Tree Protection & Removal
Every tree on both public and private property is an important part of Cupertino's urban forest and contributes significant economic, environmental and aesthetic benefits to our community.
The Public Works Department, Trees Division is responsible for planting and maintaining about 13,000 park trees and street trees in the public right-of-way. These trees are tagged with yellow and green plastic plastic cards which provide information about each tree. If any of these trees need maintenance or removal, please call 408.777.3410. Do not plant, prune, or remove trees in the public right-of-way. Please notify the Trees Division if the tree is damaged, dead or hazardous.
Trees must be protected during construction, and tree management plans are encouraged.
The City of Cupertino has also designated certain classes of trees on private property in all zoning districts as Protected Trees which can only be removed after obtaining approval through the tree removal permitting process.
Protected Trees
Heritage Trees designated for special aesthetic, cultural or historical value or significance.
Specimen Trees of the species listed below with either a minimum single trunk diameter of 12 inches (38 inch circumference) or a minimum multi-trunk diameter of 24 inches (75 inch circumference) measured 4.5 feet above ground level.
| Scientific Name |
Common Name |
| Aesculus californica |
California Buckeye |
| Acer macrophyllum |
Big Leaf Maple |
| Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca' |
Blue Atlas Cedar |
| Cedrus deodara |
Deodar Cedar |
| Platanus racemosa |
Western Sycamore |
| Quercus |
Native Oak trees, including the following: |
| Quercus agrifolia |
Coast Live Oak |
| Quercus douglasii |
Blue Oak |
| Quercus kelloggii |
California Black Oak |
| Quercus lobata |
Valley Oak |
| Quercus wislizenii |
Interior Live Oak |
| Umbellularia californica |
California Bay Laurel |
Required Trees - any tree required to be planted or retained as part of an approved development application, building permit, tree removal permit or code enforcement action
Privacy Protection Trees - any tree required to be planted or retained as part of privacy protection landscaping
Read the Protected Tree Ordinance for more information.
Use this Tree Removal Form(PDF, 321KB) to apply for a tree removal. Public noticing is required for tree removal applications.
See the current tree removal permit and retroactive tree removal permit fees in the Planning Fee Schedule.
It is much less expensive to apply for a tree permit before removing a protected tree is than the retroactive permit fee after you have removed one.
In addition to the permit fees, you may also be responsible for the cost to purchase, plant and maintain replacement tree(s) or for an in-lieu tree replacement fee.
If you believe you can not plant the replacement trees that are required as part of mitigation, please ask your planner about in-lieu fees.
You may apply for a Tree Management Plan in order to plan for the anticipated growth and eventual removal of trees on a site to prevent overcrowding.
What to plant?
The Selectree website has a database of trees that can be used to find the right tree for your property.