San Jose, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Pedestrian clearance
- 8 feet minimum over sidewalk
- Vehicular clearance
- 14 feet minimum over pavement
- Permit required
- To prune, remove, or work near roots
- Enforcing agency
- Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services director
- Owner liability
- Liable for injuries from unmaintained trees
Summary
San Jose requires street trees to keep an 8-foot vertical clearance over sidewalks and 14-foot clearance over the roadway, and bars pruning or removing a street tree without a permit from the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services director.
Provide a minimum eight-foot vertical pedestrian clearance from the top of the sidewalk and a minimum fourteen-foot vertical vehicular clearance from the top of the pavement, to any part of a street tree.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 13.28.400 makes the adjacent property owner responsible for street-tree maintenance and sets numeric clearance standards: an 8-foot vertical clearance above the sidewalk for pedestrians and 14-foot clearance above the pavement for vehicles, plus unobstructed sightlines to traffic signals and signs. Separately, § 13.28.310 makes it unlawful to prune or remove a street tree, or work within its critical root zone, without a permit from the director of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services. The director can require replacement trees, and a homeowner who lets a tree grow into a hazard is liable for resulting injuries under § 13.28.400(D).
Violations & Fines
Pruning, removing, or doing root-zone work on a street tree without a director-issued permit is unlawful; failing to maintain required clearance can trigger a violation notice, city-billed corrective work, and liability for resulting injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to trim the street tree in front of my house in San Jose?
How much clearance must a San Jose street tree have over the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Jose
California rules heatmap·Compare San Jose to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Tree Trimming in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle tree trimming.