Monterey County, CA Tree Protection: Tree Removal Permits (2026)

Monterey County operates an active tree-removal permit program through Housing and Community Development (HCD). Protected species under the County Code include coast live oak, valley oak, blue oak, black oak, Monterey cypress, native Monterey pine, and coast redwood. Inland, MCC Section 21.64.260 (and the environmental ordinance, Chapter 16.60) bars removing an oak six inches or more in diameter (measured two feet above ground) in Resource Conservation, Residential, Commercial, or Industrial designations without the required permits, and limits removal/destruction or cutting of more than one-third of the green foliage of any protected tree without a permit. The basic approval is a Tree Removal Permit; up to three trees on a parcel may be handled administratively, while removal of more than three protected trees requires a Use Permit and can trigger CEQA review. A tree assessment by an arborist (or a forest management plan by a forester) is generally required, and the firm preparing the assessment may not also be the one removing the trees. Dead, dying, hazardous, or diseased trees may qualify for a ministerial (over-the-counter) Tree Removal Permit after arborist evaluation, often without fees or a quantity limit. In the Coastal Zone, removal of any native tree additionally requires a Coastal Development Permit under Title 20, with Forest Resources Development Standards specific to areas such as North County, Big Sur, Carmel, and Del Monte Forest, and removal of native vegetation may require an ESHA determination. For fee details, applicants contact Monterey County HCD.