Tree Service in Ventura County
Tree service in Ventura County starts with one question: does your town protect that tree? The answer changes at each city line, so we compare the rules town by town below.
What trees in Ventura County are up against
In Ventura County, an oak may be protected at just over 2 inches across, or only at 8, by town. Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park draw the line above 2 inches. Westlake Village uses 4, Simi Valley uses 5, and Ojai uses 8, with sycamores included. Oak Park and Bell Canyon follow county rules, which measure around the trunk: 9.5 inches, about 3 inches across. Moorpark adds a size test for any species: 72 square inches of main stem in cross-section.
Pruning limits differ just as much. Westlake Village allows live cuts on branches smaller than 4 inches, capped at a fifth of the crown each year. County rules in Oak Park and Bell Canyon cap each live limb at a fifth of the trunk's girth. They also cap the crown at a fifth. Ojai needs a permit for live limbs over 4 inches, or for taking over 25 percent of a crown. In Thousand Oaks, only dead wood is free to cut inside an oak's protected zone.
Tree permit rules across Ventura County
Each row names a town's rule-maker and what needs a permit; owners file permits, after checking with their city or HOA.
| Town | Rules set by | What needs a permit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thousand Oaks | City of Thousand Oaks | Removing any oak over 2 inches across; even a dead one needs an application. Work in its protected zone beyond deadwood. | On the town page |
| Newbury Park | City of Thousand Oaks | Cutting, removing or working close to any oak over 2 inches across. Deadwood and live clearance cuts to 2 inches are exempt. | On the town page |
| Westlake Village | City of Westlake Village | Removing an oak 4 inches across or larger, or a heritage tree. Pruning past deadwood, small limbs or 20% of crown yearly. | On the town page |
| Oak Park, Bell Canyon | County of Ventura (unincorporated) | Altering or removing any oak or sycamore of 9.5-inch girth (6.25 for multi-trunk oaks), historical tree, or 90-inch heritage tree. | Sec. 8107-25, Tree Protection Regulations | Ventura County Code |
| Simi Valley | City of Simi Valley | Removing a native oak 5 inches across or more. On apartment, commercial, industrial or empty lots, removing any mature tree. | On the town page |
| Moorpark | City of Moorpark | Removing a native oak, or a tree with 72 square inches of stem cross-section, in a street-facing yard. Historic trees anywhere. | On the town page |
| Ojai | City of Ojai | Removing an oak or sycamore 8 inches across or more. Cutting its live limbs over 4 inches, or over 25% of crown. | On the town page |
| Camarillo | City of Camarillo | Trimming or removing a city street or parkway tree. Suckers, minor blocking limbs and cuts below 10% of the crown are exempt. | Chapter 13.12, City Trees and Other Plantings | Camarillo Municipal Code |
| Ventura | City of Ventura | Planting, pruning or removing a parkway tree (free permit). In mapped monarch or wildlife habitat, any cut needs an approved exception. | On the town page |
Rules change. Check with your city or HOA before work is booked — filing a permit is the property owner’s job, not ours.
Towns we serve in Ventura County
Pick your town to see its tree rules, local trees and common questions.
Conejo Valley and Simi Hills
Simi Valley and the Arroyo Simi
Coast and Oxnard Plain
Ojai Valley
Tree services across Ventura County
Tree Removal
Before a removal, we measure the trunk and check your town's limit. It runs from 2 inches across in Thousand Oaks to 9.5 inches around under county rules.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Oak pruning stays inside each town's limit: a fifth of the crown under county rules, a quarter in Ojai. We flag larger cuts before work begins.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Simi Valley requires new trees after a permitted oak removal, and Moorpark may ask for one. Our grinders take the old stump below grade so the replacement can root.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
Dead fronds become wind-blown fuel when the autumn offshore winds arrive. Working from a lift truck, our crew strips dry fronds and old bases without spiking the trunk.
Emergency Tree Service
We answer calls 24/7. Dry northeast winds usually arrive here at night. A split oak limb over a roof or drive can't wait for morning.
Tree Maintenance
A yearly visit checks aging oaks, old eucalyptus windrows and fire-scorched trees. Many hill neighborhoods here sat near the 2017, 2018 or 2024 fires.
Tree questions from Ventura County
Answers that apply across Ventura County. Your town's page has its own rules. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
Ojai, Moorpark and the unincorporated county all go past oaks. Ojai and the county also protect sycamores, and the county treats any tree 90 inches around as a heritage tree. Moorpark covers big trees of any species in street-facing yards. Thousand Oaks lists landmark trees, like larger sycamores and toyons, except on home lots under two acres. Simi Valley protects only native oaks on single-family lots.
In Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Camarillo, the city does. Each city prunes and removes the trees in its parkways and public right-of-way. Camarillo lets small jobs go ahead without a permit, such as cuts below 10% of the crown. For bigger work on a street tree, call the city first. Trees inside your own lot line are where our crews come in.
Bell Canyon, Oak Park, Westlake Village, the Ojai Valley and Camarillo Heights have all faced major fires since 2017. The Woolsey Fire reached Westlake Village, Oak Park and Bell Canyon in November 2018. The 2017 Thomas Fire put the whole Ojai Valley under evacuation orders. The Mountain Fire hit Camarillo Heights in 2024. A scorched tree may hide damage, so have it checked.