Tree Removal Permits Adelaide: 3m Rule, Exempt Trees & Fines

Last updated: 8 October 2026.

In Adelaide, you generally need development approval to remove or damage a tree if its trunk is 1 metre or more in circumference measured 1 metre above the ground. Larger trees (2 metres or more) are significant and have stronger protection. Removing a regulated or significant tree without approval can attract heavy penalties under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (PDIA). Some trees are exempt — most commonly trees within 3 metres of a house or pool, dead trees, and a list of declared exotic species — but the rules changed on 16 May 2024 and the old “10-metre rule” no longer applies.

This guide walks through what changed, what’s exempt, what your council in particular cares about, and the step-by-step process to get a tree legally removed in Adelaide. If your tree isn’t exempt, the application will almost always need a council-ready arborist report — we prepare those, and we can do the approved removal afterwards.

The 16 May 2024 changes — what’s actually different

Three amendments came into effect on the same day. They all tightened protection.

Item	Before 16 May 2024	After 16 May 2024
Regulated tree threshold	Trunk circumference 2 m at 1 m above ground	Trunk circumference 1 m at 1 m above ground
Significant tree threshold	Trunk circumference 3 m at 1 m above ground	Trunk circumference 2 m at 1 m above ground
Multi-trunk regulated	Total 2 m, average 625 mm	Total 1 m, average 310 mm
Multi-trunk significant	Total 3 m, average 625 mm	Total 2 m, average 625 mm
Dwelling/pool exemption distance	10 metres of a dwelling or in-ground pool	3 metres of a dwelling or in-ground pool

Source: Planning, Development and Infrastructure (General) (Regulated and Significant Trees) Amendment Regulations 2024 (SA), commencement 16 May 2024.

The headline change for most homeowners is the dwelling exemption shrinking from 10 m to 3 m. A tree that used to be exempt because it sat 6 m from the back of the house is now regulated again. This catches a lot of mature trees on standard Adelaide blocks that had been planned for removal under the old rule.

Translation: if an arborist gave you advice or a quote on tree removal before 16 May 2024 and you didn’t act, the advice may be wrong now. Get it re-checked.

What counts as a regulated or significant tree

The rules apply to a tree’s trunk circumference — not its height, not its canopy, and not the kind of tree it is (with the species exemptions noted further down).

Regulated tree

• Single trunk: circumference of 1 m or more, measured at 1 m above natural ground level.
• Multi-trunk: total circumference of all trunks adds to 1 m or more, AND the average trunk circumference is 310 mm or more.

Significant tree

• Single trunk: circumference of 2 m or more, measured at 1 m above natural ground level.
• Multi-trunk: total 2 m or more, average 625 mm or more.

A 1 m circumference is roughly the size of a tree where you can just about wrap both arms around the trunk and touch your fingertips. A 2 m circumference is well beyond a hug — about twice that bulk. If you’re unsure, take a string around the trunk at chest height and measure it on the ground; that’s the same method an arborist uses.

You can find the listed significant trees for your council in Part 10 of the South Australian Planning and Design Code on PlanSA. These are individually nominated trees (heritage specimens, landmark species) that are protected regardless of their measurements.

Exemptions — when you don’t need approval

There are real exemptions. Understanding them is the difference between a serious penalty risk and a straightforward removal.

1. Dead trees, and urgent safety work

A dead regulated or significant tree is exempt. The catch: you need to be able to demonstrate it — photos and ideally an arborist’s written assessment. Removing a tree on the strength of “it looked dead” without documentation leaves you exposed.

A living tree that poses an imminent risk to a person or building is handled differently: urgent work can be done without waiting for approval, but only the minimum needed, the council must be notified within 28 days, and approval must be applied for afterwards (SA Law Handbook).

If a branch or limb is creating an immediate safety risk and you need it gone now — say, a split limb hanging over a driveway after a storm — urgent make-safe work can be done first — but the same notify-council-within-28-days rule applies to a regulated tree. See our storm damage and emergency removal page for after-hours work.

2. Within 3 metres of a dwelling or in-ground pool (with species exceptions)

A regulated or significant tree on the same allotment as your house or in-ground pool, with any part of its trunk within 3 metres of the building or pool, is exempt — unless it’s one of these species:

• Eucalyptus (any species — sugar gum, river red gum, lemon-scented gum, blue gum, etc.)
• Corymbia (formerly classified as eucalypts — bloodwoods, lemon-scented gum)
• Angophora (smooth-barked apples)
• Agonis flexuosa (willow myrtle / WA peppermint)

These four genera are protected even when they’re within 3 m of the house, because they’re the species the SA Government most wants to keep in the urban canopy. Practically: a sugar gum next to your back wall is still a regulated tree even if it’s 1.5 m from the brickwork.

This is the exemption that changed most. Pre-May 2024 the radius was 10 m. The new 3 m rule means a tree at the bottom of a typical 600 m² Adelaide block, 8 m from the house, is now back inside the regulated regime.

3. Within 20 metres of a dwelling in a Medium or High Bushfire Risk area

If your property is in a Medium or High Bushfire Risk Hazards (Bushfire Protection) Overlay — most of the Adelaide Hills, parts of Mitcham foothills, parts of Tea Tree Gully — a regulated or significant tree within 20 m of a dwelling is generally exempt (SA Law Handbook). Caveats:

• Confirm with council before relying on it, particularly for a large significant tree or one individually listed in Part 10 of the Code.
• Native vegetation under the Native Vegetation Act 1991 is a separate regime and has its own clearance rules. In the Hills, this is often the rule that matters more than the regulated tree rule.
• The exemption is for clearance for bushfire protection, not for landscaping convenience. Keep the work genuinely about fire-fuel reduction and document the rationale.

4. Listed exempt species

The Minister maintains a list of declared exempt species — generally short-lived, weedy, structurally poor, or invasive trees. This list includes (but isn’t limited to):

• Box Elder (Acer negundo)
• Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
• London Plane (Platanus x acerifolia) — note: protected if individually listed in Part 10
• Willows (Salix species, including Weeping Willow)
• Several other exotic species (for example camphor laurel, radiata pine, some figs and poplars)

The list is updated by ministerial notice — confirm against the current PlanSA fact sheet before relying on it. Palms, olive trees, plane trees that are individually listed, and “old” trees of any species should not be assumed exempt without checking.

5. Maintenance pruning

Light pruning that doesn’t materially affect a tree’s health or appearance is exempt. So is pruning to remove dead or diseased wood and branches posing a risk to buildings or people, up to 30% of the crown, but only once every five years (SA Law Handbook). Anything beyond that on a regulated tree needs approval.

What does “tree-damaging activity” actually cover?

Approval isn’t just for full removal. Under the PDIA, “tree-damaging activity” includes:

• Killing or destroying the tree (including by poisoning the soil)
• Removing the tree
• Severing branches, limbs, stems, or the trunk
• Ring-barking
• Topping or lopping
• Cutting or damaging the root system
• Any other substantial damage

In practical terms: if a contractor offers to “lop” a 1.5 m circumference gum without a permit, that’s the activity the regulations are designed to catch. See arborist vs tree lopper for why the distinction matters.

The penalty — what you actually risk

Unauthorised tree-damaging activity on a regulated or significant tree attracts heavy penalties under the PDIA, with court costs on top.

The most-cited recent precedent: on 18 February 2025, the City of Burnside secured a conviction and $10,000 fine against the tree contractor who had illegally felled a 2.1-metre circumference regulated river red gum at Rosslyn Park. The lesson: the person doing the work can be prosecuted, not just the property owner. (Source: City of Burnside.)

Two practical points:

1. Councils are looking. The Burnside case started with a complaint and a council site inspection. Assume any council can follow up.
2. Costs go beyond the fine. Court costs, and the cost of putting things right, can add significantly to the penalty itself.

Council-by-council — how strict is your area?

The state law sets the floor. Individual councils vary in how aggressively they enforce, how they treat the application paperwork, and how many trees they have on the Significant Tree register.

Eastern Suburbs

City of Burnside (Burnside, Beaumont, Glen Osmond, Rosslyn Park, Magill, Mt Osmond, Stonyfell, Toorak Gardens, Tusmore, Wattle Park, Waterfall Gully foothills). Burnside secured the February 2025 conviction above and is one of the four councils with specific significant trees listed in Part 10 of the Code. Assume permits are required until an arborist inspection confirms otherwise. See our Burnside service page for context on how we approach jobs in this LGA.

City of Unley (Unley, Unley Park, Goodwood, Wayville, Hyde Park, Malvern, Parkside, Fullarton). One of the four councils with specific significant trees listed in Part 10 of the Planning and Design Code, so check the listing for any sizeable specimen in Unley. Heritage character areas with plenty of mature trees along King William Rd, Goodwood Rd and the Wayville corridor. See Unley.

City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters (NPSP). Runs a published Tree Strategy 2022–2027 and pays close attention to the canopy. Mature jacarandas and other large trees define much of the streetscape.

Town of Walkerville. A small heritage council; expect to provide a detailed arborist justification for any application.

City of Campbelltown. Standard PDIA framework. Heritage gardens and mature olives mean trunk circumference often surprises owners.

City of Mitcham (Belair, Blackwood, Eden Hills, Brown Hill Creek, Mitcham village). Foothills location means the Bushfire Protection Overlay does a lot of heavy lifting. Council may ask for an arborist report or a structural-engineer letter for non-exempt regulated tree applications.

Western Suburbs

City of Charles Sturt (Henley Beach, Grange, Findon, Lockleys, West Lakes, Fulham). Standard state regime; coastal salt-tolerant species (Norfolk Island pines, eucalypts, palms) often hit the regulated-tree threshold.

City of West Torrens. Standard PDIA application process; less heritage-tree density than the eastern councils.

City of Holdfast Bay (Glenelg, Brighton, Somerton Park, Seacliff). Coastal suburbs with Norfolk Island pines and plenty of palms. Some palm species may be on the exempt list — check the current Minister’s notice before assuming.

Northern Suburbs

City of Port Adelaide Enfield. Heritage character areas around Semaphore and the historic port. Otherwise standard PDIA application process; commercial and residential mix means a higher proportion of removals are pre-development clearance.

City of Salisbury (Salisbury, Mawson Lakes, Parafield Gardens, Salisbury North). The standard regulated tree rules apply.

City of Tea Tree Gully (Modbury, Highbury, Hope Valley, Wynn Vale). Foothills suburbs (Anstey Hill side) carry the Bushfire Protection Overlay, where the 20 m exemption can apply — confirm with council first.

Southern Suburbs

City of Mitcham (also covers some southern foothills — see above).

City of Marion (Marion, Mitchell Park, Oaklands Park, Edwardstown, Glengowrie). Standard PDIA application process.

City of Onkaparinga (northern fringe — Reynella, Christies Beach, Morphett Vale, Hackham). Standard PDIA application process.

Adelaide Hills

Adelaide Hills Council (Stirling, Aldgate, Crafers, Bridgewater, Hahndorf, Mylor, Heathfield, Mt Lofty district). The regulated tree rules apply, but the Native Vegetation Act 1991 also applies across most of the council area. That’s a separate regime — clearance generally requires Native Vegetation Council consent and isn’t covered by the regulated-tree exemptions. The 20 m bushfire exemption matters a lot here: most properties sit in a Medium or High Bushfire Risk Overlay. See our Adelaide Hills service page.

Mount Barker District Council. Townships are treated like the rest of metro Adelaide for regulated tree purposes; rural areas fall under the Native Vegetation Act.

Step-by-step: how to get a tree legally removed in Adelaide

If you’ve worked out (or you suspect) your tree is regulated or significant, here is the actual sequence.

1. Measure the tree

String around the trunk at exactly 1 m above natural ground level. Note the circumference. If it’s under 1 m, it’s not regulated under the state rule (but might still be a listed Part 10 significant tree — check below).

2. Identify the species

Eucalyptus, Corymbia, Angophora and Agonis flexuosa are protected under the regulated regime even within 3 m of the house. Species on the Minister’s exempt list (Box Elder, Silver Maple, London Plane, willows, etc.) can usually go without approval. Anything else of regulated size needs further checks.

3. Check Part 10 of the Planning and Design Code

Search your council’s name plus “Significant Tree Register” or look at Part 10 on PlanSA. If the tree is individually listed, it’s protected at the significant level regardless of its measurement.

4. Check the exemptions

Is the tree dead (documented with photos or an arborist report)? Is it within 3 m of an existing dwelling or in-ground pool on the same allotment, and not a Eucalyptus / Corymbia / Angophora / Willow Myrtle? Is it within 20 m of a dwelling in a Medium or High Bushfire Risk area (confirm with council for significant trees)? Is it on the listed exempt species list? If yes to any of these, you may be able to proceed without approval — but get it in writing from your arborist before you cut.

5. If you need approval, get an arborist report

A development application for tree-damaging activity needs a justification. The standard package is an arborist report (preferably from an AQF Level 5 consulting arborist) addressing tree health, structural condition, risk to property and people, and whether less-invasive options have been considered. We cover this on the arborist reports service page.

6. Lodge through PlanSA

The application goes through the PlanSA portal as a development application. Your council assesses it — allow several weeks for residential cases. Expect questions; expect to provide additional photos or arborist commentary. Your contractor can lodge the application on your behalf, or you can lodge it directly.

7. Wait for the decision before cutting

This is where people get caught out. People lodge an application, decide the wait is too long, and instruct the contractor to start. Don’t. No cut until the decision is in writing.

8. Use a qualified arborist for the work

Removal of a regulated or significant tree should be performed by a qualified arborist (Certificate III in Arboriculture is the usual qualification for climbers; the Diploma, AQF Level 5, for consulting work and applications). Verify the contractor’s public liability insurance and current Certificate of Currency. See our tree removal page for the standard scope and what to expect on the day.

Common mistakes that turn into council problems

Patterns we see again and again:

• “I trimmed it back, I didn’t remove it.” Topping, ring-barking, severing major limbs, and pruning beyond the maintenance exemption all count as tree-damaging activity. The trunk doesn’t have to come down to trigger the rules.
• “The tree was clearly dying.” Dying isn’t the same as dead — a dying regulated tree still needs approval unless another exemption applies. Get the arborist report before the chainsaw.
• “My neighbour wants it gone.” Approvals attach to the property, not the neighbour. If the trunk is on your land, you decide; if it’s on theirs, they do (within the rules). Overhanging branches you can prune to the boundary, but only within the regulated tree rules and only if it doesn’t kill or destabilise the tree.
• “The contractor said it was fine.” Both the owner and the contractor can be exposed — the February 2025 Burnside conviction was against the contractor. Check for yourself.
• “I’m in the Hills, the rules don’t apply.” They do — plus the Native Vegetation Act, plus the Bushfire Overlay regime. The Hills is more regulated, not less.

How much does the application cost?

Normal development application fees apply — confirm the current fee with your council or on PlanSA. The Law Handbook notes there’s no fee for an affected neighbour seeking approval to prune on their side of the boundary.

The arborist report typically runs $400–$800 for a residential single-tree assessment. For pricing on the removal itself, see our tree removal cost guide.

FAQs about tree removal permits in Adelaide

Do I need a permit to remove a tree from my own property in Adelaide? You need development approval to remove a tree if its trunk is 1 metre or more in circumference (measured 1 m above the ground), unless an exemption applies. The most common exemptions are: the tree is dead, the tree is within 3 m of an existing dwelling or in-ground pool on the same allotment (with eucalypt/corymbia/angophora/willow myrtle excluded), the tree is within 20 m of a dwelling in a Medium or High Bushfire Risk area, or the tree is on the listed exempt species list.

What’s the fine for cutting down a tree without permission in SA? Heavy penalties apply under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016, plus court costs. In February 2025 the City of Burnside secured a conviction and $10,000 fine against a tree contractor for the unauthorised felling of a 2.1 m circumference regulated gum at Rosslyn Park.

What changed in May 2024? On 16 May 2024, the regulated tree threshold dropped from 2 m to 1 m circumference, the significant tree threshold dropped from 3 m to 2 m, and the dwelling/pool exemption distance dropped from 10 m to 3 m. Older arborist advice based on the previous rules is no longer reliable.

Are eucalyptus trees protected even close to the house? Yes. Eucalyptus, Corymbia, Angophora and Agonis flexuosa (willow myrtle / WA peppermint) species are excluded from the 3 m dwelling exemption. A regulated-size eucalypt within 3 m of your house still needs approval to remove.

How long does a council tree removal application take in Adelaide? Allow several weeks for a residential application, longer if council asks for more information.

Can I remove a dead tree without a permit? Yes — a dead tree is exempt. But you need to be able to demonstrate the condition, so take photos (and ideally get an arborist’s note) before removal. A living tree that poses an imminent safety risk can be made safe urgently, but council must be notified within 28 days and approval sought afterwards.

What if the tree is on a fence line between two properties? Ownership follows the trunk, not the canopy. If the trunk is on your side, you decide (within the rules). Overhanging branches can be pruned back to the boundary by the affected neighbour, but only in a way that doesn’t kill or destabilise the tree, and only within the regulated-tree pruning limits.

Sources

Primary sources cited in this guide:

• PlanSA — Significant and regulated trees
• SA.GOV.AU — Regulated and significant trees
• Law Handbook SA — Significant and Regulated Trees
• SA Legislation — Planning, Development and Infrastructure (General) (Regulated and Significant Trees) Amendment Regulations 2024
• SA Planning Commission — New rules to protect Adelaide’s tree canopy (16 May 2024)
• City of Burnside — Council achieves conviction and $10,000 fine for illegal tree removal (Feb 2025)
• Norman Waterhouse Lawyers — Significant changes to Significant and Regulated Tree protections

This guide reflects the law as we understand it on 5 May 2026. It is not legal advice. For a specific tree, get an arborist’s assessment and, where the application matters, legal advice on your council’s particular position.