Main points
- The owner of a land plot may cut down a tree on his personal property without permission in accordance with Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1045.
- To cut down trees on the street or in the neighborhood, you need permission from local authorities, obtained through an application to the executive committee.
Who gives permission to cut down trees / Pexels
An old or weather-damaged tree can cause a lot of trouble – falling on a car parked underneath it or breaking windows or the roof of a house. Then the question arises of how to cut down a tree without breaking the law.
How to cut down a tree in your own yard?
A homeowner can cut down a tree on their personal plot at their own discretion. This is provided for by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1045 of August 1, 2006.
That is, the owner or user of the land plot decides which tree and when he can cut it down. There is no need to contact any authorities for permission.
By the way, this rule applies not only to those areas that are privately owned.
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Even if the land is not privatized, but there is a house or outbuildings on it, such a plot is considered a personal plot literally. Therefore, the owner can determine at his discretion which trees need to be cut down.
Important! In case of any doubts, a person has the right to contact the local authorities in the city or town and ask whether it is possible to cut down a particular plantation without special permission.
How to cut down a tree outside?
Completely different rules apply to trees that grow near an apartment building or even just behind a fence on the street.
- You cannot cut trees in the courtyard of a high-rise building. After all, this is a residential area that belongs to the community, not a person's private property.
- Trees that grow outside the homestead cannot be cut down.
To cut down a tree on the street, you must obtain permission from the local authorities in the city, village, or town. The decision is made by the executive committee of the relevant council.
To do this, you need to take several steps:
- Submit an application to the executive committee, indicating which trees the person wants to cut down and the reason for this;
- Wait for the decision of the commission that examines the said plantations;
- Obtain a copy of the approved decision with a logging permit;
- And only then saw the trees.
Please note! The commission sets the cost necessary to restore green spaces. That is, it is not always possible to cut down a tree without money. Exceptions are made, for example, if it is an emergency or the tree has reached its age limit.
What is the fine for illegal tree felling?
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The law provides for strict liability for intentional destruction or damage to trees and shrubs within settlements. Citizens are subject to a fine of 8.5 to 17 thousand hryvnias, as well as the possibility of correctional labor for a term of up to two years.
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In addition, such actions may be subject to restriction of liberty for a term of up to three years or imprisonment for the same term.
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Significant damage is considered to be damage that exceeds the non-taxable minimum income of citizens by 20 times. This means that even losses of 340 hryvnias or more fall into this category, and in this case the violator faces a fine of more than 8,000 hryvnias.