District 1
Budavár, District I
Tree removal rulesThe application must go in at least 60 days before felling
On the local page we have collected what the regulations say about:
- Tree removal
- Noisy garden work
- Green waste
Budavár, District I
Tree removal and gardening in District 1
Tree removal, pruning or tidying up an inner courtyard in District 1 is a very different job from working on a suburban plot: we often reach the tree through nothing wider than a narrow carriage entrance, and the district's rules are strict. Most of our work is in District 17, but we come out to Budavár too, and at the site visit we'll go through the local decree with you.
Budapest and surroundingsFree site visitCall-back within one working day
Courtyards and villa gardens in Budavár
Classic private gardens are rare in District 1; behind the apartment buildings of Víziváros and Krisztinaváros you'll mostly find inner courtyards and gardens shared by the residents of a block. On the slopes of Gellérthegy and Naphegy, however, there are villa gardens, often with trees that have stood for decades.
In places like these, the usual job is pruning a courtyard tree or safely taking down one that has grown old. If there's no room for the tree to fall, we dismantle it piece by piece on ropes, so the roof and the façade come through unharmed.
Neighbourhoods Vár, Víziváros, Tabán, Krisztinaváros, Gellérthegy
Garden work in District 1
Courtyard gardensInner courtyards looked after on an annual contract→Tree removalDangerous trees too, with rope access and removal→Tree pruningWhen the tree can still be saved→Stump grindingSo that lawn or a new tree can take its place→Garden maintenanceMonthly care all year round→Hedge trimmingShaping and renovation, clippings taken away→
Before and after
A block courtyard before and after it was tidied up. Drag the slider to compare the two.
BeforeAfterTree removal rules in District 1
In Budavár, Decree 21/2023. (VI. 6.) says that removing a tree from a private garden or courtyard requires a permit from the district clerk (jegyző), granted on the basis of an arborist's tree inspection report. Permits are only issued for the reasons listed in the decree, for example when the tree is diseased or puts the building at risk.
Tree felling permits in Budapest, district by district →
Source 21/2023. (VI. 6.) önkormányzati rendelet a fás szárú növények és zöldfelületek védelméről, Nemzeti Jogszabálytár We reviewed this rule in November 2026. Regulations can change, so we check it again at the site visit.
- The application must go in at least 60 days before felling
- Trees may be felled between 15 August and 15 March, with exceptions only to protect life or property
- A tree that endangered life must be reported, with photos, within 8 days of felling
- Fruit trees, saplings under 10 cm and suckers need no permit
- Cutting back more than a tenth of the crown also needs an expert report
When can garden firms use machinery in Budavár?
District 1's noise control decree (4/2017.) sets working hours for landscaping and garden maintenance companies, so in residential areas we plan all our machine work around them. That means on Sundays and public holidays our mowers and saws get the day off too.
Source 4/2017. (II. 23.) önkormányzati rendelet a zajvédelem helyi szabályozásáról, Nemzeti Jogszabálytár We reviewed this rule in November 2026. Regulations can change, so we check it again at the site visit.
- Working days from 7:00 to 18:00
- Saturdays from 8:00 to 13:00
- Not at all on Sundays and public holidays
Where do the leaves and cut branches go?
In District 1, MOHU (Budapest's public waste management company) collects garden green waste on Thursdays, from 2 March to 11 December in 2026, but it won't take branches thicker than 10 cm or tree trunks. After a felling job, we can haul those away for you on request. The district also helps residents buy compost frames for gardens and courtyards.
Source Kerti zöldhulladék körzetek, I. kerület, MOHU · Kerti zöldhulladék-gyűjtés, MOHU · 21/2023. (VI. 6.) önkormányzati rendelet, 25. § (komposztkeret-támogatás) We reviewed this rule in November 2026. Regulations can change, so we check it again at the site visit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in District 1?
Yes. Even a tree in a private garden or courtyard needs a permit from the district clerk, unless it's a fruit tree or a thin sapling. We'll look at the tree during the site visit and tell you what the application requires.
Can I cut down a tree in summer in District 1?
Not before 15 August, because the decree only allows felling between 15 August and 15 March, and the only exceptions are to protect life or property. The application also has to be submitted at least 60 days in advance, so it pays to get in touch as early as the autumn.
Do you work in the Castle District and the Tabán?
Yes. We work in every district of Budapest, the narrow streets of the Castle District (Vár) and the Tabán included. Drop us a line (you can write to us in English) or give us a call, and we'll get back to you within one working day; the site visit itself is free.
Site visit in District 1
Tell us what the problem is with your garden or tree, and we will call you back within one working day. A site visit in District 1 is free too. You can write to us in English.
Quicker by phone? Call us on +36 20 944 3464.
Where else do we work?
The map shows where we are at home and which districts and towns we visit regularly. Pick any of them and we will show you what is worth knowing there about tree removal and garden work.
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors
For example: Rákoshegy, Pécel, Zugló
