Can I fell a tree on my own land?
Trunk circumference decides — measured 130 cm above the ground. You need no consent for a tree whose trunk circumference at 130 cm above ground is up to 40 cm. In gardens and allotment settlements the threshold is more generous — you may fell without consent up to a circumference of 80 cm. Consent is also unnecessary for continuous shrub growth of up to 10 m² inside a built-up area and 20 m² outside it. Above those thresholds you need the municipality's consent (outside built-up areas it is the district office that decides). Fruit trees are mostly exempt, but the municipal ordinance decides — check yours.
📋 The rules
- Circumference is measured 130 cm above the ground
- Up to 40 cm circumference: no consent needed
- In gardens and allotments: no consent up to 80 cm
- Shrubs up to 10 m² in town, 20 m² outside: no consent
- Above those: municipal consent, or the district office
🔓 Exceptions
- Fruit trees are mostly exempt, but the municipal ordinance decides
- Consent usually comes with compulsory replacement planting — typically two trees for one
- The cost of planting and three years of upkeep falls on the applicant
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The fines are wildly disproportionate to how harmless felling looks. An individual faces up to €9,958, and a company or business up to €331,939. What decides is the trunk circumference, not whether the tree is "yours" — the same rules apply on your own land. On top of the fine comes replacement planting: an obligation to plant, typically, two trees for each one felled, with the cost of planting and three years of upkeep borne by the applicant. So before you cut, measure the circumference at 130 cm and check the municipal ordinance — it is cheaper than the fine.
📎 Official sources
- Slov-Lex · Nature and Landscape Protection Act (543/2002) →
- Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic →
- Slovak Environmental Inspectorate →
❓ Frequently asked
When do I not need consent?
For a tree whose trunk circumference at 130 cm above ground is up to 40 cm. In gardens and allotment settlements the threshold is more generous — you may fell up to a circumference of 80 cm.
How is the circumference measured?
At 130 cm above the ground — not at ground level, and it is the circumference, not the diameter. That single measurement is what decides whether consent is needed.
Does this apply on my own land?
Yes. What decides is the trunk circumference, not ownership. The same rules apply on your own land, and owning the tree does not relieve you of the duty to seek consent.
What is the fine?
An individual faces up to €9,958, and a company or business up to €331,939. The penalties are wildly disproportionate to how harmless the act can appear.
Must I plant a replacement?
Usually yes. Consent generally comes with compulsory replacement planting, typically two trees for each one felled, with the cost of planting and three years of upkeep falling on the applicant.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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