Protected Tree Removal — LAMC §46 Oak Ordinance LA Guide (2026)

LAMC §46.01 defines 'Protected Tree' as any tree of the following species with a DBH of 4 inches or greater: Quercus agrifolia (California live oak), Quercus lobata (valley oak), Quercus engelmannii (Engelmann oak), Platanus racemosa (California sycamore), Juglans californica (southern California walnut), Juglans hindsii (Northern California walnut / black walnut), and Umbellularia californica (California bay).

DBH is measured at 4 feet 6 inches above the natural grade on the uphill side of the tree. Multi-trunk trees are measured by taking the square root of the sum of squared individual trunk diameters (the 'summation rule' per LAMC §46.01(a)).

Younger trees below 4 inches DBH are not protected under §46 but are still subject to CEQA review if the removal is part of a larger project and to CBC §11B.5 accessibility review in certain commercial contexts.

The protected-tree rule applies on ALL private property in the LA City jurisdiction, not just hillside properties. Flat-lot properties in Larchmont, Hancock Park, Mid-Wilshire, and Santa Monica-adjacent areas all contain protected oaks and sycamores that trigger §46 during remodels.

LAMC §46.04 requires an ISA Certified Arborist report for any protected-tree removal or relocation permit application. ISA stands for the International Society of Arboriculture, which administers the Certified Arborist credential (CA-#### number pattern) with the WE (Western) regional suffix.

The report must include: tree species identification, exact DBH measurement, overall health assessment per ISA tree-risk-assessment methodology (BMP 3rd edition), photographs showing the tree from four compass directions, a site plan showing the tree location relative to property lines and proposed construction, and a justification for removal.

Accepted justifications under §46.05: tree is dead or dying (health rating below 30 percent), tree presents an imminent hazard, tree is growing into a structure or utility, or tree removal is required for approved construction with no reasonable alternative.

2026 arborist report pricing: $400 to $600 for a single-tree assessment, $800 to $1,200 for multi-tree reports covering 3 to 8 trees, $1,500 to $2,800 for complex sites with 10+ trees or heritage-designation considerations. The arborist must be independent — the report must not be prepared by anyone with a financial interest in the removal outcome.

The protected-tree permit application goes to the LA Bureau of Street Services Urban Forestry Division (BOSS-UFD, located at 1149 S Broadway). The application fee in 2026 is $354 plus $45 per tree. The arborist report, site plan, and photographs are submitted with the application.

UFD review timeline: 4 to 8 weeks for straightforward single-tree removals, 10 to 16 weeks for multi-tree applications or applications involving construction encroachment. An on-site inspection by a UFD arborist is standard for every application.

Denial factors: tree is a specimen example of the species (heritage-quality valley oak, 30+ inch DBH), tree provides significant ecological function (nest habitat, part of a canopy corridor), or the proposed justification is found to lack substantiation.

Appeals: denied permits can be appealed to the Board of Public Works within 15 days. The appeal fee is $540. Board hearings are scheduled 6 to 10 weeks out. Successful appeals typically involve homeowners demonstrating medical necessity, structural necessity, or agreement to enhanced replacement ratios.

LAMC §46.05(d) establishes replacement requirements. Standard replacement: 2 new trees of the same species per removed tree, each at minimum 24-inch box size at planting. Heritage-size replacement (for trees over 24-inch DBH): 4 new trees of the same species per removed tree, each at 36-inch box or larger.

Replacement trees must be planted on the same parcel where possible. If the parcel cannot support the replacement count (small urban lots often cannot accommodate 4 new valley oaks), the ordinance allows payment to the Tree Replacement Fund at $500 per required tree as an alternative.

Replacement-tree maintenance covenant: the property owner signs a 5-year monitoring agreement with the city agreeing to replace any replacement tree that fails within 5 years. The agreement is recorded against the property title at the LA County Recorder.

2026 replacement-tree costs: 24-inch box coast live oak $400 to $650, 36-inch box valley oak $900 to $1,600, 24-inch box California sycamore $380 to $620. Installation and 3-year establishment-period maintenance adds $800 to $1,800 per tree.

LAMC §46.12 establishes the penalty structure. First offense: $5,000 per tree plus replacement at the 2:1 ratio. Second offense: $10,000 per tree plus replacement at the 4:1 ratio. Third and subsequent offenses or willful violations: $25,000 per tree plus replacement at 8:1 ratio plus possible referral to the City Attorney for criminal misdemeanor charges.

The penalty applies to removal without permit, to exceeding permitted scope (removing more of the tree than authorized, or removing adjacent protected trees without permit), and to negligent destruction (equipment damage to root zones, soil compaction within the critical root zone).

The Critical Root Zone (CRZ) extends to the dripline of the tree canopy. Construction activity within the CRZ — trenching, grading, paving, heavy equipment operation — without a tree-protection plan approved by UFD can trigger penalties even when the tree is not intentionally removed.

Tree-protection plan requirements under §46.08: 5-foot chain-link temporary fencing around the CRZ, no storage of materials inside the CRZ, no soil compaction, a qualified arborist on-site during any authorized CRZ work. The plan is part of the construction permit when the project is within 30 feet of any protected tree.

LAMC §46.06 limits pruning of protected trees to 20 percent of canopy in any 12-month period without a permit. Exceeding this threshold is a violation subject to the same penalty ladder as removal.

Pruning that exceeds 20 percent commonly happens when tree-service companies do not recognize a protected species. Homeowners hiring a pruning service should confirm the species in advance and ask whether the service has reviewed the §46 permit status.

ISA Certified Arborist pruning cuts per ANSI A300 Part 1 (Pruning) are the quality standard. Lions-tailing (excessive interior-branch removal), topping (removal of the leader and large branches to a fixed height), and flush-cutting (removing the branch collar) all violate A300 and can trigger §46 penalties even if the total canopy percentage is under 20 percent.

Post-pruning inspections by UFD are common in HPOZs and in areas where neighbors have reported concerns. The UFD arborist measures canopy loss by comparing pre-prune and post-prune dripline photos.

LAMC §46.10 provides an emergency exception for trees that present imminent danger to persons or property. Removal without permit is allowed if delay of the permit process would result in injury or damage.

The exception requires documentation: photographs of the hazard, a written assessment by an ISA Certified Arborist (can be post-removal within 30 days), and a report to UFD within 72 hours of the emergency removal.

Common emergency scenarios: split trunk after a major wind event, significant root-plate movement indicating imminent failure, dead tree within falling distance of an occupied structure. Storm-related tree damage typically qualifies; scheduled maintenance removals do not.

Dead-tree removals (tree is definitively dead, not just declining) require a standard §46 permit but the review is typically approved within 2 to 3 weeks. The arborist report must document death via lack of any live tissue; the removal can proceed after permit issuance without the full 4 to 8 week review.

Scenario: a 26-inch DBH valley oak in a backyard, partially overhanging an existing deck, showing early decay signs at the base. Homeowner wants it removed because of safety concerns during recent wind events.

Costs: arborist report $550, permit application fee $399, replacement trees (4 × 36-inch box valley oak at $1,200 each = $4,800 plus $2,400 installation), tree removal by licensed tree service $3,400 to $5,800 for a tree this size including crane access.

Timeline: arborist report 1 to 2 weeks, permit application submittal immediate, UFD review 6 to 8 weeks, on-site inspection scheduled during the review, permit issuance after approval, removal scheduled within the 30-day permit window, replacement-tree installation within 90 days of removal.

Total cost $12,000 to $16,500. Total timeline 10 to 16 weeks from decision to completed replacement-tree installation. The ongoing 5-year monitoring covenant is recorded against the property.

For homeowners coordinating tree removal with a broader landscape-design overhaul — replacing ornamentals, adding hardscape, redoing irrigation — see the landscape design service page at https://askbaily.com/landscape-design-los-angeles.