--- title: Do You Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Reno, NV? url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/permit-to-remove-a-tree-in-reno/ 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/) - [Permits and rules](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/) - Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Reno? # Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Reno? Not for a tree on private property: the City of Reno says no permit is needed to remove, prune or plant there. A Tree Work Permit is required for work in City right-of-way or on City property, and a Certified Arborist must do that work. ## Your own lot According to the City of Reno's Urban Forestry tree FAQs, no permit is needed to remove, prune or plant trees on private property. That covers the backyard elm and the front-yard ash standing wholly on your lot. There is a carve-out for development. The Truckee Meadows Water Authority's summary of local ordinances says Reno's tree protection rules sit in Chapter 18.12, Article V of its code and cover tree preservation, replacement and mitigation on projects. If you are building, subdividing or applying for a permit for new construction, ask the city's planning staff what applies before any tree comes down. ## The planter strip and City property Work in City right-of-way or on City property does need a Tree Work Permit, and the city requires a Certified Arborist for that work. The strip between the sidewalk and the curb is usually right-of-way, so a street tree there is the city's concern even if it is in front of your house. Reno Urban Forestry's number on its page is 775-321-8373. The ordinance summary adds that anyone working within 10 feet of a publicly owned tree must contact the City's Urban Forester before digging. That matters for stump grinding and trenching near a street tree. ## Where we fit We have two ISA Certified Arborists on staff, which is the kind of credential the city asks for on right-of-way work. We do not run the permit for you; the agency decides, and we can tell you which one to ask. See [whether we handle permits](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/does-battle-born-handle-tree-permits/). HOA covenants are a separate layer that many Reno neighborhoods have. Our guide on [HOA tree rules](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/hoa-tree-rules/) lists what to check, and the wider picture is in [tree removal permits in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-removal-permits-northern-nevada/). ### Sources - [City of Reno: Urban Forestry tree FAQs](https://www.reno.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation-community-services/urban-forestry/tree-faqs) (read October 17, 2026) - [Truckee Meadows Water Authority: Local Tree Ordinances](https://tmwa.com/article/local-tree-ordinances/) (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 - [Tree removal in Reno](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/reno/tree-removal/) - [Do you need a permit to remove a tree in Northern Nevada?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-removal-permits-northern-nevada/) - [HOA tree rules: what to check first](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/hoa-tree-rules/) - [Permits and rules questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/) - [Who is responsible for the street tree in front of my house?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/who-is-responsible-for-the-street-tree/) ### Terms on this page [Arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/) [Right-of-way](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/right-of-way/) [The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ### All permits and rules questions - [Permits and rules questions](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/) ## Next permits and rules questions people ask [Can I trim my neighbor's branches that hang over my yard?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/can-i-trim-my-neighbors-branches/) [Who owns a tree on the property line?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/who-owns-a-tree-on-the-property-line/) [Who is responsible for the street tree in front of my house?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/who-is-responsible-for-the-street-tree/) [Can the city make me remove a dead tree?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/can-the-city-make-me-remove-a-dead-tree/) [Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Carson City?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/permit-to-remove-a-tree-in-carson-city/) [Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Sparks?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/permit-to-remove-a-tree-in-sparks/) [Next question: Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Carson City?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/faq/permits-and-rules/permit-to-remove-a-tree-in-carson-city/)