Can renters claim Treebate? Short answer: yes. The WA Government’s Treebate program is open to all Western Australian residents aged 18 or over — it does not require you to own the property. Here is exactly what renters need to know before buying a tree.
One of the most common questions we receive at treebate.com.au is whether the Treebate rebate is only for homeowners. It is not. The eligibility criteria on the live ServiceWA page are straightforward: you must be a Western Australian resident aged 18 or over who has purchased a qualifying native tree from a WA commercial nursery on or after 28 July 2025.
Ownership of the property is not a requirement.
That said, there are practical considerations that renters need to think through carefully before purchasing. This guide covers all of them honestly.
Can Renters Claim Treebate? The Eligibility Rules Confirmed
The ServiceWA Treebate page states the eligibility criteria as follows: Treebate is available to Western Australian residents who are aged 18 years or older, and who have purchased a native tree from a retailer located in WA on or after 28 July 2025.
There is no requirement to own the property. There is no requirement to be the leaseholder. The program is open to any WA resident who meets the age and purchase criteria.
What this means for renters: If you are renting a property in WA, you are eligible to claim the Treebate rebate provided you meet all the standard program requirements — qualifying tree, compliant tax invoice, plant label photo, and submission through the ServiceWA app.
The Practical Question — Can You Plant a Tree at a Rental Property?
Eligibility under the Treebate program and your right to plant a tree at your rental property are two separate questions. DWER does not address the landlord permission question on the ServiceWA page — and treebate.com.au cannot give you legal advice on your tenancy agreement.
What we can tell you is this.
The Treebate program requires the tree to be planted in the ground on your private property. The ServiceWA page says: plant the tree on your property. As a renter, your rental property is your private residence for the term of your lease — but planting a tree permanently in the ground is a modification to the property that typically requires your landlord’s written permission under WA tenancy law.
Before purchasing a tree for a rental property, you should:
Check your lease agreement for any clauses about garden modifications or permanent plantings.
Submit a written minor modification request to your landlord using Form 26 (Minor Modification request form) under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024. This is the correct formal process under current WA rental law. Your landlord has 14 days to respond. If they do not respond within 14 days, permission is taken as granted. The landlord can only refuse for limited prescribed reasons.
Discuss what happens to the tree if you move — whether it stays with the property or whether you are required to restore the garden to its original condition at the end of the tenancy.
Form 26 is available from the Consumer Protection WA website at consumerprotection.wa.gov.au.
The Treebate rebate is paid to you personally based on your purchase. The tree itself, once planted in the ground, is generally considered a fixture of the property. These are practical matters to resolve with your landlord before spending money at the nursery.
What the Program Covers — The Same Rules Apply
Whether you are a renter or an owner, the Treebate program rules are identical. The tree must be:
An Australian native species with a mature canopy height of at least 3 metres. Any variety labelled Dwarf, Nana, Little, or Compact does not qualify regardless of species.
Purchased from a WA commercial nursery or retailer with a valid ABN. Private purchases through Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, or classifieds are not eligible.
Purchased on or after 28 July 2025.
Planted in the ground on your private property — not in a pot or container.
The Invoice and Plant Label — Same Requirements
Your tax invoice must show all of the following regardless of whether you rent or own:
Business name of the nursery. ABN printed on the document — not handwritten. Tax invoice number. Total value including GST. Purchase date on or after 28 July 2025. Itemised tree purchase as a clear line item.
No handwritten additions to any field. No EFTPOS receipts. No standard receipts.
Photograph the plant label at the nursery showing the species name — either the botanical name, the common name, or both. Keep it safe. You need it to submit your claim.
PSHB Biosecurity — Renters Must Check Their Zone Too
The PSHB biosecurity check applies to every Perth metropolitan purchaser regardless of whether they own or rent. Check your suburb’s zone at dpird.wa.gov.au/pshb before purchasing any tree.
DPIRD published a formal PSHB Tree Species Exclusion List on 26 May 2026 recommending specific species be excluded from government grant funding and tree planting programs due to extreme or very high PSHB susceptibility. Two WA-relevant native species on that list are River Sheoak (Casuarina cunninghamiana) and Swamp Paperbark (Melaleuca rhaphiophylla). Do not purchase these species for your Treebate claim.
Use our Tree Selection Tool to get a PSHB-verified, zone-filtered shortlist for your suburb before spending a dollar.
For a full breakdown of the PSHB quarantine zone rules and the complete list of blocked species, see our WA PSHB Biosecurity Guide.
What About Renters in Units or Apartments?
This is where it gets more complicated. The Treebate program requires the tree to be planted in the ground on your private property. Common garden areas in a strata complex are not your private property — they are shared property managed by the strata company or body corporate.
If you rent a unit or apartment without a private garden area where you have sole use of the ground, claiming Treebate is unlikely to be straightforward. You would need written permission from both the landlord and the strata company, and the planting location would need to be genuinely private to your tenancy rather than shared common area.
If you rent a house with a private backyard, the position is cleaner — the backyard is your private residence for the term of your lease, subject to getting your landlord’s written permission for the planting.
One Rebate Per Person — The Same Limit Applies
The Treebate rebate is once per person for the entire four-year program running from 28 July 2025 to late 2029. Not once per year. Once per person for the life of the program.
This applies to renters and owners equally. If you claim as a renter at your current address and later buy your own home, your Treebate entitlement is already used. Plan accordingly.
If you share a rental property with other eligible adults, each person aged 18 or over can claim independently — each with their own qualifying tree purchase and their own claim submission. There is no household limit.
Submitting Your Claim — Same Process as Any Other Claimant
The ServiceWA app claiming process is identical for renters and owners.
Download the ServiceWA app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Set up your Digital ID (myID) at Standard identity strength — this requires your Australian driver’s licence or passport and takes approximately 10 minutes if you have not done it before. Standard strength is the minimum required. Basic strength is not sufficient.
In the app: Discovery tab, Offers tile, Treebate offer, agree to terms and conditions, upload tax invoice photo, upload plant label photo, enter bank account details, submit.
Payment arrives within approximately seven working days to your nominated bank account once the claim is approved.
For help: call 13 33 92 (13 33 WA), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Email support@digital.wa.gov.au for ServiceWA enquiries. Email treebate@dwer.wa.gov.au for general Treebate program questions.
The Smart Approach for Renters
If you are renting and want to claim Treebate, here is the sensible sequence.
First, check your lease for any clauses about garden modifications.
Second, contact your landlord or property manager in writing and ask for permission to plant a native tree. Explain the Treebate program. Many landlords are receptive — a permanent native tree adds value to the property.
Third, once you have written permission, choose your tree using our Tree Selection Tool to confirm it is PSHB-safe for your suburb and Treebate-eligible.
Fourth, purchase from a WA commercial nursery, get your compliant tax invoice, photograph the plant label, plant the tree, and submit your claim through ServiceWA.
The $150 rebate is paid to you personally, directly to your bank account — regardless of whether you own or rent.
Quick Reference — Key Contacts
| Contact | Details | Notes |
| ServiceWA (calls) | 13 33 92 | Available 24/7 |
| ServiceWA (email) | support@digital.wa.gov.au | Monitored 8:30am–4:30pm weekdays |
| DWER Treebate enquiries | treebate@dwer.wa.gov.au | Program questions |
| PSHB zone check | dpird.wa.gov.au/pshb | Zone map and host list |
Summary
Can renters claim Treebate? Yes — and the process is identical to any other claimant.. The program is open to all WA residents aged 18 or over — property ownership is not a requirement. The practical considerations are the same as for any permanent garden modification at a rental property — get your landlord’s written permission before you plant anything in the ground.
Once you have permission, the process is identical to any other Treebate claim: qualifying tree, compliant tax invoice, plant label photo, ServiceWA app submission, payment within approximately seven working days.
Use our Tree Selection Tool to find a PSHB-safe, Treebate-eligible native tree for your specific Perth suburb before you purchase.
Information in this guide is verified against the ServiceWA Treebate page (updated 12 March 2026), DWER Treebate program documentation (updated 26 March 2026), DPIRD PSHB Tree Species Exclusion List (26 May 2026), and Consumer Protection WA — Making Changes to a Rental Home (updated April 2025). treebate.com.au is an independent guide and is not affiliated with DWER or the WA Government. The landlord permission process described reflects the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 — verify current requirements at consumerprotection.wa.gov.au or contact the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (Consumer Protection division) before proceeding. Final rebate approval rests solely with DWER and ServiceWA. Always verify current eligibility requirements at wa.gov.au/treebate before purchasing.