Riverside County, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

For ordinary maintenance pruning of trees on your own residential lot, unincorporated Riverside County does not require a permit, and homeowners are generally free to trim their own trees. Two limits apply. First, trees growing in the public right-of-way or on public land cannot be removed or substantially altered without county authorization, similar to street-tree protections elsewhere; routine homeowner pruning of street trees is restricted. Second, fire-safety obligations can require trimming. Under County Ordinances 695 and 772 and California Public Resources Code 4291, owners in fire-hazard areas must maintain defensible space, which includes creating vertical and horizontal separation between grass, shrubs, and tree canopies and removing dead limbs and ladder fuels within up to 100 feet of structures.

Separately, Ordinance 559 protects living native trees on parcels larger than one-half acre located above 5,000 feet in elevation; removal (not routine trimming) of such native trees requires a county permit. Oak trees are addressed by the County's Oak Tree Management Guidelines, which protect oaks during development and discourage heavy pruning that damages the protected dripline zone. Homeowners performing significant work near oaks or native trees, or any work in the right-of-way, should confirm requirements with the Planning Department before cutting.