Licensed arborist firm addresses homeowner questions on San Jose tree removal permit requirements and protected tree rules ahead of fall planning season

We get calls every week from homeowners who are surprised to learn that a tree near their sidewalk or in their front yard falls under city jurisdiction…”

— Robert Apolinar

SAN JOSE, CA, UNITED STATES, August 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — San Jose Tree Service, Inc., operating as San Jose Tree Service and Landscaping, is expanding its permit guidance services to help residential property owners in San Jose and surrounding South Bay communities navigate the city’s tree removal permit process before initiating any tree work this season. The move responds to a steady pattern of homeowner inquiries centered on regulated trees, permit obligations, and the consequences of unpermitted removal on properties where mature and protected trees are common.

San Jose enforces tree removal permit requirements that apply to a broad category of trees, including street trees, heritage trees, and ordinance-size trees that meet specific trunk diameter thresholds. Unpermitted removal or pruning of a street tree can result in fines reaching $15,000 per tree, and violations involving heritage trees can reach $30,000. Despite these established rules, many homeowners in neighborhoods throughout San Jose, Willow Glen, Almaden Valley, and neighboring communities begin tree projects without first confirming whether a permit is required, sometimes because the distinction between a private tree and a regulated tree is not immediately obvious from a property boundary.

San Jose Tree Service and Landscaping holds an active California State License Board license, number 985639, with dual classifications in Tree Service (C-61/D-49) and Landscaping (C-27). The company is BBB-accredited since August 23, 2013, and led by owner Robert Apolinar, who holds the Board-Certified Master Arborist credential from the International Society of Arboriculture, the highest ISA designation available. The firm serves San Jose as its primary market, with ongoing work across Los Gatos, Saratoga, Campbell, Cupertino, and Santa Clara.

The company’s expanded permit guidance service covers the following areas for residential and small commercial property owners:

• Identifying whether a tree falls under San Jose’s street tree, heritage tree, or ordinance-size tree categories before any work begins.
• Assessing tree condition, location, and species as part of a permit application to document the basis for any proposed removal or significant pruning.
• Preparing formal arborist reports that meet the documentation standards required by San Jose and surrounding municipalities for permit review.
• Advising on tree replacement ratios and species selection when a removal permit requires replanting as a condition of approval.
• Coordinating permit applications on behalf of property owners who are also planning landscaping or construction work that could affect regulated trees.

Apolinar commented on the pattern of homeowner inquiries his team continues to receive. “We get calls every week from homeowners who are surprised to learn that a tree near their sidewalk or in their front yard falls under city jurisdiction. The intent is not to discourage tree work, it is to make sure the work is done with a clear picture of what is required first. A proper assessment before any action is the approach that protects both the tree and the homeowner.”

The permit requirement issue is not isolated to San Jose. Across the South Bay, municipalities have distinct rules governing protected and regulated trees, and the standards vary by city. A tree that does not require a permit in one city may be subject to review under a different municipal code in an adjacent community. For homeowners in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Campbell, or Cupertino who are also planning tree work, the same principle of assessing permit obligations before acting applies, though the specific thresholds and processes differ by jurisdiction.

This trend is visible in the types of questions property owners are asking before scheduling service. Inquiries around permit documentation, city arborist reports, and whether a certified arborist can manage the permit process on a homeowner’s behalf have increased in both volume and specificity. Homeowners are more informed about the existence of permit requirements than in prior years, though many remain uncertain about where to begin or which trees on their property are actually subject to regulation.

San Jose’s urban forest management direction reinforces this context. The city has set goals around expanding and protecting its urban canopy, which makes permit-compliant tree work not only a legal obligation but part of a broader community stewardship effort. Proper pruning, preservation planning, and species-appropriate replanting are all consistent with that direction, and they are more likely to produce durable outcomes than removal without a documented assessment.

For property owners who are managing a tree that has experienced storm damage, visible disease, or structural concern, the permit question is often secondary to understanding what the tree actually needs. In those situations, the company’s consultation and diagnostics service provides an on-site arborist evaluation before any course of action is recommended. That assessment may confirm the tree is recoverable through pruning or treatment, or it may establish the documentation needed to support a permit application for removal when removal is genuinely warranted.

The company also handles arborist reports for property owners involved in construction, lot development, or SB 9 lot splits in San Jose, where tree protection and removal documentation are commonly required as part of the city’s entitlement review.

Homeowners in San Jose and nearby communities who have questions about tree removal permit requirements, or who need an on-site arborist evaluation before beginning tree work, can contact San Jose Tree Service and Landscaping at (408) 422-1313, by email at robert@sanjosetreemaintenance.com, or through the company’s website at sanjosetreemaintenance.com. The site includes information on arborist reports, permit guidance, consultation and diagnostics, and the full range of tree care and landscaping services the company offers across the South Bay.


San Jose Tree Service, Inc., operating as San Jose Tree Service and Landscaping, is a licensed, BBB-accredited tree care and landscape contractor serving residential and commercial property owners across San Jose and the greater South Bay region. CSLB License 985639, C-61/D-49 and C-27. Contact: (408) 422-1313, sanjosetreemaintenance.com.

Robert Eliseo Apolinar
San Jose Tree Service & Landscaping
+1 408-422-1313
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Do You Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in San Jose?

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