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Tree Removal in Massachusetts, From Permits to Cleanup
Most trees in a back yard can simply come down. The exceptions are the ones that cause trouble: a tree at the road, one on a scenic road, or one near a brook or wetland. Call (978) 698-4783 or send the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Insurance checked first
- Town rules explained
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Before the saw starts
Three questions that decide whether the town gets involved
Is the tree in or at the edge of the road? Then it is probably a public shade tree. Only the tree warden or a deputy may cut it, even if your land runs under it, unless the tree warden gives a written permit, and removing it takes a public hearing (M.G.L. c.87 §3). The tree warden can take down trees under one and a half inches across without a hearing, and the law doesn't stop the removal of trees that endanger people traveling the road (c.87 §5).
Is the road a designated scenic road? Road work that cuts or removes trees there needs the planning board's written consent after a hearing, held together with the tree warden's when both apply (M.G.L. c.40 §15C). Billerica, Chelmsford and Westford all have designated scenic roads; the town pages list them.
Is there water within about 100 feet? A brook, pond, swamp or wet meadow puts the tree in or near a wetland buffer zone, where work the conservation commission judges will alter the wetland needs a filing before it starts, and the state's regulations have no general exemption for removing trees (310 CMR 10.02). Local wetland bylaws in this area are often stricter; Chelmsford's, for example, bars removing vegetation within 25 feet of a wetland.
Trees near wires
The wire to your house is part of the plan
National Grid, which serves every town on this site, trims around its high-voltage lines but treats branches near the low-voltage service drop to your house as the homeowner's responsibility. If the tree has to come down past that wire, you can ask National Grid to disconnect it for your contractor by calling 1-800-322-3223 at least five days ahead (National Grid tree FAQ).
Work close to lines is a job for crews trained for it. National Grid says contractors working near power lines should use workers specifically trained to work within 10 feet of electrical hazards (National Grid storm tree safety), and federal OSHA advises keeping tree work at least 10 feet from power lines unless the utility de-energizes and grounds them (OSHA tree care). Mention any wires in your request so the right crew looks at it.
Hiring the crew
What to ask a tree company before you agree
- Proof of liability insurance that covers tree work, current on the day of the job.
- Workers' compensation. Massachusetts employers must provide it (M.G.L. c.152 §25A), and you can check a business's coverage on the state's lookup (check coverage).
- Certifications, if claimed. The Massachusetts Certified Arborist program is a voluntary program of the Massachusetts Arborists Association (MCA program); you can confirm a name on its Verify an MCA page. ISA Certified Arborists are listed in ISA's credential directory, where listing is optional, so ask for the certificate number if a name doesn't appear.
- A written agreement naming which trees, how far down the stump is cut, whether it will be ground, and what happens to the brush, the wood and the ruts in the lawn.
If the brush is going to be burned on site, that needs a permit from your fire department and can only happen from January 15 to May 1; stumps and leaves can't be burned at all, and Lowell bans open burning entirely (open burning rules).
Last verified November 2026. New England Tree Service is a referral service. We don't cut trees, apply for hearings or file permits.
FAQ
Tree removal questions
How do I know whether a tree belongs to the town?
A tree in the public way or on its boundary is a public shade tree, and when the boundary can't be found in records or by monuments, state law treats the tree as public until shown otherwise. Your town's tree warden or public works department can tell you which side of the line it is on; each town page lists who to ask.
What happens at a public shade tree hearing?
Notice of the tree's size, type and location is posted on the tree and in two other public places at least seven days ahead and runs in a local newspaper twice. Anyone can speak. If someone objects in writing, the tree warden needs the select board's or mayor's approval before it can come down.
Who takes away the wood?
Whatever you and the tree company agree on. Many crews chip the brush and haul the wood, or leave cut rounds for firewood. If the tree is an ash, the state advises chipping the wood or keeping it on site rather than moving it, because of emerald ash borer.
Is the price per tree?
Each tree company sets its own prices, and we never quote them. Size, lean, what the tree could hit on the way down, access for equipment and whether you want the stump ground and the wood removed all change the job.
What does it cost me to use New England Tree Service?
Nothing. The request and the referral are free; the tree company prices the work.
Town guides
Local rules for tree removal by town
Each town page covers the town's tree warden and road trees, any scenic roads, the local wetland bylaw, and where brush and wood can go. Towns with a local guide so far: Greater Lowell, MA (Lowell, Chelmsford, Billerica, Tewksbury, Dracut and Westford). We add towns across New England as we can cover them properly.