Pasadena, California
Tree Service Pasadena, CA
Pasadena Tree Works removes and trims trees across Pasadena, CA: large and protected-tree removals, palm and oak work, storm cleanup and stump grinding.
Most single-tree removals in the Los Angeles area run $500 to $1,800, by a dated May 2026 price guide. Send the address and a rough description for a quote on your tree.
- About $1,100City permit to remove 1 to 3 protected trees ($1,098, FY2026)
- Over 8 inTrunk size at which Pasadena's 13 native species are protected
- City crews onlyWho may prune or remove a Pasadena street tree
Tree Services in Pasadena
Removals lead the list: the big pine leaning toward the house, the dead palm, the eucalyptus that drops limbs on the driveway. Trimming, palm work and oaks follow. Each page has its own prices and the Pasadena rule that applies.
Tree RemovalWhole-tree removals, sectioned down over roofs and fences, with the Pasadena permit question answered first.See details →
Tree TrimmingCrown thinning, raising and reduction, clearance off roofs and chimneys, deadwood out.See details →
Palm Tree RemovalDead, leaning and overgrown palms, from Mexican fan palms to Canary Island date palms.See details →
Emergency Tree RemovalTrees and limbs down after Santa Ana winds or winter storms, on roofs, cars and driveways.See details →Three answers before any Pasadena tree job
Most calls about a tree in Pasadena turn on the same three questions, and each one has a straight answer.
Is it protected?
Often not. On a single-family lot only natives over 8 inches, listed specimen trees and landmark trees are protected, and natives and specimens only in the front, side and required rear yards.
Pasadena protected tree list →Whose tree is it?
A tree in the parkway strip between the sidewalk and the street belongs to the City, and only City crews may touch it. A tree in the wires is the utility's to make safe first.
Pasadena street trees →What will it cost?
$500 to $1,800 covers most single removals in the Los Angeles area; large oaks and eucalyptus reach $2,800, and difficult crane jobs run $5,000 or more.
Tree removal cost in Pasadena →Pasadena tree rules on one page
Pasadena protects trees under Chapter 8.52 of its Municipal Code, the City Trees and Tree Protection Ordinance. The short version, checked against the code and the City's FY2027 fee schedule:
| Tree | Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Native, over 8 in trunk | Protected (13 species) | Coast live oak, Engelmann, canyon, scrub and valley oak, California sycamore, walnut, bay, buckeye, alder, Fremont and black cottonwood, arroyo willow |
| Specimen tree | Protected by species and size | A City list sets each species' size; check before cutting |
| Landmark tree | Protected anywhere | Even pruning needs a permit |
| Mature tree, 19 in+ | Protected, except single-family (RS) and RM-12 lots | Most houses are exempt from this one |
| Street or parkway tree | City-owned | No permits to anyone; City crews only |
| Everything else | No City permit | Your call, and your duty to keep it from becoming a hazard to the street |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
Source: Pasadena Municipal Code 8.52.020, .025, .076, .080, .085 and .100. On single-family and RM-12 lots, natives and specimens are protected only in the front yard, required side and rear yards and the corner yard.
Removing a protected tree takes a permit, decided within 15 business days of a complete application, and one of six findings. The full process, the fees and the penalties are in the Pasadena tree removal permit guide; a certified arborist's report can cut the single-family fee. Oaks get the most questions: see oak tree removal in Pasadena.
Pasadena tree removal prices, 2026
One dated source sets every number below: treesremovalcostcalculator.com's Los Angeles guide, updated May 2026, which prices Los Angeles labor 15 to 30 percent above the national average. Sizes run small (under 30 ft), medium (30 to 60 ft) and large (60 to 80 ft).
| Job | Price range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Most single-tree removals | $500 to $1,800 | Medium tree, 30 to 60 ft: $600 to $1,500 |
| Oak (small / medium / large) | $400 to $900 / $800 to $1,800 / $1,500 to $2,800 | Plus permit cost if protected |
| Palm, Washingtonia | $200 to $500 / $500 to $1,100 / $900 to $1,800 | Trunk haul-away $100 to $300 |
| Eucalyptus | $400 to $800 / $800 to $1,600 / $1,400 to $2,800 | Heaviest common removal |
| Pine | $350 to $700 / $700 to $1,400 / $1,200 to $2,200 | |
| Crane removal | $1,000 to $5,000+ | Large tree near a house: $2,000 to $3,500 |
| Stump grinding | $100 to $450 | Per stump, by diameter |
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treesremovalcostcalculator.com, Los Angeles (May 2026); crane figures from neighborcutmytree.com (July 2026). Sourced ranges, quotes vary by site.
What moves the number: height and spread, whether pieces can drop or must be lowered on ropes, a roof, pool or power line underneath, the wood itself (eucalyptus and oak are heavy), hauling, and a stump. A protected tree adds the City permit. More detail on the tree removal cost, tree trimming cost and palm tree removal cost pages.
Get a free tree quote in Pasadena
Tell us the address and what the tree is doing: leaning, dead, over the roof, or just too big. The quote is free.
- Free quote, nothing to sign
- Removals, trimming, palms, oaks and stumps
- Pasadena and Altadena
- Pasadena permit and street-tree rules explained
The tree year in Pasadena
Tree work here follows the wind and the fire calendar more than the seasons. Planning around them saves money and avoids an emergency call.
| When | What it means for your trees |
|---|---|
| October to March | Santa Ana wind season, peak December and January. Weak limbs and top-heavy palms fail first. |
| December to February | Dormant-season pruning for deciduous trees; LA County Fire calls winter the best trimming window. |
| Spring | Nesting season. Trimming still happens, with a nest check first. |
| April 1 to June 30 | Pasadena Fire brush inspections in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (4,611 properties in 2026). |
| From May 1 | LA County Fire defensible-space inspections in inland areas, including Altadena. |
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Sources: Pasadena Now, March 27, 2026 (Pasadena Fire inspections); LA County Fire 2026 defensible space notice (dated February 1, 2026).
The best time to trim trees in Pasadena guide covers the calendar in detail; the brush clearance page covers inspection rules, and emergency tree removal covers what to do when a tree comes down anyway.
How a Pasadena tree removal runs
A standard single-tree removal with normal access takes 3 to 8 hours, by the same Los Angeles guide. Big trees over houses take longer, and a crane tree removal can cut that time. The order is the same every time:
- 1Check what the tree is and where it stands
Species, trunk diameter at 4.5 feet and which yard it's in decide whether Pasadena's Chapter 8.52 applies. A parkway tree is the City's, and a tree in the wires is the utility's first.
- 2Plan the drop zone or the rigging
Open yards allow felling or dropping limbs. Over roofs, pools and fences, limbs are cut and lowered on ropes, or a crane lifts them out.
- 3Take the tree down in pieces
Most backyard removals come down from the top: crown first, then trunk sections sized to what the rigging or the crane can hold.
- 4Chip, haul and clean up
Branches go through the chipper, trunk rounds are loaded, and the yard is raked and blown clean. Firewood or chips can stay if you want them.
- 5Grind the stump if you want it gone
Stump grinding is usually priced on its own, $100 to $450 a stump in the Los Angeles guide. Ground below grade, the spot can take new soil and turf.
About Pasadena Tree Works
Pasadena Tree Works is a tree service for Pasadena homes: the palm tree removal on a narrow lot, the oak tree trimming over a Craftsman roof, the hazard tree by the driveway and the stump grinding afterward. Trees in the street belong to the City, and trees in the wires go to the utility first; the power line page explains who does what.
Every price on this site names its source and date, and every rule points to the City of Pasadena, Los Angeles County or the state agency that wrote it. Where a figure hasn't been confirmed, the page says to check with the City rather than guess.
Pasadena first, plus tree removal in Altadena, where Los Angeles County's oak rules apply. More about us · Service area
Pasadena tree guides
Tree Service Pasadena: Common Questions
How much does tree removal cost in Pasadena?
Most single-tree removals in the Los Angeles area run $500 to $1,800, and the full range is $350 to $2,800, per treesremovalcostcalculator.com's Los Angeles guide (updated May 2026). Crane jobs over a house run $1,000 to $5,000 or more. Height, species, access, power lines and whether a Pasadena permit is needed move the number; quotes vary by site.
How much does it cost to cut down a 30 ft tree?
A 30 foot tree sits right on the small-to-medium line, so expect roughly $350 to $900 if it prices as small and $600 to $1,500 if it prices as medium, by the same Los Angeles guide (May 2026). Species matters: a 30 foot oak runs $400 to $900 small or $800 to $1,800 medium. Over a roof or near lines, expect the upper end.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Pasadena?
Only if the tree is protected under Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 8.52. On a single-family lot that means a native over 8 inches in trunk diameter (coast live oak, California sycamore and 11 other species) or a listed specimen tree standing in the front, side or required rear yard, or any landmark tree. The permit for 1 to 3 trees was $1,098 in the City's FY2026 fee schedule.
Can I have the street tree in front of my house removed or trimmed?
Not by a private company. Pasadena issues no permits to anyone to prune or remove a public tree; only City crews or City contractors touch parkway trees. Ask the Citizen Service Center at 626-744-7311, and if the City agrees to work that isn't for safety, the requester pays City rates.
What size tree costs $1,000 to remove?
Around $1,000 buys a medium tree, roughly 30 to 60 feet, in the Los Angeles area: the 2026 guide puts the most common medium job at $600 to $1,500. A large Washingtonia palm ($900 to $1,800) can land there too, while large oaks and eucalyptus start around $1,400 to $1,500.
Does Pasadena Tree Works remove City street trees or work on energized power lines?
No. Street and parkway trees are City-only in Pasadena, and trees touching energized lines are cleared by Pasadena Water and Power or Southern California Edison's line-clearance crews. Pasadena Tree Works handles private trees on your property, including the cleanup after a utility has made a tree safe.
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