Tree Felling: How to Fell a Tree in the UK

Table of contents

Here's everything this guide covers - read through in order, or jump to the section most relevant to where you are.

1. Do You Need Permission to Fell a Tree?
2. When Should You Fell a Tree?
3. Tree Felling Equipment: What You Need
4. How to Fell a Tree Safely: Step by Step
5. What to Do After a Tree Has Been Felled
6. When to Call a Tree Surgeon Instead
7. How to Find a Tree Surgeon
8. FAQs: Tree Felling

The legal side is often what catches people out, so the permissions section is worth reading first even if you're already clear on the practical steps.

Do You Need Permission to Fell a Tree?

This is the first question to answer before anything else - and most homeowners skip it.

Felling a protected tree without the correct permissions is a criminal offence in the UK, carrying an unlimited fine on conviction in the Crown Court.

There are two main forms of protection to check for.

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)

A TPO is made by the local planning authority to protect individual trees, groups of trees, or woodlands that are considered of value to the local area. If your tree has a TPO on it, you must apply to your local council for consent before carrying out any work, including felling. Applications can take up to eight weeks to process.

Carrying out work on a TPO tree without consent is a criminal offence regardless of whether the tree is on your own property.

Conservation areas

If your property is in a designated conservation area, any tree with a stem diameter greater than 75mm (measured at 1.5 metres above ground level) is protected. You're required to submit a Section 211 notice to your local planning authority at least six weeks before any work begins.

The council can use that window to make a TPO on the tree, preventing the work from going ahead. Felling a tree in a conservation area without giving the required notice is also a criminal offence.

Exceptions

There are a limited number of exemptions. If a tree is dead, dying, or poses an immediate risk of serious harm, you may be able to carry out work without prior consent, but you should still notify your local authority and be prepared to provide evidence (photographs, for example) that the tree met the threshold for exemption.

How to check

Search your local council's website for their TPO map, or contact the planning department directly. Your council's planning portal will show protected trees and conservation area boundaries. If you're unsure, a qualified tree surgeon can check this on your behalf before quoting for the work.

For advice on finding the right person for the job, see our guide to hiring a tree surgeon.

Find a tree surgeon near you

When Should You Fell a Tree?

Not every tree that's causing a problem needs to come down. Before committing to felling, it's worth understanding the common reasons people fell trees, and whether a less drastic option might achieve the same result.

Dead or dying trees

A tree that's dead or in serious decline can become a structural hazard as the wood softens and weakens. Dead branches can fall without warning, and a dead trunk can be destabilised by wind or further decay.

In these cases, felling is often the right call - though a tree surgeon should assess the tree first, as a dead tree can be more unpredictable to fell than a healthy one.

Disease

Some diseases - Dutch Elm Disease, ash dieback, honey fungus - can render a tree structurally compromised and spread to other trees nearby. Felling may be necessary to prevent further spread, particularly on properties with multiple mature trees.

Subsidence or root damage

Tree roots can cause damage to foundations, drains, and hard surfaces. Whether felling is the right response depends on the species, proximity to the building, and the extent of existing damage. A tree surgeon or structural engineer should advise before any decision is made.

Obstruction or shading

Trees that block light or obstruct views are frequently cited reasons for felling, but in many cases, crown reduction or selective pruning achieves the same result without removing the tree entirely. This is worth exploring before felling is decided upon, particularly if the tree is healthy.

Tree Felling Equipment: What You Need

Tree felling requires specialist equipment, and cutting corners on safety gear isn't an option. If you don't have access to the right equipment, or aren't comfortable using it, that's a clear signal to bring in a professional.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

At a minimum, you need:

• Chainsaw helmet with visor: protects against flying debris and falling branches
• Ear protection: chainsaws operate at noise levels that cause permanent hearing damage
• Chainsaw-protective trousers or chaps: designed to stop a chainsaw chain on contact
• Chainsaw gloves: cut-resistant, with anti-vibration protection
• Steel-toecapped, chainsaw-protective boots: protect against both chain contact and falling wood
• High-visibility vest: important if working near any public area

Cutting tools

• Chainsaw: the primary tool for felling. The bar length should be appropriate for the diameter of the tree - a bar shorter than the trunk diameter makes felling significantly more difficult and dangerous. Chainsaws can be hired if you don't own one.
• Hand saw or pruning saw: useful for smaller branches and preparatory work
• Felling axe: can be used for smaller trees and for driving wedges

Felling aids

• Felling wedges: inserted into the back cut to prevent the chainsaw bar from being pinched and to encourage the tree to fall in the intended direction
• Felling lever or breaking bar: used to apply directional force once cutting is underway
• Sledgehammer: for driving wedges into the cut
• Rope and winch: for controlled felling of trees that need additional directional guidance

General equipment

• Warning signs or barriers: to keep others clear of the working area
• First aid kit: should always be on hand when using a chainsaw

How to Fell a Tree Safely: Step by Step

The following describes the standard technique for felling a small to medium-sized tree in an open space with a clear fall path. It applies to trees where there's room to fell the whole trunk in a single operation. Larger trees, trees near buildings or power lines, or trees in confined spaces require different techniques, and in most cases, a qualified tree surgeon.

Read this before you start. Tree felling is genuinely dangerous. This guide gives an overview of the process, but reading an article is not a substitute for proper chainsaw training. If you haven't used a chainsaw before, or if you have any doubts about the job, stop and call a professional.

Step 1: Assess the Tree and Plan the Fall

Before any cutting begins, walk around the tree and look carefully at its condition. Check for dead branches (known as widow-makers) that could fall during felling, signs of rot or disease at the base, and any lean or imbalance in the canopy that might affect the direction of fall.

Identify the natural direction of fall - this is usually the direction the tree already leans, or where the canopy is heaviest. Where possible, fell in the natural direction of fall. Clear the fall zone to a radius at least equal to the height of the tree.

Step 2: Plan Your Exit Route

Before making any cuts, establish two escape routes at roughly 45 degrees to either side of the back of the tree, not directly behind it, as the trunk can kick back as it falls. Clear these routes of any obstacles. Once the tree starts to move, you need to be able to get clear quickly.

Step 3: Clear the Base and Prune Lower Branches

Remove any branches from the base of the trunk up to shoulder height to give yourself clear access and freedom of movement. Clear any buttress roots, large surface roots at the base of the tree, to expose the true diameter of the trunk.

Step 4: Make the Notch Cut

The notch cut (also called the sink cut or face cut) is made on the side of the trunk facing the intended direction of fall. It controls where the tree lands.

The notch consists of two cuts:

• Top cut: angled downward at approximately 60-70 degrees, to a depth of about one-quarter of the trunk's diameter
• Bottom cut: a horizontal cut that meets the top cut, removing a wedge-shaped section of wood

The two cuts must meet cleanly. The notch creates a hinge point that guides the tree's fall.

Step 5: Make the Back Cut (Felling Cut)

Move to the opposite side of the tree. The back cut is a horizontal cut made slightly above the bottom of the notch cut, typically around 5cm higher. This height difference creates the hinge.

Stop cutting when you have left a strip of uncut wood approximately one-tenth of the trunk's diameter. This is the hinge - it controls the direction of fall and prevents the tree snapping unpredictably. Do not cut through the hinge.

As soon as you are one-third of the way into the back cut, insert felling wedges into the kerf (the cut) to prevent the saw bar from being pinched and to begin guiding the fall direction.

Step 6: Move Clear

As soon as the tree begins to move, switch off or put down the chainsaw, and move quickly along one of your pre-planned escape routes. Do not run directly behind the tree, focus on moving diagonally to clear the fall zone.

Step 7: Process the Felled Tree (Snedding)

Once the tree is safely down, begin removing the branches (a process called snedding). Work from the base of the trunk towards the tip, cutting each branch flush with the trunk. Take care when cutting branches that are under tension (supporting the weight of the trunk), as these can spring back when cut.

What to Do After a Tree Has Been Felled

Felling the tree is only part of the job. Once it's down, there's still a significant amount of work to deal with.

Additional tree felling jobs:

Processing the timber: The felled trunk and main branches can be cut into logs for firewood or disposal. Work methodically along the trunk, cutting into manageable lengths. Unsupported sections of trunk can roll when cut - work carefully and be aware of how the wood is likely to move.

Stump removal: The stump and root system will remain after felling. Left in place, stumps can harbour disease, attract pests, and - depending on the species - continue to produce shoots. Options include stump grinding (the most common approach, using a machine to grind the stump below ground level), chemical stump treatment, or in some cases manual extraction for smaller stumps.

Replacement planting: If the tree you've felled was under a TPO, you have a legal obligation to plant a replacement tree. Even where no obligation exists, replacing a felled tree is good practice - particularly in gardens where the tree contributed to privacy, shade, or habitat. Your local council can advise on species and positioning requirements for replacement planting under a TPO.

Disposal: Branches and smaller wood can be chipped for use as garden mulch, composted, or taken to a local tip. Larger logs can be stored and dried for firewood - most hardwoods need at least a year of seasoning before they burn efficiently.

When to Call a Tree Surgeon Instead

For most homeowners, most of the time, tree felling is a job for a professional tree surgeon near you. A qualified tree surgeon has the training, equipment, and insurance to manage the risks involved, and they'll carry out the legal checks before any work begins. Here's a straightforward guide to the situations where calling a professional isn't just advisable, it's essential.

The tree is large

There's no precise definition of "large", but as a practical guide: if the trunk diameter at chest height is greater than about 30cm, or the tree is tall enough that felling in one go isn't possible, the job requires professional techniques. Large trees are often felled in sections from the top down, using ropes, rigging equipment, and aerial working methods that are beyond the scope of DIY.

The fall zone isn't clear

If there are buildings, fences, parked cars, power lines, or neighbouring gardens within reach of the falling tree, the job needs a professional. Even an experienced feller can't guarantee a tree will fall exactly where intended - controlling the fall precisely in a confined space requires rigging techniques that professionals train for specifically.

The tree is dead or structurally compromised

Counterintuitively, dead trees are often more dangerous to fell than healthy ones. Rotten wood can behave unpredictably under a chainsaw — the hinge may fail, the trunk may split, or sections may break away unexpectedly. A qualified arborist will assess the structural condition of the tree before deciding how to approach the work.

The tree is leaning in the wrong direction

If a tree naturally leans towards a building or another structure, felling it away from that direction requires specialist equipment — typically a winch system or rigging to pull the tree in the intended direction. This is not something to attempt without the right equipment and training.

You're not confident with a chainsaw

Using a chainsaw safely requires training. Kickback, where the tip of the bar contacts an object and the saw violently reacts towards the operator, is one of the leading causes of serious chainsaw injuries. If you haven't been trained, don't attempt to fell a tree with one.

The tree may be protected

If there's any uncertainty about whether a tree has a TPO or is in a conservation area, a tree surgeon can check before any work begins. They can also submit the relevant applications on your behalf.

Compare tree surgeons near you

How to Find a Tree Surgeon

You can find and compare available tree surgeons in your area on MyBuilder. Post your job, hear from those who are interested, and browse profiles and reviews before deciding who to contact.

Tree surgeons should hold relevant industry qualifications - NPTC (National Proficiency Tests Council) or City & Guilds chainsaw certificates are the standard in the UK. For more complex work involving aerial operations, additional qualifications apply. Membership of the Arboricultural Association is a useful indicator of professional standards.

Public liability insurance is essential. Tree felling that goes wrong can cause significant damage to property. Before any work begins, ask to see evidence of public liability cover - a reputable contractor will provide this without hesitation.

Find a tree surgeon near you

FAQs: Tree Felling

Can I Fell a Tree Myself?

You can, in principle - but for most homeowners, most trees, it isn't advisable. Tree felling with a chainsaw requires proper training to do safely, and the consequences of getting it wrong are serious. Small trees in open spaces with a clear fall path and no nearby structures are the most realistic candidates for DIY felling. Anything larger, closer to buildings or power lines, or structurally compromised should be handled by a qualified tree surgeon.

What Happens If I Cut Down a Protected Tree Without Permission?

Felling a tree protected by a TPO without consent, or a tree in a conservation area without giving the required six weeks' notice, is a criminal offence. IIn the Magistrates' Court, substantial fines apply.. In the Crown Court, there is no upper limit. You may also be required to plant a replacement tree. The fact that the tree is on your own property provides no protection under the law.

How Much Does Tree Felling Cost in the UK?

The cost varies significantly depending on the size of the tree, its location, access, and what the quote includes. A small garden tree might cost £150-£400 to fell; a large mature tree in a confined space can cost several thousand pounds when aerial working, rigging, and timber disposal are factored in. Stump grinding is usually priced separately. Getting at least two or three quotes for any significant tree felling job is good practice. See our tree surgeon cost guide for a fuller breakdown.

What Is the Best Time of Year to Fell a Tree?

Late autumn and winter are generally preferable - the tree is dormant, the canopy is bare which makes the structure easier to assess and the fall easier to predict, and there's less risk of disturbing nesting birds.

Avoid working on trees between March and August where possible, as this is the main nesting season and work that disturbs nesting birds can fall foul of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. If the tree poses an immediate safety risk, timing is less of a consideration, but your tree surgeon should be aware of any nesting activity before starting work.

What's the Difference Between a Tree Surgeon and an Arborist?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but there's a distinction. An arborist (or arboriculturalist) is a trained specialist in the care and management of trees, including assessment, health diagnosis, and long-term management. A tree surgeon typically refers to someone carrying out practical tree work, including felling, pruning, and stump removal. In practice, many professionals do both, and qualifications span both disciplines.

For complex jobs, particularly where a tree's health or structural condition is in question, an arboricultural consultant may be worth involving before deciding whether felling is the right course of action.