A Lake Oswego tree removal permit is required before you cut down any tree with a trunk that measures 6 inches in diameter at breast height or more, and the city can enforce against removals done without one. The right permit depends on whether the tree is dead, hazardous, invasive or simply in your way, and each type has its own fee, review and expiration rules.
The city’s own tree code FAQ is the source for the rules below, along with the city’s notice of changes that took effect on October 1, 2026.
Do you need a Lake Oswego tree removal permit?
You do if the trunk is 6 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH) or larger. Stumps, shrubs and hedges don’t count, and the city lists rhododendrons, camellias, English laurel, Portuguese laurel, Photinia, arborvitae and hazelnuts as examples of plants that aren’t trees under the code.
Normal pruning and maintenance doesn’t need a permit. But topping a tree, taking off 50% or more of it, or doing damage that kills it is treated as removal, and the city can enforce against it. If you’re unsure which side of that line a job falls on, our tree pruning crew can size it up before anyone climbs.
How the city measures a 6-inch trunk
Measure the circumference in inches at 4.5 feet above the ground, then divide by 3.14. A trunk with a 19-inch circumference works out to roughly 6 inches across, so it’s already in permit territory.
If the trunk splits into several stems below 4.5 feet, the city says to measure just below the split. Get this right before you apply, because the application starts with the tree’s size.
Which permit fits your tree
The city sorts removals into types, and picking the wrong one slows everything down. Its forms page groups them as Type I, Dead and Hazard or Emergency on one general application, plus Type II, Invasive and several specialty forms for forestry and verification.
| Permit | Cost | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | Free | 60 days from issuance |
| Invasive | Free | Does not expire |
| Dead | Fee applies | Does not expire |
| Hazard | Fee applies | 60 days from issuance |
| Type I | Fee applies | 60 days from issuance |
| Type II | Fee applies | 60 days from issuance |
For a tree that is leaning, the city asks for a photo showing the lean and helps you choose between Emergency, Hazardous, Type I or Type II. A dead tree needs a photo of the whole crown.
Storm damage or a tree on a structure is a different case, since an emergency permit is free and our emergency tree service runs around the clock. A standing dead tree is the other common case, and our dead tree removal page explains how we handle those.
What a Lake Oswego tree removal permit costs
Emergency and invasive permits cost nothing. Type I, dead, hazard and Type II permits carry a fee, and the amounts sit in the city’s master fee schedule, which the city’s tree code page points to for the current fiscal year.
Check that schedule for the current fiscal year before you budget. If you appeal a Type II decision, a separate hearing fee applies as well.
The permit is only part of the spend. Mitigation trees, discussed below, and the removal work itself come on top.
How long a Type II permit takes
A Type II removal is the slowest route because the neighbors get a say. You post a yellow public notice sign on the property, and the city lists the application online and emails the neighborhood association.
Under the process the city’s FAQ describes, a 14-day comment period follows. Staff then issue a tentative decision, typically within two business days of the comment period closing, and a 7-day appeal period starts. With no appeal, the decision is final.
Dead deciduous trees have a seasonal wrinkle: the FAQ says staff site visits happen between November 1 and April 15.
Once issued, a Lake Oswego tree removal permit of this kind lasts 60 days. You can request one 60-day extension in writing before it runs out, so don’t let a scheduling delay on the removal crew’s side cost you the permit.
What changed on October 1, 2026
The city’s 2026 tree code update says its new rules took effect on October 1, 2026. The FAQ pages still describe the older process in places, so go by the update where the two differ.
According to the update, the Type II comment period drops from 14 days to 7, and staff decisions are appealed to a hearings officer whose decision is final. A new Clear and Objective track applies to Type II removals tied to new dwelling units or new residential lots. Those projects generally have to meet a 45% minimum tree retention standard, with a Tree Retention Deficit Fee when they fall short.
Ash trees get an easier path as well. The city offers a simple over-the-counter permit for removing ash trees ahead of Emerald Ash Borer.
Replanting rules after a removal
A Type II removal comes with mitigation, which means planting replacement trees. If the tree you remove is native, the replacement has to be a native species from the city’s native tree mitigation list.
For a non-native tree, the species is generally your choice, though the city can require a specific one as a condition of approval when significant trees come out. Invasive species can’t be used as mitigation trees, and the city sets minimum sizes for the replacements. The 2026 update adds new mitigation and street tree planting requirements as well.
Plan the replanting before the chainsaw starts. If the stump is in the way of the new tree, stump grinding clears the spot.
How to apply and who should do the work
You can apply at the Permit Center, open to walk-ins Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon, by email at trees@lakeoswego.city, or by mail to the Planning Department (Trees) at P.O. Box 369, Lake Oswego, OR 97034. The planner on duty can be reached at 503-635-0290. For Type II, staff contact you after processing an emailed application to collect fees and arrange pickup of the notice sign, which you return to City Hall once the permit is issued.
Hire someone who can read the tree before you file your Lake Oswego tree removal permit application. Our credentials include an ISA Master Arborist and an Oregon contractor license, CCB #206934, and an arborist report is often what turns a vague application into one staff can approve. If the tree needs to come down, our Lake Oswego tree service team and tree removal crew can take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to trim a tree in Lake Oswego?
No. The city says normal pruning and maintenance doesn’t require a permit. Topping or removing 50% or more of the tree counts as removal, though.
Do I need a permit for a stump?
No. The city’s code treats stumps as outside the tree permit rules, along with shrubs and hedges.
Can I extend a Lake Oswego tree removal permit that’s about to run out?
Yes, once. Type I, Type II, hazard and emergency permits last 60 days, and you can ask Planning in writing for one 60-day extension before expiry.
Do dead tree and invasive tree permits expire?
No. The city says both dead and invasive removal permits do not expire.
What if a tree is leaning after a storm?
Send the city a photo showing the lean. Staff help you pick between an emergency, hazardous, Type I or Type II permit, and emergency permits are free.
Sources
- Tree Code Frequently Asked Questions — City of Lake Oswego
- Tree Code — City of Lake Oswego
- Tree Removal and Tree Protection Requirements — City of Lake Oswego
- 2026 Tree Code Updates — City of Lake Oswego
Cover photo by Zion Smith on Pexels