Tree service in Covington, Washington

Tree removal permits in Covington

CMC 18.45.030 treats conifers and deciduous trees differently. A conifer is significant at 6 inches DBH and a deciduous tree at 12 inches, while in critical areas any tree of 6 inches counts; landmark trees run 22 to under 32 inches and heritage trees are 32 inches and up. Under 18.45.050, a lot up to 7,200 square feet can remove 3 significant trees in any 36 months without a permit, plus one per additional 7,200 square feet, to a maximum of 6. Also exempt: at-risk trees confirmed by an arborist, trees within 10 feet of a building, invasives and emergencies.

Beyond the exemption you file a Minor Tree Removal Permit (Type I) for a site under 1 acre, or a Major permit for 1 acre or more, through Community Development Permit Services at 253-480-2400. Replacement scales with size, 1:1 for significant, 2:1 for landmark and 3:1 for heritage, and the fee in lieu is at least $1,000 per tree under 18.45.080; the application fee was not published. Street trees in the right-of-way or easements cannot be removed or cut back in a way that damages their appearance, and only sight-line trimming is allowed under CMC 12.80.080. The Washington permit guide compares other cities.

Every city compared: tree removal permits in Washington.

Source: Community Development – Permit Services (253-480-2400), CMC 18.45.030, 18.45.050, 18.45.060, 18.45.070, 18.45.080; CMC 12.80.080. Checked 2026-10-02.

Storm records for King County (covers Covington)

King County’s storm count has dropped sharply. NOAA logged 32 reports in the latest three years against 54 in the three before, roughly 40 percent fewer, within a record of 133 that ranks the county 16th of Washington’s 39. Heavy snow dominates at 68 reports, followed by 23 high wind, 13 winter weather and 11 ice storm.

Fewer reports have not moved the season: 84 percent still land between November and February, with February, December and January the peaks. FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates winter weather Relatively High at 94.7 and ice storm Relatively High at 91.1, and puts the county’s overall risk at Very High.

NWS forecast zones covering the county: Cascades of Snohomish and Northern King Counties; Cascades of Southern King County; City of Seattle; Eastside; Foothills and Valleys of Central King County; Foothills and Valleys of Pierce and Southern King Counties.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 2016 to June 2026 · NWS zone-county correlation files (2019 to 2026 versions). Checked 2026-10-02. NOAA Storm Events 2016-2026; zone-based events assigned to every county the NWS zone covers using the zone-county correlation file in force on the event date (2019-04-02 file used for 2016-2018).

Power lines and utilities in Covington

Puget Sound Energy is the electric utility for Covington; your bill confirms who serves your address. PSE trims near overhead primary lines in its right-of-way, but it does not trim service lines, the span from the pole to your house; that part is the owner’s. What PSE will do is a safety disconnection, so you or a private arborist can trim near the drop with the line de-energized. PSE does not publish a yard-tree clearance distance; the only figure it cites is 10 feet, as the distance where electrocution risk begins, so treat anything closer as work for a qualified line-clearance crew.

Outages go to 1-888-225-5773, and a downed line is a 911 call. See the utility directory and tree removal near power lines.

Inferred: PSE serves King Co. outside Seattle; city is not among Seattle City Light franchise cities; Tanner Electric Co-op also has rural King Co. territory

Source: utility vegetation-management pages linked above; WAC 296-24-960 (WA L&I). Checked 2026-10-02.

Pests and quarantines

Spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth)

Spongy moth, formerly gypsy moth, is confirmed in the area, with no quarantine. Report sightings through the WA Invasives app, check outdoor furniture, RVs and wood coming from infested states, and host a trap if the state asks. Regional notes are on the pests page.

• Spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth): Report sightings (OR Invasive Species Hotline / WA Invasives app); inspect wood, outdoor furniture, RVs before moving from infested states; host a trap if asked

Source: Spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth). Checked 2026-10-02.

Growing conditions in Covington

Covington sits in USDA hardiness zone 8b. The replacement ratios mean a heritage removal puts three trees back in the ground, so plan where they go: conifers become significant at just 6 inches here, and a tree planted close to the house today becomes a permit question later. Species that shed snow suit a county where 68 of 133 reports are heavy snow.

USDA hardiness zone 8b (2023 map, by ZIP code).

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data). Checked 2026-10-02.

Labor index for Covington

BLS puts tree trimmers and pruners in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area at a $33.85 mean and $32.75 median hourly wage, from about 310 workers. That is a wage, not a price. A landmark or heritage removal brings 2:1 or 3:1 replacement or a fee in lieu of at least $1,000 per tree, which can outweigh the crew-hours; the modeled ranges on the service pages cover the crew side.

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: $33.85 per hour mean wage for tree trimmers and pruners (BLS, May 2025). This is a labor index, not a price; the modeled crew-hour cost used on this site is $210 (method).

843 landscaping-services establishments were counted in King County in 2023 (Census County Business Patterns, NAICS 561730).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-3013 · U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 561730. Checked 2026-10-02.

ZIP codes and nearby cities

Covington uses one ZIP code, 98042. Maple Valley is 3 miles away, Kent 5, Auburn 6, Renton 9, Des Moines 10 and SeaTac 11. Each sets its own allowance and thresholds, so a tree near a boundary may fall under a different count. County data is on the King County page.

ZIP codes with the most land inside Covington: 98042

• Maple Valley3 miles
• Kent5 miles
• Auburn6 miles
• Renton9 miles
• Des Moines10 miles
• SeaTac11 miles

County page: King County.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to place and county relationship files. Checked 2026-10-02.

Tree services in Covington

The service pages apply Covington’s rules to Washington’s modeled ranges. Removal covers the 36-month exemption, Minor and Major permits and the landmark and heritage ratios; trimming covers the street-tree limit to sight-line work; stump grinding starts with 811; and emergency service covers winter snow and east-wind events.

• Tree removal (statewide guide)
• Tree trimming in Covington
• Stump grinding (statewide guide)
• Emergency tree service (statewide guide)
• Arborists and tree health
• Check a license in Washington

What to do next

Tally the trees removed in the last 36 months, check your lot size against the 7,200-square-foot steps, and measure DBH, remembering that a conifer counts at 6 inches. Past the exemption, call Permit Services at 253-480-2400. A tree that may be failing needs an arborist’s risk assessment, which is also what makes an at-risk tree exempt. Confirm the contractor in the Washington license lookup before paying a deposit.