Bellevue, WA Tree Removal Services

Bellevue removals are usually a large tree in a small drop zone: a Douglas fir or western redcedar next to a Somerset roof, a landmark maple in an Old Bellevue side yard, or a failing alder over a Factoria driveway. The work is sectional dismantling or a crane, plus a Clearing and Grading path before a saw starts. MTS Tree and Landscape removes large and hazardous trees across Bellevue with ISA-certified arborists, crane capability, and permit help for private-property work.

MTS Tree and Landscape is based in Sammamish. Bellevue is a served city — estates, tight lots, and a tree code that now covers the whole city, Bridle Trails included.

This page is for planned large and hazardous removal. If the tree is already on the house, on a car, or blocking the only way out, use Bellevue emergency tree service and call (425) 369-8733.

Key Takeaways

• Most private-property removals in Bellevue need a Clearing and Grading permit. A significant tree is generally 6 inches in diameter, measured four feet above existing grade. A landmark tree is generally 24 inches, with a city table of lower diameters for some slower-growing native species.
• A permit is still required even when you are inside the annual residential allowance. Hazardous trees (qualified tree professional) skip the annual cap and usually skip replacement — they do not skip the permit.
• Only a Washington-licensed contractor may remove a landmark tree. We put our contractor registration on the file before the city issues it.
• Street trees and other right-of-way trees are Transportation or Parks, not Development Services. Do not hire a private crew to take a city tree.
• Typical large residential removal in Bellevue runs about $2,800 to $12,000+ depending on size, access, and whether a crane can set up on a narrow street or a private estate drive.
• Unpermitted removal can cost more than the job. The city assesses civil penalties. We do not remove a regulated Bellevue tree without the right approval.

Ready to talk through a Bellevue tree? Call MTS Tree and Landscape at (425) 369-8733 or email info@nwmts.com.

Why Bellevue Removal Is Different From Sammamish — and From Seattle

Sammamish lots are large Plateau conifers and a different city tree-retention code. Seattle is SDCI tiers and SDOT street trees. Bellevue is significant vs landmark, a lot-size annual table, and a mix of 1950s tight lots (Surrey Downs, Old Bellevue) with Cougar Mountain / Lakemont / Bridle Trails estates where the tree is 80 feet and the only access is a steep private drive.

You often cannot fell to an open yard. The work is climbing and rigging over a roof, or a small crane if the street or the circular drive allows it.

Neighborhoods we regularly work: Somerset, Newport Hills, Lakemont, Cougar Mountain, Bridle Trails, Enatai, Meydenbauer, West Bellevue, Old Bellevue, Surrey Downs, Woodridge, Eastgate, Factoria, Lake Hills, Crossroads, BelRed, Wilburton, West Lake Sammamish, Phantom Lake, Robinswood. If your street is not on that list, we still run Bellevue jobs. Call.

How Much Does Large Tree Removal Cost in Bellevue?

Most large or hazardous single-tree jobs in Bellevue fall between $2,800 and $7,500. Tight access and crane time push old firs and cedars higher. Small ornamentals are a different conversation; this page is for the trees that actually need a crew, a chipper, and often a permit.

Bellevue Large Tree Removal Cost by Size

Tree size	Height	Typical cost	What we see in Bellevue
Large	50 to 80 ft	$2,800 to $6,500	Bigleaf maple, cedar, fir in a Somerset or Newport Hills backyard
Very large / landmark	80 ft+ or 24 in+ diameter	$6,500 to $12,000+	Old fir or cedar next to the house; Bridle Trails and Lakemont estates
Hazardous / decayed	Any large tree, unpredictable wood	Often toward the high end	Dead top, root plate failure, included bark, lean over a structure
Crane-assisted	Any large tree, no drop zone	Often +$2,000 to $5,000	Common on Old Bellevue, downtown-adjacent lots, and steep Somerset streets

Costs go up when: the only drop zone is over a roof; the private drive will not take a chipper; the tree is in PSE lines; the lot is a critical-area slope; or Land Use wants an arborist report, a tree-protection plan, and replacement planting.

Get a written Bellevue estimate. Call (425) 369-8733.

Do I Need a Permit to Remove a Tree in Bellevue?

Usually yes. Apply online at MyBuildingPermit (Clearing and Grading). The city's own tree-removal page is the checklist we run against on site.

A permit is required when any of these apply:

• Landmark tree — generally 24 inches in diameter (about 75 inches in circumference), measured four feet above existing grade. Some slower-growing native species are landmark at smaller diameters; we measure and identify on site instead of guessing from a photo.
• Significant tree — generally 6 inches in diameter (about 19 inches in circumference) at the same height.
• The tree is in a critical area, buffer, or structure setback(LUC 20.25H).
• The tree is within 50 feet of a shoreline(Vegetation Conservation Area, LUC 20.25E).
• The property is commercial or multifamily.
• The tree is in a native growth protection area (NGPA) or retained vegetation area (RVA) easement or tract.

Outside of an emergency, do not assume a tree is "small enough" because it looks like a backyard maple.

Annual Residential Allowance (You Still Need the Permit)

On a typical single-family lot, outside shoreline, critical areas, and buffers, Bellevue lets you remove a limited number of significant or landmark trees in a twelve-month period without planting replacements — if enough trees remain on the lot. From the city's published table:

Property size	Max per year without replacement	Significant or landmark trees that must remain
Up to 10,000 sq ft	1 landmark or 2 significant	2
10,001 – 20,000 sq ft	1 landmark or 3 significant	3
20,001 – 40,000 sq ft	1 landmark or 4 significant	4
40,001 sq ft or greater	1 landmark or 4 significant	8

Go over that cap, or drop below the "trees remaining" column, and replacement planting kicks in. Typical ratios: one replacement for each significant tree; three replacements (or two large conifers the director approves) for each landmark tree. Replacement stock is generally 2-inch caliper deciduous or 6-foot conifer.

Hazardous trees, as determined by a qualified tree professional, do not count against the annual cap and usually do not require those replacements — unless the trees were required to stay by an older plat, landscaping condition, or prior permit.

Private Trees vs Street Trees

• Private tree: on your lot, behind the sidewalk. Development Services / Land Use. Clearing and Grading.
• Street / ROW tree: planting strip, arterial, or city property. Transportation (Street Maintenance (425) 452-7840) or Parks ((425) 452-6855). Homeowners generally cannot take these down.

Critical Areas and Shorelines

Steep slopes, wetlands, creeks, and lake-edge lots (Enatai, Meydenbauer, Newport Shores, West Lake Sammamish, parts of Cougar Mountain) are reviewed under LUC 20.25H / 20.25E. The simple Tree Removal Only (GT) permit does not cover those sites. Plan on an arborist report and a longer review.

Hazard vs Emergency

A documented hazard (high to extreme risk, target that matters, pruning will not fix it) is still a planned removal on this page. We write the Tree Hazard Declaration and ISA Basic Tree Risk Assessment the city wants, then cut. If the tree is already failing onto a house or the only exit, that is emergency service. We do not use "hazard" as a shortcut for a healthy tree someone wants gone.

How We Remove a Large Tree on a Bellevue Lot

• 1. Look at the tree, the house, the PSE lines, the street or private drive, and whether this is private, ROW, critical area, NGPA, or shoreline.
• 2. Measure diameter at four feet, identify species (landmark table), and say whether this is Tree Removal Only (GT), minor C&G, or a critical-area path.
• 3. Write the estimate: climbing/rigging vs crane, chipper access, stump, haul-off, replacement planting if the permit requires it.
• 4. File or help file MyBuildingPermit with a site plan, photos, and an arborist report / hazard declaration when the city wants one. Landmark jobs include our Washington contractor registration.
• 5. Preconstruction meeting with the Clearing and Grading inspector when the permit requires it. Then remove in sections. Protect the fence, the garden, and the neighbor's roof.
• 6. Grind the stump if you want it gone the same visit. Plant the replacement tree if the permit requires it. See Bellevue stump grinding.

We are licensed, bonded, and insured. Climbers and crew leads train to ISA and L&I standards. Crane work is used when it is safer and cheaper than a full-day take-down over a roof. For live trees that should stay, see Bellevue tree trimming and pruning.

Insurance After a Planned Hazardous Removal

Preventive removal of a tree that has not hit anything is usually homeowner maintenance, not a claim. If the tree already damaged a structure, photograph first and see emergency service. We can write the arborist notes insurers ask for. We do not promise they will pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does large tree removal cost in Bellevue?

Most large or hazardous jobs are $2,800 to $7,500. Landmark backyard conifers with crane time run higher.

Do I need a permit?

Usually. Significant (6 in) and landmark (generally 24 in) trees need Clearing and Grading even inside the annual allowance. ROW trees are a different department. Critical areas and shorelines are a different path. We check before we cut.

Can I take down two trees this year without asking?

Do not plan on that. The allowance depends on lot size and how many significant/landmark trees remain. You still file the permit. Commercial and multifamily lots do not get that residential table.

Who is allowed to remove a landmark tree?

A Washington-licensed contractor. The city will not issue the permit without the contractor's registration on the application.

Is stump grinding included?

Usually a separate line. Same visit when we can get the grinder in. See Bellevue stump grinding.

The tree is dead but still standing. Is that an emergency?

Not if it is stable. That is this page. If it is on the house or about to be, call (425) 369-8733 and use the emergency page.

Work With an Eastside Crew That Already Knows Bellevue's Code

MTS Tree and Landscape is based in Sammamish and runs King and Pierce County. Bellevue jobs are a normal week for us, not a one-off. Same phone, same insured crew, same rule: we do not start a regulated tree until the city path is clear. Call (425) 369-8733, email info@nwmts.com, or use the quote form.