Hackensack, NJ Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Hackensack, NJ, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Adopted
- April 16, 2024 (Ord. 17-2024)
- Notice threshold
- 2.5 in. street trees, 6 in. others
- Replacement fee alternative
- $350 per tree
- Minimum fine
- $100 per violation
- Enforcement
- Police, DPW Tree Division, Zoning Officer
Summary
Hackensack folds tree removal into whatever site-plan, building or subdivision permit already covers the property, but Section 162-8 separately requires advance notice to the Public Works Tree Division for any tree at least 2.5 inches in diameter if it is a street tree, or six inches for any other tree, and requires replacement or a $350-per-tree fee.
§ 162-8. Regulated activities. ... A. The removal of any tree within the City of Hackensack shall remain subject to the City's existing business practices and permit application reviews ... However, advance notification of any "tree removal," ... involving a tree with a minimum DBH of 2.5 inches (for street trees) or six inches (for non-street trees) must separately be provided to the Supervisor of the Tree Division of the Department of Public Works, or designee ... ... D. If the City determines that some or all required replacement trees cannot be planted on the property where the tree removal activity occurred, then the person responsible for the property shall ... (2) Pay a fee of $350 per tree removed, which shall be placed into a fund dedicated to tree planting and continued maintenance of the trees. § 162- ... ... 11. Violations and penalties. Any person(s) who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to the penalties established in § 1-15 of the Code of the City of Hackensack; provided, however, that the minimum fine shall be $100. A separate penalty shall be imposed for each tree improperly removed without being replaced.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4592721; v20 updated 2026-01-06; through 01-06-2026).
Full Breakdown
Adopted April 16, 2024 by Ordinance No. 17-2024 as Article II of Chapter 162, Removal and Replacement, the ordinance states its purpose as reducing soil erosion and pollutant runoff and protecting public health and the environment. Section 162-8A does not create a stand-alone tree-removal permit; removal stays subject to whatever site-plan, building-permit or Planning Board review already applies to the property. 5 inches DBH or any other tree of at least six inches DBH per acre comes down. 99 inches DBH up to four replacement trees for trees 33 inches DBH or larger, planted within 12 months and monitored for two years.
Where replacement trees cannot fit on the removal site, Section 162-8D allows planting in a separate City-approved area or paying $350 per tree removed into a dedicated tree-planting fund. Section 162-9 exempts residents removing fewer than four smaller trees per acre within a rolling five-year window, tree farms and nurseries, approved forest-stewardship and decommissioning removals, NJDEP- or EPA-approved cleanups, and hazard trees, which need no fee or replacement at all.
Violations & Fines
Section 162-10 gives enforcement authority to the Police Department, the Tree Division Supervisor, the Zoning Officer, or another official the City Manager designates. Section 162-11 sets a minimum $100 fine for any violation of the article, referencing the Code's general penalty scale at Section 1-15, and imposes a separate penalty for each tree that is improperly removed without being replaced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate tree-removal permit in Hackensack?
How many replacement trees does Hackensack require?
What if I can't plant replacement trees on my own property?
Are any tree removals exempt from Hackensack's replacement rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hackensack
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