Forestry Commission felling licence applications in England are free.
The quarterly allowance is up to five cubic metres, with no more than two cubic metres sold.
Garden, orchard, churchyard and designated public open space exemptions may apply.
An exemption does not cancel TPO or wildlife requirements.
Licences commonly include restocking conditions.
Start with the licence requirement, not an assumption
A Forestry Commission felling licence is normally needed before growing trees are felled in England unless an exemption applies. Owning the land does not itself remove that requirement. Establish the position before instructing a contractor, particularly where a project involves several trees or land adjoining woodland.
The rules concern more than commercial forestry. A domestic owner, estate manager or organisation can encounter them. If the exemption is uncertain, contact the Forestry Commission area office with a location plan, photographs and details of the proposed work. Do not rely on a contractor's availability as evidence that permission is unnecessary.
How the five cubic metre allowance works
The small-volume exemption generally allows up to five cubic metres of timber to be felled on your property in a calendar quarter, provided no more than two cubic metres are sold. Above five cubic metres, this allowance does not cover the felling; another exemption or a licence would be needed.
Calendar quarters run from January to March, April to June, July to September and October to December. They are fixed periods, not any three months you choose. Check all relevant felling within the quarter rather than assessing each visit, individual tree or contractor's instruction in isolation.
Volume is not simply the number of trees, trailer loads or bags of logs. Ask for a suitable timber-volume assessment where the allowance matters. Keep a record of the calculation, dates and any timber sold, and obtain Forestry Commission advice if the proposed work approaches the limit.
Gardens and other location exemptions
Forestry Commission guidance identifies exemptions for trees growing in gardens, orchards, churchyards and designated public open spaces. These are location-based exemptions, not a general rule that every privately owned tree or publicly accessible wooded area is exempt. Confirm that the actual land and circumstances meet the relevant category.
Take particular care with large grounds, wooded boundaries and woodland adjoining a house. Do not assume that woodland becomes a garden because it shares an owner, lies behind a residential property or is used occasionally for recreation. Ask the Forestry Commission to confirm the scope where the distinction is unclear.
Provide a plan marking the trees and the claimed garden boundary. Photographs and information about the land's use can help explain the situation. Retain any written response with your project records, especially if the work is being arranged by an agent or several contractors.
A licence exemption is not permission for everything
Exemption from a felling licence does not waive a Tree Preservation Order, conservation area requirements or wildlife law. Check each regime separately. A garden tree may be exempt from Forestry Commission licensing while still requiring the local planning authority's consent before removal.
Read the Tree Preservation Orders guide, and disclose protection designations when discussing a licence application. Where licensing and tree protection overlap, ask the Forestry Commission and council how the processes interact rather than assuming one document automatically resolves every requirement.
Assess nesting birds, potential bat features and protected sites before choosing a work date. A licence or exemption is not a wildlife clearance. Where a constraint is identified, specialist advice and separate permissions may be needed before the proposed felling can lawfully proceed.
Applications are free, but tree work is separate
Applying for a Forestry Commission felling licence in England is free. The official application service confirms there is no application charge. That does not make the associated project free: contractors, agents, surveys, reports and timber handling may involve separate charges agreed with those providers.
Prepare a clear location plan and details of the trees, species and proposed work. Allow time for assessment and consultation. Do not schedule felling on the assumption that submitting an application authorises work, and read the issued licence before agreeing the final contractor instruction.
Restocking and arranging the work
Licences commonly contain restocking conditions, potentially involving replanting or natural regeneration and subsequent maintenance. Check the specified area, species, timing and ongoing obligations. Permission to fell woodland should not be treated as automatic permission to convert it permanently to another land use. Craig does not offer tree planting.
Need it sorted? Book tree removal and use the quote form. Include photographs, the location and any licence or protection documents. This guide is general information for England, not legal advice; confirm uncertain exemptions with the Forestry Commission before work starts.
