San Bernardino County, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

San Bernardino County does not require a permit for ordinary maintenance pruning of landscape trees in unincorporated areas. However, two County rules shape how you trim. First, the Fire Hazard Abatement code (Section 23.0304, Mountain Area) requires removing 'all foliage and branches within six feet from the ground on trees over 12 feet in height that stand within 100 feet of structures,' and it directs that limbs 'should be cut no less than 1/4 inch from the trunk of the tree to preserve the health of the tree.' It also requires removing dead branches and leaf litter in and under plants within 100 feet of structures, and keeping tree limbs at least ten feet from chimneys and stovepipes. Second, Development Code Chapter 88.01 (Plant Protection and Management) protects regulated native trees; trimming that effectively removes a regulated tree, or encroaches within its protected zone/dripline, can require a Tree or Plant Removal Permit under Section 88.01.050. Section 88.01.050(h) prohibits attaching hardware that penetrates or abrades a live regulated tree and bars grade alterations that undercut the root system within the dripline. For most homeowners, light pruning of yard trees is unregulated, but fire-season clearance around structures is mandatory in fire-prone areas.