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Tree removal in an HOA: approval, who pays, and permits

If you live in a homeowners association, removing a tree usually involves one more party than it would otherwise: the association. Depending on where the tree is and what your CC&Rs say, the HOA might be responsible for the work, might need to approve it, or might not be involved at all. On top of that, city and county tree rules still apply. This guide walks Sacramento-area HOA owners through the steps — from figuring out whose tree it is to getting approval, permits, and a contractor.

Disclaimer: This page is general information compiled from the California Civil Code (Davis-Stirling Act), Sacramento-area tree ordinances, and CSLB (checked November 2026). It is not legal or safety advice, and laws and local rules change. Confirm details with your city or county, your HOA, or an attorney before acting.

Step 1: whose tree is it?

Start with your governing documents — the CC&Rs (declaration), any architectural or landscape guidelines, and the subdivision map or condo plan that shows lot and common-area boundaries. Trees generally fall into one of three buckets:

Common area — greenbelts, entry landscaping, shared courtyards, and other land the association owns or controls.
Your separate interest — your lot (in a planned development) or your unit and any area the documents assign to you.
Exclusive-use common area — common area set aside for one owner, such as an assigned patio or yard.

The Civil Code supplies a default rule when the CC&Rs don't say otherwise. Under Civil Code § 4775, the association repairs, replaces, and maintains the common area; each owner repairs, replaces, and maintains their separate interest; and for exclusive-use common area, the owner maintains it while the association repairs and replaces it. Your CC&Rs can change these defaults, so read them first. For more on how responsibility splits among owners, tenants, and associations, see landlords, tenants and HOAs.

Step 2: if it's a common-area tree

If the tree is in the common area, it's generally the association's to maintain — and the association, not you, typically hires the contractor and pays. As an owner:

Report it in writing to the manager or board, with photos and the specific concern (dead limbs, cracks, roof contact, roots lifting a walkway, a lean toward your home).
Be specific about urgency. A cracked limb over a bedroom is different from leaf litter. If something is an immediate danger — a limb on a power line or a tree on a house — call 911 or the utility first and see emergency tree removal.
Don't hire your own crew for a common-area tree without written permission. Cutting a tree you don't control can create liability, and if the tree is protected, permit penalties can apply.
Keep copies of your requests and the association's responses. If a tree later damages your property, that record can matter for insurance (tree fell on a house: insurance).

Step 3: if it's on your lot — getting approval

Even when a tree is entirely on your lot, many CC&Rs require architectural or landscape approval before you remove it, change the landscaping, or plant a replacement. Associations often care about street trees, trees visible from common areas, and trees that were required as part of the original development.

When the governing documents require approval for a physical change to your separate interest or the common area, Civil Code § 4765 sets ground rules for how the association decides:

The association must provide a fair, reasonable, and expeditious procedure, included in the governing documents, with prompt deadlines and a stated maximum response time.
Decisions must be made in good faith and can't be unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious — and can't violate other law, such as building codes or public-safety rules.
The decision must be in writing. A denial must explain why and describe how to ask the board to reconsider.
If your request is denied, you're entitled to reconsideration by the board at an open meeting (unless the original decision was already made by the board at a properly noticed meeting).
The association must give members annual notice of what changes need approval and a copy of the review procedure.

What to include in your request

Which tree (photos, location on a simple sketch, approximate height and trunk size).
Why you want it removed — for example, dead or declining, structural defects, roots affecting a foundation or sewer line, or fire-safety clearance. An arborist's written assessment helps, especially for a large or healthy tree. You can find one through ISA's Find an Arborist directory.
Your plan: who will do the work (with license number), stump grinding, cleanup, and any replacement planting.
Any city or county permit needed, and its status.
Your proposed schedule, and how the crew will access the tree — especially if equipment needs to cross common area or park on an association street.

Step 4: city and county permits still apply

HOA approval doesn't replace a public permit, and a public permit doesn't override your CC&Rs — you may need both. Some local rules specifically reach HOA land:

Davis protects "trees of significance" — any tree 5 inches or more in diameter in publicly accessible common space controlled by a homeowners' association. See Davis tree permits.
Unincorporated Sacramento County lists certain landscaping trees in apartment and HOA common areas among its permit categories, and a permit application needs the tree owner's consent (Sacramento County Tree Permits). See Sacramento County tree permits.
Folsom protects "regulated trees," including trees required by the zoning code (such as street trees), trees required as conditions of project approval, and mitigation trees — common in newer subdivisions. See Folsom tree permits.
Elk Grove protects certain native trees that were "secured" as part of a subdivision approval. See Elk Grove tree permits.
City of Sacramento regulates City street trees and private protected trees, including any tree 32 inches or more in diameter on a single-family or duplex lot (City of Sacramento Urban Forestry – Tree Permits). See Sacramento tree permits.

Other areas: City of Sacramento · unincorporated Sacramento County · Elk Grove · Roseville · Folsom · Citrus Heights · Rancho Cordova · West Sacramento · Davis. Native oaks have their own rules in most of the region — see oak tree removal rules.

Shared fences, neighbors, and boundary trees

In many HOAs, homes sit close together and trees straddle lot lines or overhang a neighbor's yard. California's general rules on boundary trees and overhanging branches still apply between owners — see neighbor tree and property line rules. If the crew needs to work from a neighbor's yard or a common area, get permission in writing first.

Fire safety and defensible space

Some Sacramento-area HOAs border open space where defensible-space rules matter. Clearing vegetation for fire safety can still need HOA approval and, for protected trees, a permit. See defensible space and fire-safe tree clearance.

Hiring and scheduling

Whether you or the association hires the work, use a licensed, insured contractor: under Business and Professions Code § 7026.1, tree removal and most pruning of trees 15 feet or taller is contractor work that generally requires a CSLB license (C-49 Tree and Palm Contractor). Many associations also require the contractor to carry liability insurance and name the association as an additional insured before working on or crossing common area — ask your manager. Then:

Schedule around any HOA rules for work hours and street parking.
Confirm who places the 811 request if stump grinding is included.
In spring and summer, ask the crew to check for active nests (Fish and Game Code § 3503).
Keep the approval letter, permit, contract, and receipt.

See how to hire a tree service and how to prepare for removal day.

What it typically costs

An HOA doesn't change what the tree work itself costs, though insurance requirements, access through common areas, and replacement-planting conditions can add to a bid. National published ranges (estimates, not quotes): Angi puts the average removal around $750 (most jobs $200–$2,000), and HomeGuide lists an $850 average. Stump grinding, haul-off, and permits are often separate. See tree removal cost in Sacramento and the area pages below.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need HOA approval to remove a tree in my own yard?

Often, yes. Many CC&Rs and architectural or landscape guidelines require approval before an owner removes a tree, even on their own lot. Read your CC&Rs and guidelines, and if approval is required, apply in writing before scheduling the work.

Who pays to remove a tree in an HOA common area?

Under Civil Code § 4775, unless the CC&Rs say otherwise, the association repairs, replaces, and maintains the common area — so trees in common landscaping are generally the HOA's responsibility. Each owner maintains their own separate interest. Check your CC&Rs, which can change these defaults.

What can I do if the HOA denies my tree removal request?

Under Civil Code § 4765, when the governing documents require approval, the decision must be in writing and made in good faith, and a denial must explain why and describe how to ask the board to reconsider. You're entitled to reconsideration at an open board meeting in most cases. For a serious dispute, talk to a California attorney.

Does HOA approval replace a city tree permit?

No. HOA approval and a city or county tree permit are separate. A protected tree can still need a permit even if the HOA approves, and some local rules specifically cover HOA land — for example, Davis protects trees of significance in HOA-controlled common space, and Sacramento County regulates certain landscaping trees in HOA common areas.

Can I trim an HOA tree that hangs over my yard?

Check with the association first. If the tree is in the common area, it's generally the HOA's to maintain, and the CC&Rs may limit what owners can do. Ask the association in writing to handle the overhang, and don't do major pruning on a tree you don't control.

Related guides

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Tree removal costs by area: Sacramento · Elk Grove · Roseville · Folsom · Citrus Heights · Rancho Cordova · Carmichael · West Sacramento · Davis · Natomas · Antelope · Fair Oaks
More guides: Stump grinding cost · Emergency/storm removal · Tree trimming cost · Palm tree removal · Tree permits · Tree fell on house: insurance · Neighbor & boundary trees · Oak tree removal · Dead/hazardous trees · Trees near power lines · Roots, sewers & foundations · Elk Grove permits · Roseville permits · Folsom permits · Citrus Heights permits · Rancho Cordova permits · Sacramento County permits · Davis permits · West Sacramento permits · Hiring a tree service · After a storm · Pine tree removal · When to trim · Defensible space · Landlords, tenants & HOAs · Trees & solar panels · Remove or trim? · Preparing for removal day · Eucalyptus removal · Crane removal cost · Tree removal in an HOA