Tree removal laws in Victoria

In Victoria, whether you need a planning permit to remove a tree usually depends on overlays in your council's planning scheme (for example a Vegetation Protection Overlay, Significant Landscape Overlay or Environmental Significance Overlay) and on local laws for significant or street trees. There's no council-wide size threshold — check your property's overlays on VicPlan and your council's planning scheme.

Victoria has no council-wide tree-size rule. Whether you need a planning permit to remove a tree depends on the planning overlays on your specific property — such as a Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO), Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) or Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO) — plus any local law for significant or street trees. Check your address on VicPlan (mapshare.vic.gov.au) and your council's planning scheme.

Usually yes — a genuinely dead, dying or imminently dangerous tree can often be removed without prior council approval in Victoria. But this is council-dependent and the exemption falls away for heritage or registered trees, so most councils expect evidence: get a qualified arborist's report and keep dated photos before the tree comes down. If the danger is immediate, make the area safe and call an arborist — and your electricity distributor first if powerlines are involved.

Even where an exemption would normally apply, approval can still be required because of: Planning scheme overlays (VPO / SLO / ESO). Bushfire (BMO) clearing entitlements in designated areas. Federal EPBC Act for nationally listed species/communities. When any of these apply, assume the tree is protected and check before removing it.

Tree removal in Australia typically ranges from about $150–$500 for a small tree to $1,000–$3,000+ for a large gum, and $3,000–$15,000 for very large or difficult jobs near buildings or powerlines. The price depends on size, access, and whether stump grinding and green-waste removal are included — the only way to know yours is a free on-site quote from a local arborist.

Tree removal in Victoria is governed by Planning and Environment Act 1987 + local planning scheme overlays (Vegetation Protection, Significant Landscape, Environmental Significance); VicSmart fast-track permits. Your local council administers the day-to-day rules — always confirm the current requirements before removing a tree.