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Tree felling in Cape Town needs a DFFE licence if the tree is a protected species, the City’s written permission if it stands on a street verge or in a public park, and City approval if it grows in a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone. Title deeds and planning approvals can also carry conditions that protect trees (City of Cape Town Urban Forest Policy).
Protected tree species need a DFFE licence
Under section 15(1) of the National Forests Act, no one may cut, disturb, damage or destroy a protected tree without a licence granted by the Minister, unless an exemption has been published in the Gazette. Only species on the Minister’s list are protected (see DFFE’s 2024 list), not every indigenous tree. Licences are granted by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
Listed species the City’s Urban Forest Policy names as common in Cape Town are the real, Outeniqua, Henkel’s and Breede River yellowwoods, the white milkwood, the silver tree and the stinkwood. Champion trees, declared by DFFE for their size, age or heritage value, are protected the same way.
Penalties for felling a protected tree
Cutting a protected tree without a licence is a first-category offence under section 62 of the Act. On conviction, section 58 allows a fine, imprisonment of up to three years, or both.
Street and park trees belong to the City
All trees on City-owned land are City property. The City’s Streets, Public Places and the Prevention of Noise Nuisances By-law forbids anyone other than an authorised official to cut down or remove a tree in a public road, verge included, without the City’s written permission. The Public Parks By-law requires written permission to prune or fell a tree in a public park.
Requests go to the City’s Recreation and Parks Department. Under the Urban Forest Policy it will consider removing a tree from a road reserve or public open space only if the tree is an unmanageable threat to people or property, has died, or blocks road or underground service work. Leaf drop, shade and poor TV reception are among the reasons it may refuse. You may trim the parts of a City tree, roots included, that overhang your boundary; the policy advises consulting the department first.
Private trees are covered too: if one interferes with overhead wires or endangers road users, the City can order the owner in writing to prune or remove it, and do the work at the owner’s cost if the order is ignored (Streets By-law, section 8).
Heritage areas: the 60-year rule is for buildings
Section 34 of the National Heritage Resources Act requires a permit to alter or demolish a structure older than 60 years; it does not protect trees by age. For trees, the heritage rule is in the City’s Development Management Scheme: in a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone, permanently removing trees, boundary hedges or mature plantings needs City approval unless the work is exempt (item 162). Since 1 October 2025, no approval is needed once the City is satisfied, after an inspection or on objective evidence, that a tree is infested and would cause damage or disease to other trees. Places on the provincial heritage register and heritage areas declared under the Act count as being in the overlay zone (item 159).
Getting a quote
Once you know which rules apply, Expert Tree Felling can quote for the job: see our tree felling prices by tree size, or our main page on tree felling in Cape Town for the services and areas we cover.