Delaware County, PA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Delaware County, PA, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- County permit
- None
- Street trees
- Shade-tree commission
- Private-tree permit
- Only if local ordinance
- State authority
- 53 P.S. §2811, §2813
- Possible condition
- Replacement plantings
Summary
Delaware County issues no tree-removal permit. For street trees, the local shade-tree commission controls removal under state law; for private trees, a permit is needed only where a municipality's tree-conservation or zoning ordinance requires one. Many Delco towns have no private-tree permit at all.
who shall have exclusive and absolute custody and control of, and power to plant, set out, remove, maintain, protect, and care for, shade-trees, on any of the public highways of the said townships, boroughs, and cities.
Full Breakdown
There is no countywide tree-removal permit in Delaware County. Under the PA Shade Tree Act (53 P.S. §2811), a municipality's shade-tree commission has exclusive control of shade trees in the public right-of-way, so removing a street tree requires the commission's action and, under 53 P.S. §2813, published public notice. For trees on private land, permit requirements exist only if the individual borough or township has adopted a tree-conservation, woodland-preservation, riparian-buffer or steep-slope ordinance under the Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247). Where such rules exist, they may require a permit, an arborist report, or replacement plantings for removing significant or specimen trees. Elsewhere, private-tree removal is unregulated.
Violations & Fines
Removing a protected public shade tree without authorization draws municipal fines that become a lien on the offender's property under the Shade Tree Act. Violating a local tree-conservation ordinance can bring per-tree penalties and mandatory replacement plantings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Delaware County?
Who controls removing a street tree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Delaware County
Compare Delaware County to another location·View the Pennsylvania landscaping rules overview
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