--- title: Does a Dead Tree at Lake Tahoe Need a Permit? url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/does-a-dead-tree-at-tahoe-need-a-permit/ business: Battle Born Tree Service address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701 phone: 775.232.8243 hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood) --- - [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/) - [Questions and answers](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/) - [Lake Tahoe tree work](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/) - Does a dead tree at Lake Tahoe need a permit? # Does a dead tree at Lake Tahoe need a permit? Not if it could fall on a house: the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency says removing a dead tree that could fall on a house does not require a permit. A dead tree that is not near a house is different, and TRPA's forester decides whether one is needed. ## What TRPA says TRPA's Trees and Defensible Space page states that removal of a dead tree that could fall on a house does not require a permit. It gives a test for what counts as dead: a conifer is considered dead when it has no green needles, while a deciduous tree must be determined dead by a qualified forester. For a dead tree that is not near a house, the page tells the owner to contact a TRPA forester to determine whether a permit is required. The phone number given on the page is (775) 589-5294. ## Why this is easier to get wrong than it sounds A bare tree in winter is not necessarily dead, and an evergreen with some brown can still have green needles higher up. A pine that has been attacked by beetles may look fine for a while. [Removing dead pines after bark beetles](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/removing-dead-pines-bark-beetles/) explains the stages. A tree that could fall on a house also may be close to a neighbor's, a driveway or a power line. The permit exemption does not change the danger, and it does not cover other agencies' rules, such as work near a line. ## How we fit in Our ISA Certified Arborists assess every job before work starts, so they can tell you whether a tree is dead and what it could hit. They cannot decide a permit; the agency does. Bring TRPA's answer, or ask us to describe the tree for the call. If the dead tree is part of a defensible space plan, the fire district's inspector may handle it. See [who handles defensible space tree permits](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/who-handles-defensible-space-tree-permits-at-tahoe/). Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) for a free estimate. If anyone is hurt or a line is down, call 911 and NV Energy first. ### Sources - [Tahoe Regional Planning Agency: Trees and Defensible Space](https://www.trpa.gov/trees-and-defensible-space/) (read October 17, 2026) ### Talk to the office [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) | Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered | Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service. [Free estimate](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Tahoe tree removal permits: the 14-inch rule and how to measure DBH](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tahoe-tree-removal-permits-dbh/) - [Removing dead pines after bark beetles](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/removing-dead-pines-bark-beetles/) - [Lake Tahoe tree work questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/) - [Lake Tahoe, Nevada side](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/lake-tahoe-nevada/) - [How to tell if a tree is dead or dying](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/is-my-tree-dead-or-dying/) ### Terms on this page [TRPA (Tahoe Regional Planning Agency)](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/trpa/) [The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ### All lake tahoe tree work questions - [Lake Tahoe tree work questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/) ## More lake tahoe tree work questions [Who handles defensible-space tree permits at Lake Tahoe?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/who-handles-defensible-space-tree-permits-at-tahoe/) [Can I remove a tree at Tahoe to improve my lake view?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/can-i-remove-a-tree-for-a-lake-view/) [Do you work in South Lake Tahoe, Truckee or Tahoe City?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/do-you-work-in-south-lake-tahoe-truckee-or-tahoe-city/) [Can I prune a Tahoe tree without a permit?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/can-i-prune-a-tahoe-tree-without-a-permit/) [Previous question: Do you work in South Lake Tahoe, Truckee or Tahoe City?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/do-you-work-in-south-lake-tahoe-truckee-or-tahoe-city/) [Next question: Can I prune a Tahoe tree without a permit?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/lake-tahoe/can-i-prune-a-tahoe-tree-without-a-permit/)