Phoenix, AZ Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Phoenix, AZ, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Scope
- Trees in parks, boulevards, alleys, streets
- Penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500
- Utility exception
- Permit from City Forester required
- Private trees
- Not covered by this section
- Citation
- Phoenix City Code § 34-15
Summary
Phoenix Code § 34-15 makes it unlawful to cut, trim, remove, injure, or interfere with trees and shrubbery in city parks, boulevards, alleys, and streets without City Forester authorization.
It shall be unlawful for any person to cut, trim, remove, injure or interfere with any shrubbery or ornamental trees or shrubbery in parks, pleasure grounds, boulevards, alleys or streets of the City. Any person maintaining any overhead wires or conduit along or across any street or alley of the City desiring to have any trees or shrubs that may interfere with any such utility cut, trimmed or pruned may upon application to the City Forester be granted permission to cut, trim or prune such trees or shrubs, subject to the supervision of the Forester or upon written application to the Superintendent of Streets, accompanied by a written agreement to pay the cost thereof. Such cutting, trimming or pruning shall be done by the City Forester at the cost of the applicant. (Code 1962, § 35-36)
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 34-15 protects trees and shrubbery in Phoenix parks, pleasure grounds, boulevards, alleys, and streets: cutting, trimming, removing, injuring, or interfering with them is unlawful. The only exception is for utility companies whose overhead wires or conduits are obstructed by growth, they may apply to the City Forester, or apply in writing to the Superintendent of Streets with a signed cost agreement, but the City Forester's own crews do the actual cutting, at the applicant's expense. Chapter 34 sets no separate fine, so violations fall under Sec. 1-5's general penalty: a Class 1 misdemeanor, up to $2,500 and six months. Applies only to City-owned trees, not private lots.
Violations & Fines
Unauthorized cutting, trimming, removing, or injuring a tree in a City park, boulevard, alley, or street is a Class 1 misdemeanor: up to $2,500 in fines, six months in jail, or both, under Sec. 1-5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trim a tree in a Phoenix park myself?
Does this ordinance cover trees in my own yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle tree removal & heritage trees.