works. In the San Bernardino Mountains, tree removal may require review under specific community plan provisions (Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear). Dead or dying trees in fire hazard zones are not only allowed to be removed, they are required to be cleared under defensible space rules.
Unpermitted removal of Joshua trees can result in CDFW fines up to 4,500 dollars per tree under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. Removing trees in the public right-of-way without a permit can result in county citations plus replacement costs. Protected native plant removal can lead to significant state and local penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Chino, CA
Chino Municipal Code Title 9 (Public Peace and Welfare) imposes a nighttime curfew on minors under 18 — typically 10:00 p.m. to sunrise on school nights and ...
Chino, CA
California requires door-to-door commercial solicitors to comply with the Home Solicitation Sales Act (Cal. Civil Code §§1689.5–1689.14) — written contracts,...
Chino, CA
California SB 946 (Gov. Code §§51036–51039) decriminalizes sidewalk vending statewide and sharply limits local restrictions — Chino may not prohibit sidewalk...
Chino, CA
Chino's Municipal Code (Title 12 Public Property and Parks Department rules under cityofchino.org/204) does not contain a published park-specific drone prohi...
Chino, CA
Chino has no local UAS ordinance, so commercial drone work — real estate photography, construction surveys, agricultural / dairy-preserve inspections, weddin...
Chino, CA
Chino has no drone-specific section in its Municipal Code (Title 9 Public Peace and Welfare / Title 11 Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places — see Municode po...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Bernardino County.
See how other cities in San Bernardino County handle tree removal & heritage trees.
See how Chino's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.