Oak tree removal permits in Placer County
Most of Placer County protects native oaks, but the rules change at every city line. Here's what applies to your yard.
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The short version
Most cities here only regulate native oaks: valley oak, blue oak, and interior live oak (Loomis adds oracle oak). Protection usually starts at 6 inches DBH, the trunk's diameter measured 4.5 feet above the ground. Multiple trunks are added together.
Pines, ornamentals, fruit trees, and most planted street trees in your own yard generally don't need a permit, though HOAs can still have rules.
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Rules by city
| Where | Protected | Typical homeowner situation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roseville | Valley, blue, and interior live oaks, 6″ DBH or more | No Tree Permit needed to remove a protected oak on an occupied single- or two-family lot. Work inside a protected oak's root zone can still need one. | Code 19.66 |
| Rocklin | Oaks 6″ diameter or more, measured 4.5′ above the root crown | Permit needed to remove a protected oak. Other trees, smaller oaks, and pruning don't need one. | City of Rocklin |
| Loomis | Interior live, valley, oracle oak 6″; blue oak 4″; multi-trunk 10″ combined | Permit needed even on small lots. No fee and no replacement trees on non-subdividable residential parcels zoned 4.6 acres or less. | Code 13.54 |
| Granite Bay and unincorporated Placer County | Trees over 6″ DBH | Exempt if dying, damaged, or dangerous, part of fuel reduction, or on a single-family lot that can't be further subdivided. | County Code 12.16 summary |
| Auburn | Native trees | Tree Permit required to remove a native tree, with a site plan and arborist report. | Permit checklist |
| Lincoln | Check with the city | Call City of Lincoln planning before removing a native oak. HOAs often add their own rules. | City of Lincoln |
Plain-English summaries, checked November 2026. Codes change; confirm with your city or the county before work starts. This is not legal advice.
How to measure DBH
- Find 4.5 feet. Measure 4.5 feet up the trunk from the ground on the uphill side.
- Wrap a tape. Measure all the way around the trunk at that height. That's the circumference.
- Divide by 3.14. A 19-inch circumference is about a 6-inch DBH, the line where protection usually starts.
Dead, dangerous, or down
Every jurisdiction above has a path for trees that are dead or a real hazard. Roseville lets the Planning Manager approve removal of an oak an arborist certifies as dead or structurally hazardous, with no replacement required. Loomis waives replacement for trees an approved arborist rates dead, dying, or hazardous, and lets owners act first in a true emergency if they notify the Town by the next working day.
If you're not sure, an arborist's report is usually the document the city wants.
Who handles the permit
The contractor you're matched with should know the local rules and can tell you whether your tree likely needs a permit. The permit decision belongs to the city or county, so ask before work starts and keep any approval in writing.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit to cut down an oak tree in Roseville?
Native oaks 6 inches DBH or larger are protected, but removing one on an occupied single-family or two-family lot doesn't need a Tree Permit under Roseville Municipal Code 19.66.030(C)(5). Encroachment rules still apply.
What size oak is protected in Rocklin?
Rocklin requires a permit to remove an oak 6 inches or more in diameter, measured 4.5 feet above the root crown. Smaller oaks and non-oak trees don't need one.
Is Loomis stricter?
Yes. Loomis protects blue oaks from 4 inches DBH and other native oaks from 6 inches, and requires a tree permit even on small residential lots, though those small non-subdividable lots pay no fee and need no replacement trees.
What about Granite Bay?
Granite Bay is unincorporated Placer County. The county tree ordinance requires a permit for trees over 6 inches DBH, with exemptions including dying or dangerous trees, fuel reduction, and single-family lots that can't be further subdivided.
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