Bushfire-zone clearing. Eligibility checked before we cut.
10/50 Vegetation Clearing Rule NSW — what you can clear near your home, and who does it properly
The RFS 10/50 rule lets many bushland-edge homes clear trees within 10 m and undergrowth within 50 m without a permit. We check your address, mark the lines and do the clearing with AQF Level 5 arborists and our own machinery.
★ 5.0 from 71 Google reviewsAQF Level 5 arboristsISO 9001 certified$20M public liability
If your home backs onto bush, the 10/50 rule may let you clear trees without a council permit. Here is how it actually works.
The NSW Rural Fire Service’s 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice lets owners of homes in designated 10/50 entitlement areas remove trees within 10 metres of the house, and shrubs and undergrowth within 50 metres, without council approval. It applies to a lot of Sydney’s bushland-edge suburbs, from Menai, Engadine, Heathcote and Alfords Point in the Shire to the Hills and the northern beaches. It is also one of the most misunderstood rules in tree work, and clearing outside it is an offence. True Roots checks the entitlement for your address, tells you what is and is not covered, and does the clearing with a bushfire-zone crew and its own machinery.
The rule is address-specific. The RFS publishes an online tool that says whether a property sits inside a 10/50 entitlement area, and that result, on the day you clear, is what protects you. Even inside an area there are exclusions: land steeper than 18 degrees, trees on neighbouring land, and vegetation covered by other protections such as threatened ecological communities, koala habitat and heritage listings. Clearing also has to be done from your own land and around a lawful residential building.
We see two kinds of problems. Owners who could have cleared years ago and have a wall of bush against the house, and owners who cleared something the rule did not cover and are now dealing with council. Both are avoidable with a fifteen-minute check before the saw starts.
Check, clear, chip and leave it safe.
Eligibility check
We run your address through the RFS 10/50 tool, walk the boundary with you, and mark out the 10 m and 50 m lines from the house so everyone is clear on what can go and what must stay. You get a copy of the result for your records.
Tree removal within 10 m
Gums, wattles, pines and casuarinas over and against the house dismantled in sections by AQF Level 5 arborists, with rigging where the tree is over the roof, pool or neighbour. See tree removal.
Undergrowth and weed clearing within 50 m
Lantana, Privet, African Olive, Chinese Celtis and bushland regrowth cleared to reduce fuel load, with weeds treated so they do not come straight back. See land clearing and vegetation management.
Chipping and mulch
Everything chipped on site with our own chipper; the mulch is yours at no charge for paths and beds, or we cart it away. Firewood-size timber can be left cut for you or removed.
Where 10/50 does not apply
Steep blocks, protected vegetation, or trees outside the zones need a council permit or an arborist report instead. We tell you which, and we lodge it. See arborist reports and our council guides.
Larger fuel-reduction jobs
Acreage and multi-tree clearing priced by the crew-day with our own loader, chipper and tip trucks. Recent work includes around 50 trees at 3–10 m cleared on one bushland property, cut, processed and stockpiled, mulch left on site.
The two distances, and the fine print.
Within 10 metres of the home: trees may be removed and pruned without approval, measured from the external wall of the residential building. Within 50 metres: vegetation other than trees (shrubs, undergrowth, groundcover) may be cleared; trees in the 10–50 m band stay unless another approval covers them. Conditions: the property must be inside a 10/50 entitlement area on the RFS tool, the clearing must be on your own land, the land must not be steeper than 18 degrees, and vegetation protected under other laws (threatened species and ecological communities, koala habitat, heritage and some coastal and riparian land) is excluded. The Code changes from time to time and councils enforce it, so we check the current version and the tool result before every job.
Official reference: the NSW RFS 10/50 Vegetation Clearing page and online tool at rfs.nsw.gov.au. If the tool says no, the job becomes a normal council tree application, which we handle for you.
What clearing looks like when it is done properly.
Four steps, no surprises.
Check the address
RFS 10/50 tool result saved, exclusions checked, distances marked from the house.
Fixed quote
A Level 5 arborist walks the block and quotes the trees, the undergrowth, the chipping and the clean-up as one price.
Clear and chip
Trees dismantled, undergrowth cleared, weeds treated, everything chipped or carted, the site left safe the same day.
Anything outside the rule
Trees the rule does not cover go into a council application or arborist report, so nothing is cleared that should not be.
What owners ask before they clear.
Is my property in a 10/50 area?
Only the RFS online tool can tell you, and it is address-specific: two houses on the same street can get different answers. We run it for you when we quote and give you the result to keep.
Can I remove any tree within 10 metres of my house?
In an entitlement area, generally yes, provided the tree is on your land, the land is not steeper than 18 degrees, and the tree is not protected under another law. Trees on the neighbour’s side of the fence are not covered, even if they overhang.
Can I clear trees between 10 and 50 metres?
No. In the 10–50 m band the rule covers vegetation other than trees. Removing trees there needs a council permit or another approval, which we can arrange.
Do I still need an arborist if I am allowed to clear?
You do not need a permit, but you do need someone who can take a large gum down safely beside a house. Our AQF Level 5 arborists do it in sections with rigging, and we carry $20M public liability.
What does 10/50 clearing cost?
Single trees are priced like any removal; whole-block fuel reduction is priced by the crew-day with our own machinery, and recent clearing jobs have ranged from about $6,000 to $25,000 ex GST depending on the number of trees and access. Every quote is fixed after we see the block.
What if I clear something the rule does not allow?
Councils can and do prosecute. If you are unsure, call before you cut: a fifteen-minute check is cheaper than a fine or a replanting order.
More from True Roots.
What our clients say
Real reviews from Sydney clients, quoted from our Google profile. Long reviews are shortened; tap Read full review to see it on Google.
Reviews …Really great service, professional, safe and accommodating. Difficulties of access easily overcome, good people to deal withRead full review
David G.October 2026Jimmy and the guys were excellent at their job—very fast and very tidy. I highly recommend them, and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use them again in the future. "True Roots" are the best.
Nomikos R.October 2026Removed 4 bunches of palm nuts and tidied everything up. Great job.
Matthew K.October 2026Jimmy and his crew were fast, efficient and professional! He was so helpful in removing a tree in our yard that was a safety hazard. I highly recommend True Roots and would not hesitate to use them again if needed.
Liz B.June 2026Jimmy and his team were excellent. Fast, reliable, well-priced and impressive work. Great to see such a good, local tree removal business and arborist in Mortdale and operating in the St George area. You will not be disappointed using these guys.
Jamie D.April 2026Great service! I liked how they cleaned up after they chopped down our tree. Efficient and very competitive pricing. I would happily book them again in the future.
Celia L.April 2026Jimmy and the two men working with him were professional, hard working and efficient with their time. They removed a large bougainvillea adjacent to the pool. I was very impressed with how well they did this, especially given how thorny it…Read full review
Jan B.March 2026I recently hired True Roots to remove a large gum tree from my property, and I couldn’t be more impressed with their service. From the initial consultation to the final clean-up, the team of arborists were professional, efficient, and…Read full review
Joseph2025Jimmy was amazing; right from the beginning, he was informative, professional and willing to work within our budget. We could not be happier with what he has delivered for us. We removed all our side trees and replaced them with hedges and…Read full review
JJ2025Highly recommend the Team from True Roots, the boys came in and removed a Black Butt that was overhanging our house. Very competitive pricing and managed to squeeze us in. The stump was ground back and all waste was removed. Very professional and skilled workers. Will definitely use them again in the future.
Ben G.2024Highly recommend! James and the boys did an amazing job cutting down a large tree in my yard. Super professional, efficient, and left everything clean and tidy. Great service, and I’m really happy with the results. Will definitely call again for any future tree work! Thanks Andrew
Andrew M.2024Qualified, insured and accountable
- AQF Level 5 arboristDiploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524), TAFE NSW, 2024. About 15 years in arboriculture.
- ISO 9001 certifiedQuality management system certified to ISO 9001.
- $20M public liabilityPlus icare workers compensation. Certificates of currency sent with every quote.
- Australian StandardsTree pruning and trimming to AS 4373, tree protection on building sites to AS 4970.
- Indigenous-ownedOwned and operated by an Indigenous director. Registered NSW Government supplier on buy.nsw.
- 5.0 on Google71 reviews, every one from a real job. Read them.
Backing onto bush and not sure what you can clear?
Send your address and a photo of the boundary. We check the 10/50 tool, tell you what is covered, and quote the clearing as one fixed price. Same-day call back.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need done and we will call you back to arrange a look. Every job is assessed individually - no two trees are the same.
Urgent or unsafe tree? Call 0422 023 242 - we answer 24 hours.