Tree removal in Shoreline, Washington

Permit rules for removing a tree in Shoreline

Shoreline’s tree code, SMC 20.50.290 through .370, makes a significant tree anything 6 inches DBH or larger, and removing one needs a permit from Planning & Community Development unless it is already part of another permit. A standalone tree permit covers fewer than 6 trees outside critical areas; more than that, or anything in a critical area, moves into a larger review.

Two details change the bill. Trees 24 inches DBH and bigger carry an extra per-tree fee, though the city page does not publish the amount. Dead and hazard trees are exempt, but the exemption rests on a TRAQ form, the tree risk assessment an arborist fills out, so budget for that visit. A 2024 King County summary also lists a no-permit allowance of 3 trees per 36 months on lots under 7,200 square feet; the city page did not confirm it, so ask before relying on it.

Right-of-way trees need a separate city permit.

What tree removal costs in Shoreline

The table below models crew-hours times a crew rate tied to the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue market, where BLS puts the tree trimmer and pruner mean wage at $33.85 an hour. Treat that as an index, not a quote (how the model works).

Shoreline adds two costs the table does not include: the 24-inch per-tree permit fee, and the arborist’s TRAQ form when you are using the hazard exemption. Large trunks also mean more rigging and more hauling, which is why the bottom rows of the table climb fastest.

Modeled estimate, not quotes (method): crew-hours × $210 per crew-hour; ×1.25 within 10 ft of a structure, ×1.3 with no truck access; a crane day adds $1,500–$3,500; stump grinding is separate.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-3013. Checked 2026-10-02.

Storm records for King County

Timing is the clearest signal in King County’s data. Of 133 NOAA storm reports since 2016, 84% landed between November and February, and the peak months are February, December and January. Heavy snow accounts for 68 reports, high wind 23 and ice storms 11, so the trees that fail here mostly fail under weight in midwinter.

The county ranks 16 of 39 in Washington by report count. FEMA’s National Risk Index puts its winter weather score at 94.7 and ice at 91.1, both Relatively High, while wind scores only 4.5. Plan non-urgent removals for spring or summer and keep winter for the trees that cannot wait.

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).

Pests and quarantines

Spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth)

Spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth) is confirmed in King County without a quarantine. If you spot egg masses on bark or on wood you are moving, report them through the WA Invasives app. It rarely drives a removal on its own; the pests page covers what to watch.

• 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.

How removals are done here

Most removals here are on established residential lots, so the crew rigs the crown down in sections rather than felling the tree whole. A stem 24 inches or larger near a house often ends up as a large tree removal or a crane job.

Seattle City Light is the utility mapped here, and it prunes only the first 10 feet of a service line from the distribution connection; beyond that the line is the owner’s responsibility. Its distribution clearance runs 10 feet for slow-growing trees and 14 for fast-growing ones, so a tree tangled in primary lines is a utility call first. See removal near power lines.

• Crane removal
• Dead tree removal
• Large tree removal
• Near power lines

What to do next

Measure the trunk at 4.5 feet. Under 6 inches, no Shoreline permit; 6 inches or more, apply to Planning & Community Development; 24 inches or more, expect the extra fee. For a dead or dangerous tree, book an arborist for the TRAQ form first, or start with a tree risk assessment.

Look up any contractor in the Washington license lookup before signing. The King County page has the wider storm record, and Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds, 3 and 4 miles away, run their own rules.

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