Las Vegas, NV Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Superintendent of Parks, no fee charged
- Min. curb clearance
- 3 feet between curb and sidewalk
- Min. trunk size
- 2 inches diameter, 1 foot above ground
- Branch height
- Clear to 8 ft, lowest branch under 9.5 ft
- Permit term
- Valid only for the season stated, that year
- Source ordinance
- Ordinance No. 415, adopted 1950
Summary
Planting any tree within a City of Las Vegas parkway or street requires a permit from the Superintendent of Parks under LVMC 13.48.010. The Superintendent must approve the variety, exact location, soil and planting method before a single tree goes in the ground, free of charge, per LVMC 13.48.020.
13.48.010 - Planting permit—Required. No person shall hereafter plant any tree within the limits of any parkway or street of the City without having first obtained a permit from the Superintendent of Parks. 13.48.020 - Planting permit—Application—Issuance. Anyone wishing to plant such tree or trees shall apply to the Superintendent of Parks for a permit, stating the variety and precise location proposed for each tree. After the receipt of such an application, the Superintendent shall investigate the locality where the tree or trees are to be placed and shall grant a permit only if, in his judgment, the location is such as to permit the normal growth and development of each tree. ... The permit shall be good only for the season stated on same, in the year issued, and no charge shall be made for same.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
010 requires a permit before anyone plants a tree 'within the limits of any parkway or street of the City,' issued by the Superintendent of Parks. ' The permit itself must specify 'the location, variety and grade of each tree and method of planting, including, among other things, the supplying of suitable soil,' is valid only for the season stated in the year it issues, and 'no charge shall be made for same,' meaning the planting permit is free. 030 bars a permit anywhere 'the clear space between the curb and sidewalk is less than three feet,' and requires poor soil to be corrected by excavating 'a suitable hole of not less than fifty-four cubic feet' backfilled with 'suitable good loam' before a permit issues.
040 sets minimum stock size: no tree under two inches in trunk diameter measured one foot above ground may be planted, the trunk must run 'without branches eight feet from the ground,' and the lowest branch may sit no higher than nine and one-half feet above grade. These sections date to Ordinance No. 415, adopted in 1950, and remain unchanged in the current code. 020.
Violations & Fines
Planting a street or parkway tree without a Superintendent of Parks permit, in less than three feet of curb-to-sidewalk clearance, or from stock under two inches in trunk diameter violates LVMC 13.48.010 through 13.48.040. Because the tree chapter sets no dedicated fine, a violation defaults to the Chapter 1.24 general penalty: up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day a separate offense under LVMC 1.24.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to plant a tree near a Las Vegas street?
Is there a fee for a Las Vegas street tree planting permit?
How close to the curb can I plant a new street tree in Las Vegas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Las Vegas
Compare Las Vegas to another location·View the Nevada tree protection overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Clark County handle parkway planting.