Skip to content

Saturday, Aug 1, 2026

If a tree stands between two properties in California, can one property owner cut down the tree without the consent of the other property owner? 

Jenny Mendolla Arbizu, BenitoLink

no

If a tree’s trunk is standing on the boundary line of two properties, it is considered to be owned by both property owners. Therefore, neither property owner may cut down the tree nor remove any portion of the tree extending onto his land without the other property owner’s consent. This is even in the case of a tree causing damage on one of the sharing properties.

If the trunk of the tree is fully located on one property, but its branches overhang onto a neighboring property, that neighbor does not need the tree owner’s consent to trim the branches overhanging onto their property. However, the branches can only be trimmed up to the property line.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

About fact briefs

Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network.

See all fact briefs