Key takeaways
- In the Tahoe Basin, TRPA requires a permit to remove live trees over 14 inches in diameter at breast height.
- Fire protection districts, not TRPA, issue the defensible-space tree permits after their evaluation.
- Fire district programs run on seasons, so schedule inspections and chipping when crews are working.
- Hand the crew written authorization and access instructions before you leave.
A second home sits empty for weeks while snow loads, wind and dry months do their work. The trees above it are a risk that does not wait for your calendar.
What are the tree rules on the Nevada side?
TRPA requires a permit to remove live trees greater than 14 inches diameter at breast height. If the house is on the lakeshore, a permit is needed for trees over 6 inches between the house and the lake. A dead tree that could fall on a house does not need a permit, and a conifer is considered dead when it has no green needles. Removing branches from the upper two-thirds of a tree needs a permit with listed exceptions, including branches within 10 feet of a chimney outlet, building or deck, branches that are dead, and branches rubbing on utility lines within your property. Our Tahoe permit guide explains how to measure DBH.
These are the rules as TRPA published them when we read them. The agency decides.
Who does the defensible space inspection?
TRPA says defensible-space tree removal can be permitted by your local fire protection agency. On the Nevada side that is North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District for Incline Village and Crystal Bay and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District for the south shore. The North Lake Tahoe district says a defensible space inspection is typically required for projects needing a Washoe County permit, such as a short-term rental. The Tahoe Douglas district says free inspections are available to current property owners and that it does not evaluate or permit tree removal for unbuilt properties.
See our pages on the North Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Douglas districts, and read insurance and defensible space.
When should the work be scheduled?
The districts run seasonal programs. North Lake Tahoe says its curbside chipping is available spring through fall, and Tahoe Douglas says its chipping crew works about May through October. Programs and rules change from year to year, so ask the district. Plan your inspection and tree work for the months when you are most likely to be there or can authorize others to be there.
Snow season changes what is possible. Heavy wet snow can break limbs while nobody is home. Read heavy wet snow and broken limbs and protecting trees from plow and snow-load damage.
How do I handle access while I am away?
Give the crew a written note from the owner saying who may authorize the work, where the gate code or key is and where equipment can park. Mark the property lines and the trees, and send photos. If an HOA controls the lot, send the HOA approval as well. Property managers can coordinate with the office.
We serve the Nevada side only: Incline Village, Crystal Bay, Glenbrook, Zephyr Cove, Stateline and Kingsbury. See Lake Tahoe, Nevada side.
What if something falls while I am away?
Ask your neighbor or property manager to call 911 if anyone is in danger, and NV Energy for any line. Our 24-hour emergency line is 775.232.8243, and a certified arborist assesses every job before work begins. Tell your insurer, and keep the photographs.
Sources
- Tahoe Regional Planning Agency: Trees and Defensible Space (read October 17, 2026)
- North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District: Defensible Space (read October 17, 2026)
- Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District: Defensible Space (read October 17, 2026)