Do you need council approval to remove a tree on the Gold Coast?
Yes, if the tree is assessable vegetation: more than 4 m tall, with a trunk more than 40 cm around at 1.3 m, or mapped on the City of Gold Coast's Vegetation Management Overlay. You don't need approval for trees close to an approved building, along a boundary fence, within 1.5 m of a pool fence, or judged dangerous by a council Level 5 arborist.
Updated October 2026 by 
Steven Piper
What is assessable vegetation on the Gold Coast?
Assessable vegetation is what the City of Gold Coast protects under its City Plan. Removing or damaging it, which includes pruning, needs approval unless an exemption applies. Vegetation is assessable if it's any one of these:
- More than 4 m tall.
- A trunk more than 40 cm around (circumference), measured 1.3 m above the ground.
- Remnant vegetation or native understorey shown on the council's Vegetation Management Overlay Map.
- Disturbed or regrowth vegetation, or a wetland and its understorey, shown on the same map.
Council says more than 90% of trees and vegetation on the Gold Coast are on private land, which is why it protects them through the City Plan.
When can you remove a tree without approval?
You can remove or prune assessable vegetation without a development approval when the work counts as accepted development. Council lists these cases:
| Situation | What the rule covers |
|---|---|
| Boundary fence | Trees along an existing boundary fence, or cleared to build a new one. Distances depend on lot size. |
| Near a building | Trees close to an existing approved building, such as a house, shed or garage. Distances depend on lot size. |
| Pool fence | Trees within 1.5 m of an existing pool fence. |
| Native undergrowth | Native herbs, grasses and small trees under 4 m tall or under 40 cm around, growing under taller trees on a lot smaller than 1,000 m². |
| Pest species | Trees identified as a pest species by a Level 3 arborist. |
| Bushfire hazard | A potential bushfire hazard around an approved dwelling, where the land is on the City Plan Bushfire Hazard Map and there's no approved bushfire management plan. |
| Dangerous trees | Trees a council Level 5 arborist determines are actually or potentially dangerous. |
These exemptions don't apply to land managed by a body corporate or within a community management scheme. If that's you, check with the body corporate and council first.
How do you apply for approval?
If your tree work isn't accepted development, you lodge a development application for operational works, vegetation clearing, with the City of Gold Coast.
- Run the council's self-assessment checklist to confirm you need an application and which type.
- Check which application type fits your job on council's tree removal page. Works tied to a building or development approval are handled differently from standard tree works.
- Prepare the supporting documents council's checklist asks for. Fees depend on the type and are listed in council's register of fees and charges.
- Lodge online, or in person at a council customer service centre between 8.15am and 4.30pm on weekdays.
- Call council on 07 5582 8708 if you're unsure at any point.
Want a professional view on the tree first? See the best rated arborists on the Gold Coast, many of whom write reports for applications.
When do you need an arborist on the Gold Coast?
Two exemptions depend on an arborist. A pest species has to be identified by a Level 3 arborist, and a dangerous tree has to be assessed by a council Level 5 arborist. Ask the City of Gold Coast how to arrange that assessment before you remove a tree on the grounds that it's dangerous.
For an operational works application, an arborist's report on the tree's health and risk gives council the evidence to assess it. A consulting arborist with an AQF Level 5 qualification can tell you whether the tree is worth applying for at all.
What about trees on footpaths, parks and nature strips?
Trees on public land belong to the City of Gold Coast. Council won't prune or remove them because they shade solar panels, clog gutters or drop leaves, branches or seeds, and it won't remove a tree just because branches overhang private property, though it will assess it for pruning.
Energex prunes trees within 3 m of its overhead powerlines, and Telstra prunes within 3 m of overhead phone lines. For a neighbour's tree, council refers people to the Queensland Government's tree dispute process. See neighbour trees in Queensland.
Questions people ask
Can I cut down a tree in my backyard on the Gold Coast?
Only if it isn't assessable vegetation or an exemption applies. A tree over 4 m tall or with a trunk over 40 cm around usually needs approval, unless it's close to your approved house, along a boundary fence or within 1.5 m of a pool fence. Run council's self-assessment checklist first.
Do I need approval to prune a tree on the Gold Coast?
Often, yes. The City Plan treats pruning as damaging assessable vegetation, so the same exemptions apply as for removal. If the tree is assessable and no exemption fits, you need an operational works approval before pruning.
How much does it cost to remove a tree on the Gold Coast?
A small tree under 5 m usually costs $250 to $800 to remove, a medium tree of 5 to 10 m $800 to $2,500, and a large tree of 10 to 20 m $2,000 to $5,000. Council application fees, if you need approval, are extra. See Gold Coast tree services for quotes.
Who decides if a tree is dangerous on the Gold Coast?
For the exemption to apply, a council Level 5 arborist has to determine the tree is actually or potentially dangerous. Contact the City of Gold Coast on 07 5582 8708 to ask how to arrange it.
Sources
- City of Gold Coast: tree and vegetation removal on private land
- City of Gold Coast: report a problem, trees, plants and vegetation
- Queensland Government: what to do if a neighbour's tree is affecting you
General information only, not legal advice. Council rules change, so confirm with your council before work starts.