Ridgewood, NJ Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Ridgewood, 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
- Governing law
- Village Code Secs. 260-9, 260-10 (2025)
- Permit office
- Village Engineering Division
- Replacement scale
- 1 to 4 trees by DBH tier
- Minimum replacement DBH
- 1.75 inches at planting
- Escrow alternative
- Replacement Tree Escrow Fund
Summary
Beyond the bare permit requirement, Village of Ridgewood Code Secs. 260-9 and 260-10 spell out what a tree removal application must contain and how many replacement trees an owner in the Village of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey must plant, scaled to the removed tree's diameter.
§ 260-9. Tree removal permit. A. No person, property owner, owner's agent or hired contractor, tenant or other entity shall remove or otherwise cut down a qualified tree located on any privately owned property within the Village without having first procured a tree removal permit pursuant to this section. ... § 260-10. Replacement tree requirements. A. ... (a) DBH up to 13 inches: One replacement tree. (b) DBH from 13 inches to 23 inches: Two replacement trees. (c) DBH from 23 inches to 33 inches: Three replacement trees. (d) DBH greater than 33 inches: Four replacement trees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4854397; v35 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 260-9A requires anyone removing a qualified tree on private property to first procure a tree removal permit, filed with the Village Engineering Division (Sec. 260-9B). The application must state the licensed tree expert's name and license number if one is used, the lot and block and street address, a marked-up survey or equivalent showing the tree's location, the reason for removal, the number and species and DBH of each tree, proposed start and completion dates, and a plan to replace or offset the removed trees (Sec.
260-9C). Section 260-10 then fixes the replacement count by project type. For a project that meets the chapter's definition of DEVELOPMENT but not HOME IMPROVEMENT, a removed tree up to 13 inches DBH requires one replacement tree, 13 to 23 inches requires two, 23 to 33 inches requires three, and over 33 inches requires four; a home-improvement project requires only one replacement per qualified tree removed (Sec. 260-10A). If suitable land is unavailable, the applicant must instead pay into the Village's Replacement Tree Escrow Fund at the rate set in Sec.
145-6 (Sec. 260-10B). 75 (Sec. 260-10D), with deciduous trees replaced by deciduous species and coniferous by coniferous (Sec. 260-10E). Removing a qualified tree without a permit still triggers the replacement obligation on top of any Sec. 260-11 fine (Sec. 260-10F).
Violations & Fines
A property owner who removes a qualified tree without first obtaining the Sec. 260-9 permit remains obligated to plant replacement trees under Sec. 260-10F and faces enforcement under Sec. 260-11: a municipal summons and, on conviction, a fine of not less than $500 per offense, with the court additionally able to order the replacement tree planted at the responsible party's cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many trees must I plant to replace one I remove in Ridgewood?
What must a Ridgewood tree removal permit application include?
Can I pay a fee instead of planting a replacement tree in Ridgewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgewood
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