Sonoma, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Sonoma, CA, 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 chapter
- SMC Chapter 12.08, Tree Ordinance
- Permit required for
- Significant trees, by trunk circumference threshold
- Minimum civil fine
- $1,000 per violation or appraised value
- Criminal infraction fines
- $200 first, $350 second, $500 later
- Permit validity
- 60 days, extendable 60 more days
- Committee decision deadline
- 30 days after referral to committee
- Appeal path
- City council, per Chapter 1.24 SMC
Summary
The City of Sonoma requires a written tree removal permit before anyone alters, removes, or relocates a significant tree, on private or public property inside city limits. Sonoma Municipal Code Section 12.08.032 makes unauthorized removal unlawful, and Section 12.08.050 sets the application process through the public works director and the tree committee.
It is unlawful for any person other than those authorized under emergency circumstances, as set forth within this chapter, to alter, remove, relocate, or cause to be altered, removed or relocated any significant tree or significant tree, private, as defined in this chapter, unless and until a written permit to do so has first been obtained in accordance with SMC 12.08.050. Any such permit may be declared void by the public works director if its terms are violated.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 13-2025, passed December 3, 2025).
Full Breakdown
08 (Tree Ordinance) of the Sonoma Municipal Code applies inside the City of Sonoma's incorporated limits, not in the unincorporated Sonoma Valley communities such as Boyes Hot Springs or El Verano, which fall under Sonoma County jurisdiction. 020(Q) a 'significant tree, private' meaning a residential tree with a trunk circumference over four and one-half feet located in a front or street-side setback as defined in Title 19. 040. 050; the tree committee, which is the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Commission, inspects the tree and must render a decision within 30 days of referral, weighing the tree's health, the necessity of removal for construction or reasonable use of the property, and its value to the neighborhood.
An approved permit is valid for 60 days, extendable another 60 days by the public works director, and can be voided if its conditions are violated. 00 per replacement tree into a tree-planting fund with city council approval. 24 SMC.
Violations & Fines
Removing or damaging a significant tree without a permit triggers a civil action under Section 12.08.080 for the tree's appraised value, minimum $1,000, brought by the city attorney; violators are jointly and severally liable. Section 12.08.090 makes the same conduct a criminal infraction: up to $200 for a first offense, $350 for a second within a year, and $500 for each further offense. The city attorney may also seek an injunction under Section 12.08.100, or the violator may petition to plant four replacement trees under Section 12.08.110.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree at my home in the City of Sonoma?
How much can the City of Sonoma fine me for removing a protected tree without a permit?
How long is a Sonoma tree removal permit good for?
Can I plant replacement trees instead of paying a fine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Sonoma County handle tree removal & heritage trees.