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

Sacramento County's Tree Preservation and Protection Ordinance (County Code Chapter 19.12) reaches more than removal: in the designated urban area of the unincorporated county, no one may trench, grade, or fill within the dripline of a protected tree, or destroy, kill, or remove it, without a tree permit, and that permit requirement extends to significant pruning of protected trees. Protected trees include native oaks (on public and private land), landmark trees, and public trees. Per County Planning and Environmental Review, when work involves branches, limbs, or roots exceeding two inches in diameter, the applicant must hire an ISA Certified Arborist or ISA Certified Tree Worker. A tree permit application requires a site sketch, photos of the tree, the trunk diameter measured 4.5 feet above ground, and the reason for the work; the permit fee is modest (about $31.95 as of mid-2025) and processing typically takes under ten working days. Pruning that would harm or improperly top a protected tree can itself be a violation even without removal. Trees that are not protected species and are outside the regulated context can generally be pruned without a County permit. For encroaching branches from a neighbor's tree, California Civil Code lets you trim to the property line, but if the tree is County-protected a permit may still be needed before cutting.