In El Dorado County you usually cannot remove a healthy native oak without going through the county's oak resource review first, and many projects that affect native oaks require an arborist report or an Oak Technical Report before the county will issue a permit. I am Christopher Hodge, an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist based in Placerville, and I prepare the oak reports that El Dorado County reviewers accept. Independent consulting arborist, no removal crews, no conflicts of interest.
El Dorado County tree removal permits center on oaks
If you have searched for an El Dorado County tree removal permit or a tree cutting permit, here is the key point. In the unincorporated county, tree removal permitting is driven almost entirely by the Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance, which is the county's tree ordinance for native oaks. There is generally no separate permit to remove an ordinary, non protected tree, but removing or impacting a protected native oak, especially as part of a grading or building project, does require review and usually an Oak Technical Report. So the practical question is almost always whether your tree is a protected native oak.
Do I need a permit to remove an oak tree in El Dorado County?
In most cases involving a native oak, yes, or at least a documented review. El Dorado County protects native oaks and oak woodlands through its Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance, which generally applies to native oaks six inches in diameter and larger, or multi trunk oaks totaling ten inches or more. Whether your situation needs a full Oak Technical Report, a simpler arborist report, or qualifies for an exemption depends on the tree, the parcel, and what you are doing on the property. The county Planning and Building department makes the final determination, and the most common trigger is a grading or building permit near protected oaks. Confirm the current thresholds and requirements with the county, because oak ordinances are updated over time.
Which oaks does the ordinance protect?
The ordinance protects California native oaks. In El Dorado County those are typically:
- Blue oak (Quercus douglasii)
- Valley oak (Quercus lobata)
- Interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni)
- Canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis)
- California black oak (Quercus kelloggii)
Non native or planted ornamental oaks are usually treated differently. Part of my job is confirming the species and trunk size so you know exactly which trees the ordinance covers.
When a removal needs an Oak Technical Report
For larger projects, grading, subdivisions, or anything with broader oak woodland impact, the county generally requires an Oak Technical Report rather than a simple removal review. An Oak Technical Report inventories the native oaks, measures the impacts, and lays out how those impacts will be avoided, minimized, or mitigated, often through preservation, replacement planting, or an in lieu fee. I prepare these to the county's standards.
How the oak permit process usually works
Every project is a little different, but the path is usually:
- Confirm whether protected native oaks are present and measure their trunk diameter.
- Have an ISA certified arborist inventory and assess the oaks and the proposed impacts.
- The arborist prepares the required document, an arborist report or an Oak Technical Report, with findings and mitigation.
- Submit the report with your permit application to El Dorado County Planning and Building.
- The county reviews and may require mitigation such as preservation, replacement planting, or in lieu fees.
- The permit is issued once the oak requirements are satisfied.
What happens if you remove an oak without a permit?
Removing a protected oak without the required review can stall or jeopardize your project and expose you to county restitution of up to three times the market value of the replacement trees, and up to nine times for a Heritage Tree. If an oak is genuinely dead, dying, or hazardous, there are often provisions for that, but you typically still need documentation from a certified arborist rather than removing it on assumption. When in doubt, get it assessed before the saw comes out.
How I help
I inventory and assess your oaks, confirm the species and size, and prepare the report El Dorado County requires, written the way reviewers expect so your permit is not delayed by a document that misses the mark. Because I run no removal crews, my assessment is honest about whether a tree truly needs to come down, which sometimes saves a healthy oak and sometimes confirms that removal is the right call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove a dead or hazardous tree without a permit?
Often there are provisions for dead, dying, or hazardous trees, but you usually still need documentation from a certified arborist to support the removal, and you should confirm with El Dorado County before acting. A written tree risk assessment is the cleanest way to document that an oak is genuinely hazardous.
How much does an oak removal report cost?
It depends on the number of oaks, the site, and whether the county requires a full Oak Technical Report or a simpler arborist report. I give a fee estimate after a short conversation about your project. Call or text (530) 391-6100.
How long does the report take?
For most projects I complete the site visit and deliver the report within a couple of weeks. County review timelines are separate and vary with the department's workload, so it is worth starting early if you have a permit deadline.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in El Dorado County?
It depends on the tree. El Dorado County's tree permitting is built around protected native oaks. If the tree is a native oak of six inches in diameter or larger, or a multi trunk oak totaling ten inches or more, you generally need county review, an arborist report, or an Oak Technical Report before removal, especially when the removal is tied to a grading or building permit. Many non native or planted trees are treated differently. I confirm the species and whether your removal needs a permit before anything comes down.
How much is a tree removal permit in El Dorado County?
The county sets its own permit and review fees, and those are separate from the arborist report you may need to submit with the application. My fee for the report depends on the number of oaks, the site, and whether the county requires a full Oak Technical Report or a simpler arborist report. Bear in mind that removing a protected oak before permitting can cost far more, often about three times as much, once mitigation and restitution are added. Call or text (530) 391-6100 for an estimate.
The county updated its Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance, Chapter 130.39 of the county code, in July 2025. Retention standards, mitigation ratios, and in lieu fees were revised in that update, so on any current project confirm the standards in force rather than relying on older summaries.
Sources
- El Dorado County Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance and Oak Resources Management Plan requirements, administered by the El Dorado County Planning and Building Department. Confirm current thresholds and provisions directly with the county.
- El Dorado County Oak Resources Management Plan and Conservation OrdinanceThe county Oak Resources Management Plan and the Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance, Chapter 130.39, updated by the Board of Supervisors in July 2025. It governs oak removal, canopy retention, and mitigation across the unincorporated county.