Tree Removal Permits in Hartford, CT

Verified against Hartford city sources · last checked 2026-08-06

Do you need a permit?

Yes — a permit is required

Hartford is the clearest yes in Connecticut. Municipal Code section 28-160(a): "No person shall remove a City Tree, or a Tree on private property with a DBH of thirteen (13) inches or more, or a Grove of Trees without a permit from the City Forester." There is no owner-occupied exemption, no single-family exemption and no construction trigger — the rule applies to a tree standing alone in your back yard. Below 13 inches DBH no permit is needed unless the tree is a City Tree or a Streetscape Tree. The fee is $10 per tree and you apply online through the city's Accela portal.

Size threshold

Section 28-160(a) sets the trigger at "a DBH of thirteen (13) inches or more." Section 28-154 defines the convention precisely, and it is 54 inches, not 4 feet: "DBH (diameter at breast height) means the diameter of a Tree at fifty-four (54) inches above grade as indicated by the United States Forest Service method." The same section sets the floor for what counts as a tree at all: "Tree means any living woody, self-supporting plant that has a defined stem(s) with a DBH of at least two (2) inches." The Zoning Regulations restate the rule at 6.6.1: "No significant tree shall be removed without a permit from the city forester, pursuant to municipal code section 28-160."

What's protected in Hartford

Any tree on private property at 13 inches DBH or more.
Groves — "Grove means a grouping of ten (10) or more Trees ... located on one quarter (1/4) acre or less." A grove needs a permit regardless of the size of the individual trees.
Streetscape Trees, and this is the trap: "any Tree on private and/or public property with a base that originates, in whole or in part, in the right-of-way, or originates not more than five (5) feet from the right-of-way, and, in the sole and absolute judgment ... of the City Forester, serves as part of the tree line of a street." A tree entirely on your lot but within five feet of the right-of-way can be a City Tree at any size.
Legacy Trees — "any Tree as determined by the Tree Advisory Commission to be of unique and intrinsic value ... because of its size, age, historic association, ecological importance or aesthetic value." Replacement for a Legacy Tree is 4 times DBH or 4 times assessed value (section 28-162(c)).
Any tree the City Forester designates significant "on the basis of a tree's age, species, health, meaning within the community, historical importance" (Zoning 6.6.1).
Trees at 4 inches DBH and up carry a replacement risk even when removal is allowed. Section 28-162(a): "A property owner or other person responsible for the removal of any Tree with DBH of four (4) inches or more, whether public or private, may be required to replace such Tree, at the discretion of the City Forester."

How to apply in Hartford

1
Apply online. The city's Tree Removal Permit page embeds Accela Citizen Access under record type PublicWorks/Tree Removal.
2
Section 28-160(b) requires a written application. Include the tree's DBH measured at 54 inches above grade and the reason for removal.
3
The City Forester must find one of three things before approving: the tree is in poor health or diseased with an expected life span under 2 years; removal is unavoidable because the tree threatens health, safety or welfare; or the canopy impact can be mitigated.
4
The decision comes by first-class mail. Note the two published clocks conflict — Municipal Code 28-160(a) and (c) say 45 days, Zoning Regulation 6.6.1.B says 20 business days.
5
Appeal to the Tree Advisory Commission within 45 days of the postmarked decision (section 28-156(i)).
6
Plan for replacement. Section 28-162(b) gives three options: a tree of equal or greater DBH, inch-for-inch replacement using trees of 2 inches or more, or payment into the Hartford Tree Account at the tree's appraised value.

Fees, penalties, and the ordinance

Fee: Section 28-160(b): "There shall be a ten dollar ($10.00) per Tree processing fee for each permit application." Section 28-159(b) sets the same $10 processing fee per City Tree for an alteration permit.
Penalties: Section 28-165(d): each violation carries "a fine in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00). Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense." Section 28-159(e) sets a fine "up to two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per Tree, per violation" for altering a City Tree. Section 28-161(b) sets "two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per day, per Tree affected" for construction damage. Section 28-160(e): anyone who removes a City Tree without a permit must replace it under section 28-162. Zoning 6.6.3 adds "a one-time fine equivalent to the value of the tree ... established using the Trunk Formula Method set forth in the latest edition of Guide for Plant Appraisal." State law adds C.G.S. 23-65(b) for public-way trees, allowing "damages of up to five times the cost of restoration or statutory damages of up to five thousand dollars."
Ordinance: Hartford Municipal Code, Part II, Chapter 28 (Planning and Development), Article VI — Tree Ordinance, sections 28-151 through 28-167. Adopted by Ord. No. 11-11, March 28, 2011; amended by Ord. No. 09-18, November 26, 2018. Municipal Code codified through the ordinance of May 27, 2025 (Supplement No. 118). Hartford Zoning Regulations section 6.6, Amendment of February 22, 2022(1), codified through the amendment of September 6, 2023(1) (Supplement No. 5). Right-of-way and park trees are separately governed by Municipal Code sections 26-11 through 26-13 and by C.G.S. 23-59, 23-60 and 23-65.

Worth knowing

The City Forester is the tree warden. Section 28-155(c): "the City Forester shall have the rights, powers and responsibilities of a Tree Warden as defined in G.S. section 23-59."
There is an emergency defense. Section 28-160(f): "It shall be an affirmative defense that it was necessary to remove a Tree without a permit from the City Forester because a super hazard existed such that action was required due to the threat of imminent harm."
Approval is not automatic — the Forester must make one of the three findings in section 28-160(a). Do not assume a healthy 14-inch maple in the way of a patio gets approved.
Hartford does not license tree contractors. A sweep of Chapter 21 (Licenses and Permits Generally) and the rest of the Code found no tree-service category. The state licence under C.G.S. 23-61b applies instead.
Hartford's historic district provisions (Chapter 28 Article VII, sections 28-170 through 28-174) contain only boundary descriptions and commission composition. Nothing there reaches trees or vegetation.
The Planning and Zoning Commission is also Hartford's inland wetlands agency, under Municipal Code section 28-6.
Two published figures disagree on the Tree Advisory Commission's size. Section 28-156(a) says "up to five (5) non-voting ex officio members and up to seven (7) voting members"; the city's own commission page says 9 voting and 1 non-voting.

What we could not confirm

We would rather tell you what we don't know than guess. Call the office below to confirm these before you cut.

— Whether the Accela portal actually charges the $10 per tree the ordinance sets. The portal requires a login that was not used.
— Hartford's inland wetlands upland review area distance in feet. Hartford's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations are a separate document not carried on Municode and were not retrieved.
— Whether any uncodified ordinance adopted after May 27, 2025 amends Article VI.
— Current Tree Advisory Commission meeting dates, which the city routes to a third-party meeting portal.

Sources

Who to contact in Hartford

Forestry Division, Department of Public Works, City of Hartford

860-757-0683 (City Forester Sophia Rodbell). Tree Planting Coordinator 860-757-9982. DPW Director 860-757-9961. Hartford 311: 860-757-9311. sophia.rodbell@hartford.gov Official page

Department of Public Works, 50 Jennings Road, 2nd floor, Hartford, CT 06120

Cost Calculators

Find Tree Services

Browse tree trimming and removal companies in Hartford.

View tree services

Related Permits

Get weekly cost & permit updates

Join homeowners who get free insights on project costs, permit changes, and money-saving tips. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.

Free forever. No credit card. Unsubscribe in one click.

Size threshold

What's protected in Hartford

Any tree on private property at 13 inches DBH or more.

Groves — "Grove means a grouping of ten (10) or more Trees ... located on one quarter (1/4) acre or less." A grove needs a permit regardless of the size of the individual trees.

Streetscape Trees, and this is the trap: "any Tree on private and/or public property with a base that originates, in whole or in part, in the right-of-way, or originates not more than five (5) feet from the right-of-way, and, in the sole and absolute judgment ... of the City Forester, serves as part of the tree line of a street." A tree entirely on your lot but within five feet of the right-of-way can be a City Tree at any size.

Legacy Trees — "any Tree as determined by the Tree Advisory Commission to be of unique and intrinsic value ... because of its size, age, historic association, ecological importance or aesthetic value." Replacement for a Legacy Tree is 4 times DBH or 4 times assessed value (section 28-162(c)).

Any tree the City Forester designates significant "on the basis of a tree's age, species, health, meaning within the community, historical importance" (Zoning 6.6.1).

Trees at 4 inches DBH and up carry a replacement risk even when removal is allowed. Section 28-162(a): "A property owner or other person responsible for the removal of any Tree with DBH of four (4) inches or more, whether public or private, may be required to replace such Tree, at the discretion of the City Forester."

How to apply in Hartford

1
Apply online. The city's Tree Removal Permit page embeds Accela Citizen Access under record type PublicWorks/Tree Removal.
2
Section 28-160(b) requires a written application. Include the tree's DBH measured at 54 inches above grade and the reason for removal.
3
The City Forester must find one of three things before approving: the tree is in poor health or diseased with an expected life span under 2 years; removal is unavoidable because the tree threatens health, safety or welfare; or the canopy impact can be mitigated.
4
The decision comes by first-class mail. Note the two published clocks conflict — Municipal Code 28-160(a) and (c) say 45 days, Zoning Regulation 6.6.1.B says 20 business days.
5
Appeal to the Tree Advisory Commission within 45 days of the postmarked decision (section 28-156(i)).
6
Plan for replacement. Section 28-162(b) gives three options: a tree of equal or greater DBH, inch-for-inch replacement using trees of 2 inches or more, or payment into the Hartford Tree Account at the tree's appraised value.

Fees, penalties, and the ordinance

Fee

Section 28-160(b): "There shall be a ten dollar ($10.00) per Tree processing fee for each permit application." Section 28-159(b) sets the same $10 processing fee per City Tree for an alteration permit.

Penalties

Section 28-165(d): each violation carries "a fine in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00). Each day such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense." Section 28-159(e) sets a fine "up to two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per Tree, per violation" for altering a City Tree. Section 28-161(b) sets "two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) per day, per Tree affected" for construction damage. Section 28-160(e): anyone who removes a City Tree without a permit must replace it under section 28-162. Zoning 6.6.3 adds "a one-time fine equivalent to the value of the tree ... established using the Trunk Formula Method set forth in the latest edition of Guide for Plant Appraisal." State law adds C.G.S. 23-65(b) for public-way trees, allowing "damages of up to five times the cost of restoration or statutory damages of up to five thousand dollars."

Ordinance

Hartford Municipal Code, Part II, Chapter 28 (Planning and Development), Article VI — Tree Ordinance, sections 28-151 through 28-167. Adopted by Ord. No. 11-11, March 28, 2011; amended by Ord. No. 09-18, November 26, 2018. Municipal Code codified through the ordinance of May 27, 2025 (Supplement No. 118). Hartford Zoning Regulations section 6.6, Amendment of February 22, 2022(1), codified through the amendment of September 6, 2023(1) (Supplement No. 5). Right-of-way and park trees are separately governed by Municipal Code sections 26-11 through 26-13 and by C.G.S. 23-59, 23-60 and 23-65.

Worth knowing

The City Forester is the tree warden. Section 28-155(c): "the City Forester shall have the rights, powers and responsibilities of a Tree Warden as defined in G.S. section 23-59."
There is an emergency defense. Section 28-160(f): "It shall be an affirmative defense that it was necessary to remove a Tree without a permit from the City Forester because a super hazard existed such that action was required due to the threat of imminent harm."
Approval is not automatic — the Forester must make one of the three findings in section 28-160(a). Do not assume a healthy 14-inch maple in the way of a patio gets approved.
Hartford does not license tree contractors. A sweep of Chapter 21 (Licenses and Permits Generally) and the rest of the Code found no tree-service category. The state licence under C.G.S. 23-61b applies instead.
Hartford's historic district provisions (Chapter 28 Article VII, sections 28-170 through 28-174) contain only boundary descriptions and commission composition. Nothing there reaches trees or vegetation.
The Planning and Zoning Commission is also Hartford's inland wetlands agency, under Municipal Code section 28-6.
Two published figures disagree on the Tree Advisory Commission's size. Section 28-156(a) says "up to five (5) non-voting ex officio members and up to seven (7) voting members"; the city's own commission page says 9 voting and 1 non-voting.

What we could not confirm

We would rather tell you what we don't know than guess. Call the office below to confirm these before you cut.

— Whether the Accela portal actually charges the $10 per tree the ordinance sets. The portal requires a login that was not used.
— Hartford's inland wetlands upland review area distance in feet. Hartford's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations are a separate document not carried on Municode and were not retrieved.
— Whether any uncodified ordinance adopted after May 27, 2025 amends Article VI.
— Current Tree Advisory Commission meeting dates, which the city routes to a third-party meeting portal.