Am I allowed to fell trees on my own plot in Norway?
Usually yes — on your own plot you can normally fell your own trees. The main restriction runs the opposite way from what people expect: Neighbour Act §3 can force you to remove a tree you would rather keep. A tree that damages or seriously bothers the neighbour may not stand closer to the neighbour's house, garden or yard than one third of the tree's height — unless the tree is of significant importance to you or to biodiversity. Branches and roots from the neighbour's tree that hang over your plot you may cut yourself after giving notice (§12). Trees on shared areas in a condominium are decided by the board, not by you alone. Protected trees, and trees in the Marka belt, have their own protection.
📋 The rules
- You can normally fell your own trees on your own plot
- Neighbour Act §3: a tree closer to the neighbour's house than 1/3 of its height can be required removed
- Exception if the tree is important to you or to biodiversity
- Branches over your boundary you may cut after notice (§12)
- Trees on shared areas in a condominium are decided by the board
🔓 Exceptions
- A tree of significant importance to you or to biodiversity may remain
- Protected or conservation-worthy trees may not be felled
- Trees in the Marka belt are protected by the Marka Act
⚠️ Penalties & fines
If you illegally fell the neighbour's tree, firewood is not the measure. Compensation is based on replacement — what it costs to source and plant an equivalent tree — and can run to many times the tree's firewood value, on top of leaving you with a neighbour dispute. Felling a protected or conservation-worthy tree can bring a fine, and trees in the Marka belt are protected by the Marka Act. Go after a tree on a condominium's shared area and it was never yours to fell in the first place: there the board or annual meeting decides, and a unit owner who acts alone stands alone with the responsibility for what came down.
📎 Official sources
- Neighbour Act §3 · Lovdata →
- Neighbour Act §12 (branches and roots) · Lovdata →
- Nature Diversity Act · Lovdata →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I fell trees on my own plot?
Usually yes. You can normally fell your own trees, but the Neighbour Act, protection rules and condominium rules can limit it — and a tree on a shared area is not yours to fell, even if it stands right outside your window.
Can my neighbour demand I fell a tree?
Yes, if the tree stands closer to the neighbour's house, garden or yard than a third of its height and damages or seriously bothers them. The exception is a tree of significant importance to you or to biodiversity.
Can I cut branches from the neighbour's tree?
Yes. Branches and roots hanging over your plot you may cut yourself under Neighbour Act §12, but you must give the neighbour notice first. The right covers only what actually crosses your boundary.
What about trees on shared areas in a condominium?
They are decided by the board or the annual meeting, not by the individual unit owner. Fell such a tree on your own initiative and you carry the responsibility alone, even if it stands right beside your unit.
What happens if I fell the neighbour's tree?
You may have to pay compensation based on replacement — what it costs to replace the tree — often far more than its firewood value. If the tree was protected or conservation-worthy, a fine can come on top.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I fell trees own plot norway”
- “neighbour act tree one third”
- “fell neighbour tree rules”
- “cut branches neighbour tree”
- “protected tree felling”
- “tree shared area condominium”