Plymouth County, MA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Private-land trimming
- No permit needed
- Public shade trees
- Warden permit required
- Authority
- MGL c.87 §3
- Enforced by
- Town tree warden
Summary
Trimming trees on your own land needs no permit anywhere in Plymouth County. But public shade trees along a road or town way cannot be cut or trimmed without the tree warden's written permit, under MGL c.87 §3.
Except as provided by section five, public shade trees shall not be cut, trimmed or removed, in whole or in part, by any person other than the tree warden or his deputy, even if he be the owner of the fee in the land on which such tree is situated, except upon a permit in writing from said tree warden, nor shall they be cut down or removed by the tree warden or his deputy or other person without a public hearing...
Full Breakdown
On private property throughout Plymouth County communities, from Pembroke to Wareham, an owner may prune trees freely. The controlling rule is state law, not county code, and it protects public shade trees: any tree within a public way or on the boundary of one. Massachusetts General Laws chapter 87, section 3 bars anyone, including the abutting owner, from cutting or trimming a public shade tree except under a written permit from the town's tree warden, and removal requires a posted public hearing. Every Plymouth County town appoints a tree warden. Roadside trimming for utility clearance is handled by the tree warden and the utility, not by residents reaching into the public way.
Violations & Fines
Cutting or trimming a public shade tree without the tree warden's written permit is punishable by forfeiture of up to five hundred dollars to the town under MGL c.87 §6. Private-property trimming carries no state penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to trim my own trees?
Can I trim the tree between the road and my lawn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Plymouth County
Compare Plymouth County to another location·View the Massachusetts landscaping rules overview
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