If you want to plant trees, you don't just have to pay attention to a suitable location and the right planting distance. It is also important to maintain the legal boundary distance to neighboring property. This is important to maintain neighborhood peace.
boundary distance trees
What is the prescribed limit distance for trees in Germany?
The legal limit distance for trees varies depending on the federal state in Germany. It ranges from 0.5 meters for trees under 2 meters high in Saxony to 8 meters for large trees in Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony. For detailed information, check your state's regulations.
The individual regulations for the German federal states in detail
The following overviews provide you with information about the legal regulations in the various federal states.
Bavaria
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Trees larger than two meters
2 meters
all other trees
0, 5 meters
Baden-Württemberg
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Large trees (forest trees, conifers)
8 meters
Medium-sized trees and grafted fruit trees
4 meters
Pome and stone fruit trees, slow-growing
2 meters
Trees and shrubs lower than 1.8 meters
1 meter
All other trees
3 meters
Berlin
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Strong-growing, large trees
3 meters
Fruit trees without standard trunk
1 meter
all other trees
1, 5 meters
Brandenburg
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
The following applies to all trees:
at least a third of the height
Fruit trees
2 meters
all other trees
4 meters
Bremen and Hamburg
There are no corresponding legal regulations here, but Bremen repeatedly refers to the neighborhood law applicable in Lower Saxony.
Hesse
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Oaks, lime trees, poplars, walnut trees
4 meters
strong trees
2 meters
all other trees
1, 5 meters
strongly growing pome fruit trees, sweet cherries and refined walnut trees
2 meters
all other fruit trees
1, 5 meters
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
In this federal state, too, there is no uniform legal regulation regarding the required border distances.
Lower Saxony
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Trees over 15 meters high
8 meters
Trees up to 15 meters high
3 meters
Trees up to 5 meters high
1, 25 meters
Trees up to 3 meters high
0, 75 meters
Trees up to 2 meters high
0, 5 meters
Trees up to 1.2 meters high
0, 25 meters
North Rhine-Westphalia
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Strong-growing trees
4 meters
All other ornamental trees
2 meters
Strong-growing pome fruit trees, sweet cherries, walnut trees, chestnuts
2 meters
medium-growing pome fruit trees, stone fruit trees (except sweet cherries)
1, 5 meters
weakly growing pome fruit trees
1 meter
Rhineland-Palatinate, Thuringia and Saarland
In these federal states, the neighborhood law stipulates the same distances as in Lower Saxony.
Saxony
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Trees under 2 meters
0, 5 meters
Trees over 2 meters
2 meters
Saxony-Anh alt
Type of tree
Limit distance, minimum
Trees over 15 meters high
6 meters
Trees up to 15 meters high
3 meters
Trees up to 5 meters high
1, 25 meters
Trees up to three meters high
1 meter
Trees up to 1.5 meters high
0, 5 meters
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein stipulates a minimum distance of one third of the total height of the tree.
Tip
In the development plans of many residential areas, not only are the architectural forms of the homes specified, the tree species to be planted are also listed there.
