Who trims trees near power lines: me, the city, or the utility?
The utility trims trees around the high-voltage lines along the street, on a cycle of every 3–5 years and on request, at no charge. The service drop from the pole to your house is the homeowner's job, though the utility will usually disconnect it temporarily so a tree crew can work. Never trim within 10 ft of any line yourself.
There are two kinds of wire on most residential streets, and who trims depends on which one your tree is near. The high-voltage distribution line runs pole to pole and belongs to the utility, which trims it on a schedule whether you ask or not. The service drop leaves the last pole and runs to your house, and that one, in most places, is yours. The one rule for both: nobody but a line-clearance-qualified crew works within 10 ft of an energized line. If a tree is already on a line, that is an emergency, covered on a tree is on the power line, who do I call?
| Line | What it looks like | Who trims | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission lines | Tall steel or wood towers, thick wires, wide cleared corridor | Utility, on a regular cycle; they clear the whole corridor | None |
| Primary distribution lines | Topmost wires on street poles, on insulators; thousands of volts | Utility, every 3–5 years and on request | None |
| Service drop | Wire from the last pole to the mast on your house | Homeowner hires a tree crew; utility de-energizes on request | Trimming cost, $75–$1,500 by tree size |
| Cable and phone lines | Lowest wires on the pole, no insulators | Homeowner; low voltage, but treat as live until confirmed | Trimming cost |
| Street tree near any line | Tree between sidewalk and curb | Utility for wire clearance; city for sidewalk and road clearance | None |
| Any tree within 10 ft of a line | — | Line-clearance-qualified crew only | Varies |
Which lines does the utility trim for free?
Everything on the utility's side of the meter: the transmission lines on towers and the primary and secondary distribution lines on street poles. Utilities are required to keep vegetation away from these lines because tree contact causes outages and wildfires, so each circuit is trimmed on a cycle, usually every 3–5 years, often without asking, because the utility's easement gives it the right. You can also request a visit. If a tree is touching, growing into, or leaning toward the wires, call the utility's customer line or use its website; most treat contact as a priority and send a crew within days. Many utilities will remove a tree under a line at no cost instead of trimming it, which is worth asking about if the tree is going to be cut back hard anyway.
Who is responsible for the line from the pole to my house?
You are, in most utility territories. The service drop carries household voltage from the last pole to the weatherhead on your house, and once it leaves the pole it is on the customer side. The utility will not trim around it, but it will usually disconnect or de-energize it for a few hours at no charge so a tree crew can work safely. Call ahead; some utilities need a week or more of notice and some will only do it for a licensed contractor. Trimming a tree near the service drop costs the same as any other trim by tree height, $75–$1,500, though a crew that has to work around the wire will quote toward the top of the range. Prices are on how much does tree trimming cost?
Can I trim a tree near a power line myself?
No. Stay at least 10 ft from any line, and treat every wire as live, including the ones you are sure are cable or telephone. A branch does not have to touch the wire to hurt you; a wet limb, a pole saw, an aluminum ladder, or the tree itself can carry current, and high-voltage lines can arc across a gap. Electrocution is one of the most common ways homeowners die doing yard work. Federal safety rules allow only line-clearance-qualified crews, with specific training and insulated equipment, to work within 10 ft of energized lines. Regular tree services are not automatically qualified; ask. The rest of what you can safely do yourself is on can I trim my own trees?
Does the city trim trees near power lines?
Usually not for the wires. Cities and counties take care of street trees for sidewalk, road sign, and traffic clearance and for removing dead ones, but clearance from the utility's wires is the utility's job even when the tree is on public land. If a city tree is in the wires, report it to the utility; if it is blocking the sidewalk or dropping limbs on the road, report it to the city's forestry or public works department. Some municipal utilities are the city, in which case one call covers both.
What if I do not like how the utility trimmed my tree?
Utility trimming is done to a clearance standard, often 10 ft or more from the wires, and the result is the V-shaped or one-sided trees along every street. It is legal, because the easement that lets the utility run wires over your land also lets it keep them clear. Your options are limited but real. You can ask the utility to remove the tree instead, which many will do free under lines. You can ask, before the crew arrives, for a directional trim that keeps more of the side away from the wires; some utilities honor this. And you can end the problem for good by planting only species that top out under about 25 ft anywhere near a line. A tree that has been cut back hard and repeatedly under a line is often past saving in any case, and is it cheaper to trim a tree or remove it? covers when to stop paying.
No independently confirmed professional review is on file yet.
Not yet independently reviewed. This page is general safety information. Utility rules, easements, and free-trimming policies vary by company and state; confirm with your utility before any work near lines.