Tree felling licence: when you need to apply
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-05)

The Forestry Commission controls tree felling by issuing felling licences. Find out when you need to apply.

Who can apply for a licence

Only someone with an interest in land (for example a freeholder, leaseholder or tenant – or any agent acting on their behalf) can apply for a felling licence.

Lessees must ensure that their lease entitles them to fell trees. Where an owner or lessee uses an agent, the agent must demonstrate that they are authorised to represent the applicant by using the Forestry Commission agent authority form (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/forestry-commission-agent-authority-form).

In some circumstances, a licence can be issued to someone who is not the owner or lessee but who has sufficient legal interest in the land. This means that they must be able to demonstrate that they can legally fell the trees in question.

We’ll accept applications from and issue licences to a business or organisation, so long as they have sufficient interest in the land. Such applications must include details of a named individual who has authority to sign the application on behalf of the organisation. This person will likely be an employee of the business or organisation, or an agent with sufficient authority.

Felling trees without a licence, where one would have been required, is an offence. Read more about what could happen if a tree is cut down without a licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-suspected-illegal-tree-felling#what-could-happen-if-a-tree-is-cut-down-without-a-licence).

Exemptions

Not every tree felling project requires a felling licence. Exemptions can be based on:
- location
- the type of tree work
- the volume and diameter of the tree
- other permissions already in place
- legal and statutory undertakings
Find out more about felling licences, exemptions and how to apply in our guide Tree felling: getting permission (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tree-felling-getting-permission).

You can also contact your nearest Forestry Commission area office (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/forestry-commission/about/access-and-opening) before felling to check whether a licence is required.

Estimating timber volume

The Timber Volume Calculator (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d5d6d55ed915d08d2549866/TimberVolumeCalculator.pdf) (PDF, 69 KB, 1 page) can help you estimate the volume of timber you may wish to fell.

Environmental map browsers

The Forestry Commission’s Land Information Search (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-the-land-information-search) is a map-based tool that allows you to search for information about land designations or features that might already apply to your land or affect your woodland management and tree felling proposals. It also shows details of other approved felling licenses in your area.

Natural England’s MAGIC map browser (http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx) contains a greater range of environmental data and can provide further information on designations and issues that might affect your woodland or woodland management proposals.

How to apply for a tree felling licence

Apply for a felling licence using our Felling Licence Online service (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-online-for-a-felling-licence).

If you require a paper felling licence application form, email us at xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) to request a form. We provide this by email unless you provide your full postal address. We will then send one to you by post. Do not apply online if you request a paper copy of the application form.

Send a completed application form to the Forestry Commission administrative hub that covers your area. (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/forestry-commission/about/access-and-opening)

If you’re applying to fell trees on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) you should also complete a Supplementary notice of operations within a site of special scientific interest (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supplementary-notice-of-operations-within-an-sssi). This document will provide more detail on how you propose to manage the tree felling and protect the SSSI, and will allow us to issue Natural England’s consent for the work at the same time as the felling licence.

Applying for a licence involving larch species

Larch trees are particularly susceptible to ramorum disease, caused by the Phytophthora ramorum organism. Infected larch trees produce large quantities of the spores that spread the disease, and these can be spread many miles on moist air currents, threatening other plants in the area.

Special precautions to minimise the risk of spread during felling operations are therefore needed when felling larch trees that have, or might have, the disease. Among these precautions is a variation applied in some high-risk parts of England to our usual procedure for processing felling licence applications involving larch.

The variation is explained in the Forestry Commission’s Operations note 23: processing felling applications involving larch species (https://gov.uk/government/publications/processing-felling-applications-involving-larch-species-operations-note-23/processing-felling-applications-involving-larch-species-operations-note-23), which provides:
- a background
- information if there’s a failure to agree an extension to your application
- further information on woodland management plans/existing felling permission
Applying for a licence to prevent the spread of a pest or disease or due to a public safety issue

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/forestry-commission-simplify-felling-licence-applications-to-protect-trees-and-people) a modification to the way a limited number of felling licence applications will be dealt with by the Forestry Commission. A small number of felling licence applications directly related to the management of tree pests and diseases or due to a public safety issue, may now be excluded from publication on the Consultation Public Register, where the Forestry Commission deem that the proposed tree felling needs to be expedited for an overriding biosecurity or public safety benefit.

The exclusion from the Consultation Public Register for these applications will not impact the need to consult with statutory bodies, where relevant, and does not impact on other conditions related to approving a felling licence, such as the need to restock. However, it remains vital that people continue to make felling licence applications in a timely way.

All Forestry Commission approved felling licences will continue to be published on the Decision Public Register so the public will be kept informed of decisions.

If you urgently require a felling licence due to a tree pest, disease or public safety issue, you must provide details in your application. Please refer to the supporting Felling Licence Online user guides (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/felling-licence-online-user-guide-operations-note-45) for guidance.

The Forestry Commission will make an assessment on all applications to determine whether they should be excluded from the Consultation Public Register.

How to appeal our decision

If an approved felling licence has replanting conditions that you’re not happy with, you should first discuss these with your local Woodland Officer (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/forestry-commission/about/access-and-opening#area-offices).

If you’re still unhappy you can appeal against a decision by the Forestry Commission (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-appeal-a-decision-by-the-forestry-commission).

Management plans and felling licences

Felling licences can be issued following the review and agreement in principle of a detailed woodland management plan that meets the standards and requirements set out in the UK Forestry Standard (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-forestry-standard).

Restocking conditions on a licence

The government has a general policy against the removal of woodland. This is why most felling licence applications for clear felling will only be granted with conditions to restock the land and restore the woodland. However, the Forestry Commission will judge each felling licence application on its own merits.

This typically means that, unless a felling licence is for thinning only, it will include restocking conditions. Restocking conditions allow timber to be harvested but ensure woodland is replaced and maintained post-felling.

Applicants must provide restocking proposals as part of their felling licence application. These will be discussed with the Forestry Commission during the application process. The applicant will then be sent a final copy of the proposed restocking conditions. They must raise any concerns over the proposed conditions within 14 days to agree an alternative before the licence is issued.

For information on the different tree felling and restocking methods, see the Definitions of felling and restocking options (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/definitions-of-felling-and-restocking-options).

In some circumstances, it may be possible to agree alternative restocking conditions on an approved felling licence. Read Request to change permissions or conditions on your felling licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/request-to-change-permissions-or-conditions-on-your-felling-licence/request-to-change-permissions-or-conditions-on-your-felling-licence) for further information.

Using an approved felling licence

A felling licence cannot be amended or withdrawn once it has been issued.

Once you start felling work, you must ensure compliance with the associated restocking conditions set out in the licence by the final restocking compliance date.

In some circumstances, it may be possible to agree alternative felling permissions and/or conditions on your licence. Refer to Request to change permissions or conditions on your felling licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/request-to-change-permissions-or-conditions-on-your-felling-licence/request-to-change-permissions-or-conditions-on-your-felling-licence) for further information.

Selling land with a felling licence

When you sell land covered by a live felling licence, any remaining felling permissions automatically transfer to the new owner (or other person with sufficient legal interest in the land).

The same is true of any restocking conditions attached to the felling licence. Any conditions that have been engaged by previous felling will become the new owner’s obligation to comply with. Equally, if the new owner undertakes further felling under the licence, they will be bound by any further restocking conditions that are engaged.

Enforcement proceedings for non-compliance with felling licence conditions can be taken against whoever is the owner of the land at the time that the conditions must be complied with. This may be the original licence holder or any subsequent owner of the land.

Whoever is the owner of the land at the time of non-compliance with the licence conditions may be served with an enforcement notice under section 24 of the Forestry Act 1967. An enforcement notice places a duty on the owner to comply with the conditions of the felling licence. Non-compliance with such a notice is a criminal offence, for which you can be prosecuted.

An individual may be served with an enforcement notice, even where the previous owner undertook the felling, and neither the previous nor current owner have ensured compliance with the engaged conditions.

Further enforcement notices may be served on any subsequent landowners.