Felling a tree and diverting forest land are governed by different laws, and people routinely mix them up. Tree felling in Karnataka is controlled by the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976. Using forest land for a project is controlled by the central Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. Your land can be caught by one, both or neither.
Which trees can be cut without permission in Karnataka
The default under Section 8 of the Preservation of Trees Act is strict: no tree may be felled on any land — owned, occupied or otherwise — without the prior permission of the Tree Officer. That applies on private land, and it overrides custom and contract.
The Act then exempts a schedule of 27 species from that requirement. These are largely plantation, horticultural and fast-growing species, and they include:
- Coconut, areca nut, mango, cashew, guava, lemon, sapota
- Coffee and rubber
- Eucalyptus, casuarina, silver oak, subabul
- Several acacia and bamboo varieties
An exempted species can be felled without the Tree Officer's permission. Everything else needs it.
Three things that catch people out
Sandalwood and rosewood are not ordinary trees. The Act's definition of "tree" expressly excludes them, because they are dealt with separately and far more strictly. Do not treat them as exempt.
The exemption is from permission, not from the forest law. If the land is forest land, felling even an exempted species as part of a project still runs into the 1980 Act.
The list changes. Species have been added and removed, and the State can exempt areas by notification. Check the current schedule before you fell anything.
What counts as a tree
Under the Act a tree is a woody plant with a trunk at least 5.5 cm in diameter and at least 1 metre tall. It includes palms, bamboo, cane, brushwood, stumps and seedlings. A sapling you would not think twice about can be a tree in law.
How to get tree felling permission
Permission is granted by the Tree Officer, a forest officer appointed under the Act. Which rank depends on where the land is — Assistant Conservator of Forests, Range Forest Officer or Divisional Forest Officer.
- Apply in writingWith a site plan or survey sketch, the details of the trees, the reason for felling, and the consent of the owner or occupant.
- InspectionThe Tree Officer inspects and may grant permission in full, in part, or refuse it.
- Grounds that must be allowedPermission cannot be refused where the tree is dead, diseased or wind-fallen, has matured silviculturally, is dangerous, obstructs traffic, was damaged by natural causes, or is needed for the applicant's genuine own use.
- Public notice for large fellingsFelling more than 50 trees for a public purpose requires public notice and consideration of objections.
- AppealAn order of the Tree Officer can be appealed to the Tree Authority.
The Act also allows a family a limited quantity each calendar year for genuine own use — a set volume of timber, poles, bamboo and firewood — subject to the prescribed conditions.
What is Section 4 forest?
Section 4 land is land the State Government has notified its intention to constitute as a reserved forest, under Section 4 of the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963. It is a step in the process, not the finished article.
The Section 4 notification does three things: it declares the decision to make the land a reserved forest, it describes the situation and boundaries as closely as it can, and it appoints a Forest Settlement Officer to inquire into and decide the rights people claim over the land or its produce.
The settlement is meant to be completed and the land then notified as a reserved forest. In practice a great deal of land in Karnataka has sat at the Section 4 stage for decades, with the settlement never finished. That is why so many disputes here turn on it.
Why it matters to a project
- Section 4 land is treated as forest land for the purposes of the central forest law, so a project on it needs forest clearance.
- Revenue records and forest records often disagree about the same survey number. One says kharab or revenue land; the other shows it inside a Section 4 notification.
- The boundary in a Section 4 notification was frequently described by landmarks — a road, a stream, a ridge — rather than by coordinates, which is exactly why these boundaries are argued over.
Section 4 forest, deemed forest and reserved forest
| Category | What it is | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Reserved forest | Notified as such after settlement of rights | Full protection; diversion needs forest clearance |
| Section 4 land | Notified intention to constitute a reserved forest; settlement pending | Treated as forest land; diversion needs forest clearance |
| Deemed forest | Land identified as forest-like by the State's expert committees following the Supreme Court's 1996 Godavarman order | Treated as forest whatever the record says |
| Revenue land with trees | Not forest in the record | No forest clearance, but tree felling still needs Tree Officer permission unless the species is exempt |
The practical consequence: the only reliable way to know which category your land falls in is to check it against the forest department's own boundary records, not against the revenue record alone and certainly not by looking at the site.
Check your land yourself
You can do the first check in a few minutes. Upload your KML or KMZ to the forest boundary tool on our homepage. It overlays your boundary on the forest blocks and shows the division, range and reserved forest name, with the forest and non-forest split. It runs in your browser and nothing is sent to us.
If any part of your land shows as forest, the next step is a records check and a survey — that is what we do, from our offices in Mangaluru and Shivamogga.
Frequently asked questions
What trees can be cut down without permission in Karnataka?
The Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976 exempts a schedule of 27 species from the requirement of Tree Officer permission. They include coconut, areca nut, mango, cashew, guava, lemon, sapota, coffee, rubber, eucalyptus, casuarina, silver oak, subabul and several acacia and bamboo varieties.
Every other species needs prior permission, including on your own land. Sandalwood and rosewood are outside the Act's definition of a tree and are dealt with separately and far more strictly.
Do I need permission to cut a tree on my own land in Karnataka?
Yes, unless the species is on the exempted schedule. Section 8 of the Preservation of Trees Act bars felling any tree on any land — owned or occupied — without the Tree Officer's prior permission, and it overrides custom and contract.
What is Section 4 forest?
Section 4 land is land the State Government has notified, under Section 4 of the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963, its intention to constitute as a reserved forest. The notification declares the decision, describes the boundaries, and appoints a Forest Settlement Officer to decide claims of right.
It is treated as forest land, so a project on it needs forest clearance even though the settlement may never have been completed.
What is the difference between Section 4 land and deemed forest?
Section 4 land is land formally notified as proposed reserved forest under the Karnataka Forest Act. Deemed forest is land identified as forest-like by the State's expert committees following the Supreme Court's 1996 Godavarman order, whatever the record calls it. Both are treated as forest land for clearance purposes.
Who gives tree cutting permission in Karnataka?
The Tree Officer — a forest officer appointed under the Act. The rank depends on the area: Assistant Conservator of Forests, Range Forest Officer or Divisional Forest Officer. An order can be appealed to the Tree Authority.
How many trees can I fell for my own use?
The Act allows a family a limited quantity each calendar year for genuine own use — a prescribed volume of timber, a number of poles and bamboos, and a quantity of firewood — subject to the conditions laid down. Anything beyond that, or for sale, needs permission.
Tell us what your project touches
Send the alignment, the survey numbers or a KML. We will tell you whether forest land is involved and what the proposal will take.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and the rules change. Check the current position for your case on parivesh.nic.in and forestsclearance.nic.in, or ask us. Last reviewed 2026-10-15.