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OREGON · STATE GUIDE

Tree service in Oregon

23 of the 40 Oregon cities reviewed can require a permit to remove a tree on your own lot, and any business that removes or prunes trees for pay needs a CCB or LCB license. Below: your city’s rule, license checks, the ash quarantine, burn rules and outage lines.

Rules checked 2026-10-02 · Sources at the end

Labor index$35.40/hr

BLS mean wage, tree trimmers and pruners, May 2025; an index, not a price [1].

Permit rules23 of 40

Cities reviewed that regulate private trees: 8 above a size threshold, 15 in specific cases.

Who may do itCCB or LCB

ORS 701.005 and 671.525 both cover tree work; one license or the other is required [2][4].

Ash quarantine5 counties

OAR 603-052-1075: no ash wood or hardwood firewood leaves Washington, Yamhill, Marion, Clackamas or Multnomah counties [7].

Tree removal permits by city

Oregon has no state permit for cutting a tree on your own lot. Each city decides, usually by trunk diameter at 4.5 ft (DBH), lot size and overlays. These 23 cities can require a permit; fees, forms and exemptions are in tree removal permits in Oregon.

CityRule for a tree on private landThresholdCode and source
PortlandYes; Type A for up to 4 healthy trees under 20 in per year; free since July 1, 202512 inPCC 11.40 [8]
GreshamYes beyond a free exemption for 3 trees per year (6 on larger sites)8 in; 6 in in overlaysGDC 9.1000 [9]
AlbanyYes for any tree 5.25 ft around (about 20 in)About 20 inAMC 7.98.040 [10]
Lake OswegoYes; Type I (no review) for 2 trees up to 15 in per year6 inLOC 55.02 [11]
West LinnYes for any tree 12 in and up12 in; 6 in white oak, madrone, dogwoodWLMC 8.530 [12]
MilwaukieYes; Type A for dead, hazard, or one healthy tree under 12 in per year6 inMMC 16.32 [13]
Happy ValleyYes; Type A up to 3 trees ($56), Type B in overlays ($85 plus $56 per tree)Over 6 inLDC 16.42.050 [14]
WilsonvilleYes per code title; thresholds unreadable at checkNot foundWC 4.600.30 [15]
SalemSome: significant trees and riparian corridors only30 in; white oak 20 inSRC 808 [16]
EugeneSome: over 5 trees per year on lots of 20,000 sq ft or more; vacant lots8 in countedEC 6.305 [17]
BeavertonSome: protected trees; over 4 trees per year unless lot under 1/2 acre10 inDC 40.90 [18]
SpringfieldSome: 5 or more trees in 12 months on lots over 10,000 sq ft5 inSDC 5.19-100 [19]
CorvallisSome: significant vegetation, historic areasNone generalLDC 4.2, 4.12 [20]
TualatinSome: 5 or more trees per year, heritage treesNot statedTDC 33 [21]
AshlandSome: multifamily and commercial zones, vacant lots6 inALUO 18.5.7 [22]
Central PointSome: significant, historic and required trees onlyDesignatedCPMC 12.36 [23]
St. HelensSome: sensitive lands only6 inSHCDC 17.132 [24]
Oregon CitySome: natural-resource overlays and development reviewNone generalOCMC 17.41 [25]
Forest GroveSome: Register of Significant Trees; developable land6 in; white oak 3 inCity tree page [26]
BendSome: sites over 1 acre; smaller lots with a house exemptNone on exempt lotsBC 16.40.020 [27]
TigardSome: sensitive lands, heritage trees, required treesNone generalTMC Title 8 [28]
NewbergSome: Stream Corridor Overlay and approved plans onlyNone generalNMC 12.05.260 [29]
Grants PassSome: designated heritage trees onlyDesignatedGPMC Title 10 [30]

No permit for a private tree: Medford [31], McMinnville [32], Sherwood (asks for an email notice 72 hours ahead) [33], Roseburg [34], Klamath Falls [35], Canby [36], Hermiston [37], Coos Bay [38]. No rule found on an official page: Hillsboro (its roadside page describes none; confirm with Planning) [39], Keizer, Redmond, Woodburn, Pendleton, Troutdale, Lebanon, The Dalles, Dallas.

Street trees are a separate permit in every city here. Portland requires one to remove a street tree of any size [8]; Milwaukie regulates public trees from 2 in DBH with a $50 fee [13]; Sherwood charges $35 for the first street tree [33].

Who may do the work

Oregon treats tree work as licensed contracting. ORS 701.005(5)(e) defines a contractor to include an independent contractor hired “to remove trees, prune trees, remove tree limbs or stumps,” so the business needs a CCB license under ORS 701.021 [2]. The alternative is an LCB license: ORS 671.525 puts tree removal, pruning and stump removal inside its scope, and the LCB says plainly that this work requires one license or the other [4][5]. There is no tree-service exemption.

Check before you sign: the CCB search is linked from the CCB home page [3] and the LCB has a Verify a License tool [4]; Happy Valley also requires a city business license [14]. Walkthrough: Oregon tree service license lookup.

Near power lines, Oregon OSHA keeps anyone who is not a qualified line-clearance trimmer at least 10 ft from lines energized at 50 kV or less (OAR 437-002-0306) [40]; work inside that zone falls under OAR 437-002-2317 [41]. ORS 757.805 adds a civil hook: anyone working within 10 ft of a line over 600 V must notify the utility first or be liable for all accident costs [42]. See tree removal near power lines.

A climber high in the branches of a large tree above a brick house, with a second worker standing on the lawn below
A climber working in a large tree beside a house, with a ground worker below. Photo: Zack Masters / Unsplash

Burning yard debris

Inside the Portland metro boundaries in OAR 340-264-0120, -0130 and -0140 (Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties), backyard burning is prohibited all year; elsewhere in those counties, yard-debris fires are allowed only March 1 to June 15 and October 1 to December 15 [43][44]. OAR 340-264-0060 bans burning plastics, treated wood and anything that makes dense smoke statewide [43]. In Lane County, LRAPA allows no yard-debris burning inside Eugene or Florence, requires 2-acre lots in the Eugene UGB and half-acre lots in Springfield’s, and closes burning in fire season [45].

On land the Oregon Department of Forestry protects, a burning permit is required during fire season, and an open fire inside or within 1/8 mile of a forest protection district needs a written permit unless the forester waives it outside fire season (ORS 477.515); the State Forester declares fire season under ORS 477.505 and posts restrictions by district [46][47]. District permit lines, the DEQ “Can I Burn” map and county windows are in Oregon yard debris burning rules; chip-and-haul pricing is under brush clearing.

Utilities and outage lines

Each utility trims its own primary lines; the pole-to-house wire is usually yours, and most utilities drop it free, with notice. Detail: utility tree trimming pages.

UtilityPole-to-house wireOutage line
Portland General Electric [48]Trimmed only if strained503-464-7777
Pacific Power [49]Free temporary disconnect1-877-508-5088
EWEB [50]Not stated1-844-484-2300
Salem Electric [51]Not stated503-362-3601
Central Lincoln PUD [52]Not stated877-265-3211
Idaho Power [53]YoursNot stated on page
Springfield Utility Board [54]Not stated541-746-8451
Emerald PUD [55]Yours541-746-1583
Lane Electric [56]Yours; dropped on request541-484-1151
Consumers Power [57]Not typically pruned by CPIOnline outage center
Columbia River PUD [58]PUD trims it; never do it yourself503-397-1844
Clatskanie PUD [59]Not stated503-728-2163
Tillamook PUD [60]Not stated503-842-2535
McMinnville W&L [61]Not stated503-472-6158
Forest Grove L&P [62]Yours; keep 3 ft clear503-412-2444 (after hours)
Ashland Electric [63]Not statedNot found
Oregon Trail Electric [64]Kept clear of strain866-430-4265
Douglas Electric [65]Not stated888-420-8826
Coos-Curry Electric [66]Not stated866-352-9044
Umatilla Electric [67]Not stated888-465-5701
Blachly-Lane Electric [68]Not stated541-688-8711

Pests and diseases to know in 2026

Emerald ash borer was first found on the West Coast in Forest Grove on June 30, 2022 [6]. The permanent quarantine in OAR 603-052-1075 covers Washington, Yamhill, Marion, Clackamas and Multnomah counties: ash logs, chips, stumps, branches and all hardwood firewood stay inside unless ODA signs a compliance agreement; penalties run to $10,000 under ORS 570.995 [7]. 2026 finds include Tualatin, Newberg, Silverton, Beaverton, Salem, east Portland and Hillsboro [69]. Removed ash leaves the zone as chips under 1 in or kiln-dried lumber, loads covered April 1 to September 30 [70]. More: emerald ash borer in Oregon.

Sudden oak death stays confined to Curry County, where ODF logged 15 new infestations outside the 2015 quarantine line in 2024 and added about 148 sq mi of emergency quarantine to the existing 515 [71][72] (sudden oak death in Oregon). Mediterranean oak borer has infested fewer than 50 known Oregon white oaks in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Marion, Yamhill and Polk counties; no quarantine, but ODF asks you not to move oak firewood over 10 miles and to chip or burn infested wood on site [73]. Swiss needle cast hit about 500,000 acres of Coast Range Douglas fir in 2024 [72][74]; western redcedar dieback reaches low-elevation Willamette Valley yards [75] (western redcedar dieback).

Storm seasons

Oregon’s worst tree weeks are ice. FEMA DR-4768-OR covers the severe winter storms and straight-line winds of January 10 to 22, 2024, declared April 13, 2024 [76]; DR-4599-OR covers the ice storm of February 11 to 15, 2021, declared May 4, 2021 [77]. Both filled crew calendars for weeks; call the utility first for any line, then your insurer, then a crew.

The Division of Financial Regulation says a tree that falls on your house may be covered, that you file with your own insurer even if it was rooted next door, and that removing a tree that damaged nothing is typically not covered [78]. If a neighbor cut your tree, ORS 105.810 gives treble damages [79]. Details: storm damage and tree insurance in Oregon, fallen tree removal.

A fallen tree lying across a wire fence between two grassy pastures, with its trunk and branches on both sides of the fence
A fallen tree lying across a fence line in a pasture. Photo: Andrew Yu / Unsplash

Services

Oregon legal guides

Metros

City pages are listed under Counties and cities below. BLS metro wages: Portland $35.04 (includes Gresham, Hillsboro, Beaverton), Salem $34.49, Eugene $33.56 (includes Springfield), Bend $33.32; Medford is suppressed and Corvallis unpublished, so $35.40 applies [1].

Tree services in Oregon

Long-run data: Oregon storm records, 1950–2026 · Tree permit checker · Tree work safety

Counties and cities

Compare all 36 counties side by side, with storm reports, FEMA hazard ratings and burn authorities, in the Oregon county table.

Each county page has NOAA storm records, FEMA hazard ratings, burn rules and utilities; each city page has the local tree permit rule, ZIP codes and nearby cities.

Cities (40)

Counties (36)

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 37-3013 tree trimmers and pruners, checked 2026-10-02.
  2. ORS chapter 701, Construction Contractors Board (701.005, 701.010, 701.021), checked 2026-10-02.
  3. Oregon Construction Contractors Board, home and license search, checked 2026-10-02.
  4. Oregon LCB, licensing and Verify a License, checked 2026-10-02.
  5. ORS chapter 671 (671.525, 671.530, 671.540), checked 2026-10-02.
  6. Oregon Department of Agriculture, Emerald ash borer, checked 2026-10-02.
  7. ODA, Permanent EAB quarantine flyer (OAR 603-052-1075), checked 2026-10-02.
  8. Portland Permitting & Development, Tree removal and replanting permits (PCC 11.40), checked 2026-10-02.
  9. City of Gresham, Trees (Development Code 9.1000), checked 2026-10-02.
  10. Albany Municipal Code 7.98, checked 2026-10-02.
  11. Lake Oswego Code 55.02, checked 2026-10-02.
  12. City of West Linn, Tree removal permit (WLMC 8.500 to 8.798), checked 2026-10-02.
  13. Milwaukie Municipal Code 16.32, checked 2026-10-02.
  14. City of Happy Valley, Tree cutting ordinance, checked 2026-10-02.
  15. Wilsonville Code 4.600.30, checked 2026-10-02.
  16. City of Salem, Tree removal on your property (SRC 808), checked 2026-10-02.
  17. Eugene Code 6.305, checked 2026-10-02.
  18. City of Beaverton, Urban forestry (Development Code 40.90, 60.60), checked 2026-10-02.
  19. City of Springfield, Tree removal fact sheet (SDC 5.19-100), checked 2026-10-02.
  20. City of Corvallis, Trees and development, checked 2026-10-02.
  21. City of Tualatin, Tree removal regulations, checked 2026-10-02.
  22. Ashland Land Use Ordinance 18.5.7.020, checked 2026-10-02.
  23. Central Point Municipal Code 12.36, checked 2026-10-02.
  24. St. Helens Community Development Code 17.132, checked 2026-10-02.
  25. City of Oregon City, Trees in Oregon City, checked 2026-10-02.
  26. City of Forest Grove, Trees, checked 2026-10-02.
  27. Bend Code 16.40.020, checked 2026-10-02.
  28. City of Tigard, Tree permits (TMC Title 8), checked 2026-10-02.
  29. City of Newberg, Compliance permits FAQ (NMC 12.05.260), checked 2026-10-02.
  30. City of Grants Pass, Urban forestry, checked 2026-10-02.
  31. Medford Municipal Code 6.725, checked 2026-10-02.
  32. City of McMinnville, I want to remove a tree, checked 2026-10-02.
  33. City of Sherwood, Do I need a permit to remove a tree at my house, checked 2026-10-02.
  34. Roseburg Municipal Code 4.12, checked 2026-10-02.
  35. Klamath Falls Code 3.730 to 3.745, 5.632, checked 2026-10-02.
  36. Canby Municipal Code 12.32, checked 2026-10-02.
  37. Hermiston Code of Ordinances 94.04, checked 2026-10-02.
  38. Coos Bay Municipal Code, checked 2026-10-02.
  39. City of Hillsboro, Roadside vegetation, checked 2026-10-02.
  40. Oregon OSHA Division 2/R, Tree and shrub services (OAR 437-002-0301 to -0311), checked 2026-10-02.
  41. Oregon OSHA Division 2/RR, Electric power generation, transmission and distribution (OAR 437-002-2317), checked 2026-10-02.
  42. ORS 757.805, work near high-voltage overhead lines, checked 2026-10-02.
  43. Oregon DEQ, Open burning (OAR 340-264), checked 2026-10-02.
  44. OAR 340-264-0130, Multnomah County open burning, checked 2026-10-02.
  45. Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, Outdoor burning (Title 47), checked 2026-10-02.
  46. Oregon Department of Forestry, Burning and smoke management (ORS 477.505, 477.515), checked 2026-10-02.
  47. Oregon Department of Forestry, Restrictions and closures, checked 2026-10-02.
  48. Portland General Electric, Tree maintenance, checked 2026-10-02.
  49. Pacific Power, Vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
  50. Eugene Water & Electric Board, Trees and power lines, checked 2026-10-02.
  51. Salem Electric, Tree trimming request, checked 2026-10-02.
  52. Central Lincoln PUD, Vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
  53. Idaho Power, Trees, safety and electric reliability, checked 2026-10-02.
  54. Springfield Utility Board, Tree trimming, checked 2026-10-02.
  55. Emerald PUD, Tree trimming, checked 2026-10-02.
  56. Lane Electric Cooperative, Vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
  57. Consumers Power Inc., Vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
  58. Columbia River PUD, Tree trimming near power lines, checked 2026-10-02.
  59. Clatskanie PUD, Plant wisely, checked 2026-10-02.
  60. Tillamook PUD, Power-friendly trees, checked 2026-10-02.
  61. McMinnville Water & Light, Tree trimming, checked 2026-10-02.
  62. Forest Grove Light & Power, Power outages and tree safety, checked 2026-10-02.
  63. City of Ashland Electric, Trees, checked 2026-10-02.
  64. Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, Vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
  65. Douglas Electric Cooperative, Tree trimming safety, checked 2026-10-02.
  66. Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative, Tree trimming requests, checked 2026-10-02.
  67. Umatilla Electric Cooperative, Tree trimming FAQs, checked 2026-10-02.
  68. Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative, Power line safety, checked 2026-10-02.
  69. ODF, Oregon tree health threats bulletin (Sept 2026), checked 2026-10-02.
  70. ODF, What to do with ash wood, checked 2026-10-02.
  71. ODA, Sudden oak death program (OAR 603-052-1230), checked 2026-10-02.
  72. ODF, Forest Health Highlights 2024, checked 2026-10-02.
  73. ODF, Mediterranean oak borer fact sheet (May 2026), checked 2026-10-02.
  74. ODF, Swiss needle cast, checked 2026-10-02.
  75. ODF, Tree declines: western redcedar, checked 2026-10-02.
  76. FEMA, DR-4768-OR Oregon severe winter storms, straight-line winds, landslides and mudslides (Jan 10 to 22, 2024), checked 2026-10-02.
  77. FEMA, DR-4599-OR Oregon winter storm (Feb 11 to 15, 2021), checked 2026-10-02.
  78. Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, Storm damage and home insurance, checked 2026-10-02.
  79. ORS 105.810, treble damages for injury to trees, checked 2026-10-02.
  80. Oregon Utility Notification Center, Homeowners (811), checked 2026-10-02.

Comparing quotes? Check these eight things first.

Two quotes for the same tree can differ by thousands. The gap is usually in what's included, not the cutting.

01A current certificate of liability insurance, sent by the insurer
02A state license you looked up yourself: Oregon CCB or LCB, Washington L&I
03Who is on site: an ISA Certified Arborist, or a crew lead with years on the job
04Haul-away, chipping and cleanup written in, not assumed
05The stump: ground, left, or priced as a separate line
06Who pulls the city permit, and whether the fee is in the price
07What happens if a fence, roof or lawn gets damaged
08Your written approval before any extra work is added
Check any company yourself

We don't vet or license anyone. These are the official lookups; each takes about a minute.

WhatWhereWhat it shows
Oregon CCB licenseCCB license searchActive status, bond, insurance on file, complaints
Oregon LCB licenseLCB verify a licenseLandscape contracting license, which covers tree work
Washington contractor registrationL&I VerifyRegistration, bond, workers' comp, lawsuits, violations
ISA Certified ArboristISA directoryCurrent certification and credential number

How to read them: Oregon guide · Washington guide

Check any company yourself

We don't vet or license anyone. These are the official lookups; each takes about a minute.

WhatWhereWhat it shows
Oregon CCB licenseCCB license searchActive status, bond, insurance on file, complaints
Oregon LCB licenseLCB verify a licenseLandscape contracting license, which covers tree work
Washington contractor registrationL&I VerifyRegistration, bond, workers' comp, lawsuits, violations
ISA Certified ArboristISA directoryCurrent certification and credential number

How to read them: Oregon guide · Washington guide

Westcoast-Tree.org is an independent information site. If you call a number on this site, the call goes to a tree service that covers your area and we may be paid a referral fee by that company. We don't perform tree work and we don't vet, license or insure anyone. Cost figures are modeled estimates, not quotes (method). Not affiliated with the former Westcoast Tree Care Inc of Tumwater, WA.

Call for a local estimate(877) 720-7431