Chicago, Illinois
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Chicago
On a standard Chicago lot, 25 feet wide with an alley behind, the tree in front belongs to the city and the tree in back is hemmed in by garages and power lines. Each has its own answer.
- County
- Cook
- Tree rules
- Bureau of Forestry, Department of Streets and Sanitation
- Key local rule
- Parkway trees are city property. No city permit for private yard trees.
- Electric utility
- ComEd
- Main hazards
- Derechos, tornadoes embedded in squall lines, lake wind, heavy wet snow
Front, back and side: who handles what
| Where the tree is | Who is responsible | How to proceed |
|---|---|---|
| Parkway, between sidewalk and curb | City of Chicago | Request trimming or removal through 311 |
| Front or back yard, inside the lot | Property owner | Hire a tree service. No city tree permit. |
| On the lot line or in the gangway | Both neighbors | Agree before cutting. Roots and limbs cross both lots. |
| Alley edge, in or under the wires | Owner for the tree, ComEd for its primary lines | Call ComEd about limbs on primary lines |
The Bureau of Forestry and parkway trees
Chicago's Bureau of Forestry plants, trims and removes trees in the public way. Residents may not prune or remove a parkway tree, and a private contractor needs a city permit to touch one. Requests go through 311.
For years trimming was done only in response to individual requests, which produced long backlogs. The city has shifted toward trimming whole areas on a rotating schedule, so a tree may be pruned without anyone on the block asking.
The city does not regulate removal of trees on private residential lots. Illinois has no arborist license. That leaves insurance and credentials for the owner to check, and it matters, because backyard work here is done close to live wires.
The 25-foot lot problem
Most Chicago houses and two-flats sit on lots 25 feet wide and 125 feet deep. The building takes up most of the width, leaving a gangway of three or four feet on one side. The backyard ends at a garage, and behind the garage runs an alley with utility poles.
A large silver maple or elm in that backyard cannot be reached by a truck. Climbers take it apart and lower each piece into a space the size of a parking spot, and the crew carries or wheels everything out through the gangway or the garage.
The alley lines are the constraint that surprises people. Primary electric lines often run directly over the back of the yard. Limbs near them require special clearances or a ComEd crew, and that can add a wait before the job starts.
Storms that have hit the city
- July 15, 2024
- A derecho with numerous embedded tornadoes across the metro area. Trees and limbs came down citywide after dark.
- August 10, 2020
- The Midwest derecho. A tornado crossed Rogers Park and gusts toppled trees along the lakefront.
- Lake-effect and wet snow
- Early and late season storms that break limbs on trees in leaf.
- Ordinary summer lines
- The steady source of calls, often two or three times a month in June and July.
Backyard trees that should not wait
A dead ash
Emerald ash borer killed most untreated ash in the city. Dead ones break apart and cannot be climbed safely.
Silver maple with several trunks from the base
The stems push apart as they grow. One usually ends up on a garage.
Tree-of-heaven or mulberry against the garage
A volunteer that grows a few feet a year into the wires.
Any tree that shifted in the last storm
Look for cracked soil or a gap at the base.
After a storm in Chicago
- Act now
A parkway tree is down or split
Report it through 311. Call 911 if it blocks the street or is on wires.
- Act now
A backyard tree is on the garage, house or fence
Call a tree service and photograph the damage. See does insurance cover tree removal.
- Act now
A limb is resting on the alley lines
Call ComEd. Do not touch the tree.
- This week
Broken stubs remain in a standing tree
Schedule corrective pruning in the next few weeks.
Chicago tree service questions
How do I get a parkway tree trimmed in Chicago?
Submit a tree trim request through 311. The Bureau of Forestry does the work. Timing depends on the area trimming schedule and on whether the tree is a hazard.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my Chicago backyard?
No city tree permit is required for a tree on private residential property. Make sure it is not on the property line.
Why is backyard tree removal in Chicago harder than in the suburbs?
Access. Everything is climbed, lowered into a small space and carried out through a gangway, usually with power lines over the alley.
Was the Asian longhorned beetle in Chicago?
Yes. It was discovered in the Ravenswood neighborhood in 1998. After years of tree removals and inspections, the city was declared free of it in 2008.
Reach a tree service in Chicago
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Chicago area, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
Limbwright is a referral service. Your call goes to an independent tree service company that sets its own schedule and terms. Ask for proof of insurance and a written scope before work starts. How this works
Call now
Talk to a tree service provider in your area. Have the tree's location and what it is near ready.
(844) 955-1716Call nowCall availability varies by area and time of day