Since May 1, 2024, the NJ DEP deadline under its stormwater (MS4) permit, most New Jersey municipalities have adopted new tree removal and replacement ordinances. Here’s what homeowners need to know before scheduling work.
As of May 1, 2024, New Jersey’s tree-removal landscape changed. Under the NJ DEP’s Tier A stormwater (MS4) permit, every municipality had to adopt a tree removal and replacement ordinance by that date, and the new local rules tightened what homeowners can — and can’t — do to mature trees on private property without a permit. Here’s what we’re telling clients.
Tree-removal regulation in New Jersey is set at the municipal level, but most NJ towns now follow a similar framework after NJ DEP required every municipality, under its 2023 Tier A stormwater (MS4) permit, to adopt a tree removal and replacement ordinance by May 1, 2024. The general rules are:
The NJ DEP model ordinance also exempts residents who remove fewer than four trees per acre (under about 33 inches DBH) in any five-year period, along with tree farms, nurseries and orchards, and land under an approved forest stewardship plan; towns vary on the details. Beyond that, the ordinance language across most towns includes exemptions for:
Each NJ municipality can adopt stricter rules based on local environmental priorities and zoning. What’s required in Cherry Hill is not the same as what’s required in Salem. A property in a historic district has additional layers. A property in the Pinelands has additional layers. A property along a riparian buffer has additional layers.
Before scheduling any tree removal, check with your local municipal building or zoning department for the specific requirements in your town. Most towns post their tree ordinance on the municipal website. If you’re unsure, call them — they’re the ones who issue the permit.
For every removal Tree Awareness handles, we walk the property with the homeowner first. If the tree is regulated under the local ordinance, we tell you what permit you’ll need before we cut. If the tree qualifies for a safety or pest-related exemption, we document the justification in the assessment report so you have it on file.
We don’t cut a tree we know is regulated without seeing the permit first. That’s the rule. Customers who want unpermitted removals on regulated trees need to call somebody else — that’s not a fight we want to be in.
Three steps:
Tree care is a credentialed profession in New Jersey for a reason. Tree Awareness, Inc. operates under NJ Licensed Tree Expert #408 — required by NJ statute (Tree Expert and Tree Care Operator’s Licensing Act, N.J.S.A. 45:15C-11 et seq.) for any company offering professional tree-care services in the state. We’ll help you navigate the new ordinance correctly.
Sometimes, but not always freely. In most New Jersey municipalities you can remove smaller trees without a permit, but larger trees — commonly those over 6 inches in diameter at breast height — now need a municipal permit before removal, even on private property. Whether a specific tree is regulated depends on your town’s ordinance, so confirm with your local building or zoning department before any work.
In most NJ towns, yes — if the tree is over the size threshold in the local ordinance, often 6 inches DBH. The application usually asks for a reason such as disease, a safety hazard, or construction, and you may be required to replace the tree or pay into a tree-replacement fund. Requirements vary by municipality, and some towns regulate far more strictly than others.
Fines are set by each municipality and can be significant, often assessed per tree or per diameter-inch removed, and towns may also require replacement plantings or restoration. Because penalties and enforcement differ from town to town, check your local ordinance before removing any regulated tree — or have us confirm whether a permit is needed first.
Most ordinances exempt removals needed for public safety — a failing tree threatening people, structures, power lines, or roads — and certain documented pest or disease cases such as confirmed Emerald Ash Borer. There is no statewide list of “illegal to cut” species, but trees in protected zones like wetlands, riparian buffers, historic districts, or the Pinelands carry extra restrictions and may be off-limits without special approval. When in doubt, get the tree assessed and documented before acting.
Generally no. A tree growing entirely on your property is your responsibility, not the municipality’s. Towns typically handle only trees they own — those in the public right-of-way or on municipal land — so a street tree between the sidewalk and curb may be the town’s, while a backyard tree is yours. Call your public-works or shade-tree department to confirm ownership if you are unsure.
Free site visit. We assess the tree, tell you whether it’s regulated, identify any exemptions, and document the justification in writing. Either way you get the report.
