Do you need a tree removal permit in Honolulu, HI?

For some trees. Honolulu requires a permit for certain trees or certain sites, not every tree. Honolulu does not have a general permit rule for ordinary trees on private land that we could find. Trees recognized in the city's Exceptional Tree Program need an approved permit before any tree work is done, and trees in the public planting strip need a permit from the Director of Parks and Recreation. Ask the Division of Urban Forestry before working on a large or historic tree. Our confidence: medium. Short explanation, not legal advice.

Exceptional trees and groves recognized by the city's Exceptional Tree Program. A tree qualifies when the Arborist Advisory Committee finds it meets at least one criterion: historic or cultural value, age, rarity, location, size, aesthetic quality, or endemic status. The city says exceptional trees require an approved permit before tree work is done.

It is unlawful to prune, spray, remove or plant trees in the planting strip (between the curb and the property line) without a permit from the Director of Parks and Recreation. The city's Division of Urban Forestry maintains street trees; residents may not prune City trees and should report concerns so the city can inspect. If an owner removes a street tree for driveway or other construction, it is at the owner's cost with a permit, and the Director may require a replacement tree, a deposit or bond, and insurance.

The street tree rules allow the city's Traffic Engineer and Chief Engineer to remove trees in emergencies. For a fallen tree or branch blocking a road or sidewalk, or causing damage or injury, the city says to call 911.

Exceptional tree pruning: submit the Application for Exceptional Tree Crown and/or Root Pruning with a Qualified Arborist Application Form to the Division of Urban Forestry (duf@honolulu.gov, 808-971-7151). Street tree concerns: call or email the Division of Urban Forestry, or use HNL 311 online.

Under the Parks and Recreation street tree rules (which cite a 1971 ordinance), a person who violates them can, on conviction, be fined up to $500, jailed up to six months, or both. Check the current city code for updates.

HOA rules can be stricter; check yours. Read your HOA covenants or ask the board before work starts.

Your address, the tree species if you know it, the trunk width measured about 4.5 feet above the ground, photos of the whole tree, and whether it is near the street, a sidewalk or a power line. Ask if a permit is needed and how long it takes.

Some do and some do not. Ask before you sign, and get it in writing who applies and who pays the fee. In many places the property owner is the one responsible for following the rules.

No. It is a short, plain summary of public rules with links to the official sources. For a firm answer on your property, ask the city or a local attorney.