Can I fell any tree on my own land?
You cannot — ownership does not replace permission. In cities and villages felling generally requires municipal permission, as it does in protected locations: cultural-monument territories, parks, cemeteries, avenues, coastal protection zones and designated scenic areas. Two main exemptions: fruit trees may generally be felled without permission, and so may a tree whose stump diameter is below 20 cm — unless it meets the protected-tree species and size criteria. And mind the season: in cities and villages felling is generally prohibited from 15 April to 30 June.
📋 The rules
- In a city or village, municipal permission is usually needed
- Fruit trees may generally be felled without it
- Stump diameter under 20 cm — usually no permission
- The municipality decides within 10 working days
- Seasonal ban: 15 April – 30 June
🔓 Exceptions
- A dangerous tree may be felled after photographing it and informing the municipality
- It must be photographed from at least three viewpoints, and the stump left for five working days
- A protected tree may require an opinion from the Nature Conservation Agency
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Unauthorised felling or damaging a tree outside a forest costs up to €700 for a natural person and up to €1,400 for a legal entity. But in a city or village that is not all: the landowner may also have to compensate for the loss of biodiversity. That sum is calculated using coefficients, not one fixed national rate — and it can exceed the fine itself. And note the two different measurements: the ordinary exemption uses the stump diameter below 20 cm, while the protected-species table uses trunk circumference at 1.3 metres above the root collar. A tree can pass one test and still be protected under the other.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Can I fell freely on my own land?
You cannot. Ownership does not disapply municipal, heritage, protection-zone or protected-tree rules. In a city or village, municipal permission is generally required.
When is no permission needed?
Generally for fruit trees, and for trees whose stump diameter is below 20 cm — unless the tree itself meets the protected species and size criteria, which are assessed separately.
How long does the decision take?
The municipality normally decides within 10 working days. Where expert or institutional opinions are needed the period is 20 working days. Urgent cases follow a separate route.
What about a dangerous tree?
It may be felled after photographing it from at least three viewpoints and informing the municipality. The stump, and preferably parts of the trunk, must remain for at least five working days.
What is the fine?
Unauthorised felling outside a forest costs up to €700 for a natural person and up to €1,400 for a legal entity. In a city you may also owe compensation for the loss of biodiversity.
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