Newton, Massachusetts
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Newton
As of March 1, 2024, Newton requires a permit to remove any tree with a trunk 6 inches or more in diameter on private property. The Tree Warden issues the permit and may require replacement planting or a payment to the city instead.
- County
- Middlesex
- Tree rules
- Newton Revised Ordinances, Tree Preservation (Chapter 21); Division of Urban Forestry; Tree Warden
- Key local rule
- Permit to remove trees 6 inches DBH and up on private property, since March 1, 2024
- Electric utility
- Eversource
- Main hazards
- Nor'easters and wet snow, old oaks and maples, teardown construction
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Newton?
For any tree 6 inches or more in diameter at breast height, yes, since March 1, 2024. Before that, the ordinance protected trees from 8 inches, or 15 inches combined on multi-stem trees, and exempted many owner-occupied homes. Check with Urban Forestry which exemptions survive under the current text.
- 6 inches and up
- Permit from the Tree Warden.
- Replacement
- Planting on site, a payment in lieu, or both.
- Applications
- Through the city's online permitting portal.
The ordinance before and after 2024
Before March 2024
- Protected trees from 8 inches, or 15 inches combined
- Exemption for many owner-occupied lots of four units or fewer
- Focused on construction and teardowns
Since March 2024
- Permit for all trees 6 inches and up
- Tree Warden issues permits
- Replacement table with planting and payment options
If you removed trees without a permit years ago under the owner-occupied exemption, do not assume the same applies now.
What the Tree Warden decides
A tree permit is a document issued by the Tree Warden stating which tree work is allowed on the site. Under certain circumstances removal requires replacement trees. The applicant can plant replacements on site, pay the city in lieu of planting, or combine the two, according to the replacement table on the city's site.
The Division of Urban Forestry administers the ordinance and also manages Newton's public shade trees.
The 2024 change came after years of debate about canopy loss during teardowns, when older houses on wooded lots were replaced by larger ones and most trees on the lot went with them. Lowering the size and widening the reach of the permit was meant to slow that loss.
Newton's thirteen villages and their trees
- Chestnut Hill and Waban
- Large lots with old oaks, beeches and white pines.
- Newton Centre and Newton Highlands
- Mature street trees and frequent teardown construction.
- Auburndale and West Newton
- Older Victorian lots with Norway maples and lindens.
- Along the Charles River
- Silver maples and cottonwoods in wetter soils, where conservation rules near wetlands can also apply.
- Oak Hill and Newton Upper Falls
- Mid-century homes on wooded lots with oaks and white pines close to the house.
Greater Boston warning signs
Heavy wet snow on white pines
Broken leaders and limbs over roofs.
Beech leaf disease
Dark bands between leaf veins, now present in Massachusetts.
Norway maples with girdling roots
Common slow decline.
Oaks weakened by spongy moth
Caterpillar outbreaks from 2016 to 2018 stripped and weakened many oaks in eastern Massachusetts.
Applying for a Newton tree permit
Measure each tree
Diameter at breast height.
Apply online
Through the city's permitting portal.
Tree Warden review
Determines what work is allowed and any replacement.
Replace or pay
According to the replacement table.
Hire the crew
Keep the permit on site while the work is done, and keep the invoice in case the city follows up.
Newton tree questions
Does Newton regulate dead trees?
Ask Urban Forestry. Dead and hazardous trees are typically handled through the permit process with documentation.
Who maintains street trees in Newton?
The Division of Urban Forestry.
Is Brookline the same?
No. Brookline, Wellesley and other neighbors have their own bylaws.
How do I contact Newton Urban Forestry?
Through the city's Division of Urban Forestry in Parks, Recreation and Culture.
Do I need a permit to prune a tree in Newton?
The ordinance concerns removal. Severe pruning that destroys a tree can be treated as a removal, so ask before heavy cutting.
What happens if I remove a tree without a permit?
The city can require replacement trees or payments on top of normal requirements, and penalties may apply. Applying first is far simpler.
Reach a tree service in Newton
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Newton 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