Vegetation Permits in Victoria
Data from 2000–2026
Vegetation removal permits are required to remove, destroy, or lop native vegetation in areas covered by vegetation protection overlays.
Total Applications
8,065
Approved
3,719
46% of all
Refused
386
5% of all
Withdrawn / Other
3,960
Application Outcomes
Of 4,105 decided applications, 91% were approved.
Processing Time
25th percentile
22 days
Median
74 days
75th percentile
136 days
90th percentile
211 days
75% of vegetation permits are decided within 136 days. Based on 1,006 applications with complete date records.
Vegetation Permits by Council
| Council | Applications | Approved | Refused | Withdrawn | Median Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitehorse | 1,854 | 1,204 | 226 | 179 | — |
| Mornington_Peninsula | 868 | 505 | 10 | 26 | 76 |
| Nillumbik | 776 | 120 | 27 | 26 | — |
| Moorabool | 536 | 0 | 0 | 8 | — |
| Monash | 458 | 210 | 54 | 29 | — |
| Murrindindi | 367 | 323 | 0 | 31 | — |
| Yarra_Ranges | 355 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Boroondara | 228 | 64 | 25 | 24 | — |
| Frankston | 223 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strathbogie | 209 | 182 | 1 | 23 | — |
| Casey | 208 | 90 | 10 | 29 | 104 |
| Glen_Eira | 204 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Bass_Coast | 187 | 104 | 1 | 21 | — |
| Benalla | 183 | 164 | 0 | 15 | — |
| Kingston | 168 | 27 | 9 | 19 | — |
| Manningham | 119 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 54 |
| Greater_Geelong | 119 | 73 | 0 | 10 | — |
| Bayside | 111 | 77 | 14 | 2 | 36 |
| Hobsons_Bay | 107 | 95 | 0 | 3 | — |
| Surf_Coast | 94 | 73 | 0 | 4 | — |
| Pyrenees | 73 | 70 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Moonee_Valley | 63 | 62 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Yarra | 62 | 2 | 0 | 2 | — |
| Whittlesea | 51 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 60 |
| Stonnington | 45 | 40 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Darebin | 42 | 7 | 0 | 9 | — |
| Latrobe | 35 | 27 | 0 | 3 | — |
| Queenscliffe | 33 | 32 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Indigo | 26 | 18 | 2 | 4 | — |
| Mitchell | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Golden_Plains | 22 | 12 | 1 | 3 | — |
| Hume | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| South_Gippsland | 20 | 12 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Maribyrnong | 20 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 41 |
| Melbourne | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Ararat | 18 | 13 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Merri-Bek | 13 | 9 | 1 | 2 | — |
| Wyndham | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Southern_Grampians | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Greater_Dandenong | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 138 |
| Alpine | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Gannawarra | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Brimbank | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Wellington | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Swan_Hill | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Knox | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Horsham | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Towong | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
Most Common Zones
Zones where vegetation permits are most frequently lodged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the outcomes for vegetation permit applications in Victoria?
Of 8,065 vegetation applications tracked across 48 Victorian councils, 3,719 were approved and 386 were refused. An additional 483 applications were withdrawn. Among decided applications, 91% were approved.
How long does a vegetation permit take to process?
The median processing time for vegetation permits across Victoria is 74 days from lodgement to decision. 75% of applications are decided within 136 days. Processing times vary significantly between councils.
Which council processes the most vegetation permits?
Whitehorse has the highest volume with 1,854 vegetation applications.
Check vegetation permit history for your property
Enter any Victorian address to see planning permit history, zoning controls, overlays, and development potential.
Search your propertyBased on 8,065 vegetation applications from 48 councils (2000–2026). Outcome rates are calculated from decided applications only (excludes pending and withdrawn). Data sourced from council planning registers.