When a utility company or local government wants to perform right of way tree trimming on your property, they generally do not need your permission to do it. The authority comes from an easement recorded against your deed or from local ordinances covering public roadways, and it lets the easement holder enter and manage vegetation that threatens their infrastructure or the public’s safe use of the road. You still own the land and the trees, but that ownership sits underneath the easement holder’s right to keep the lines clear and the roads safe. What you keep are rights around how the work is done, what happens if the crew damages something outside the easement, and what you can plant or leave standing in the first place.
Who Can Trim Trees in the Right of Way
Two kinds of entities typically hold this authority. The first is a utility: electric, gas, water, or telecommunications. The easement in your deed grants the company the right to install and maintain its infrastructure and to manage vegetation that interferes with it. For electric utilities in particular, trees contacting power lines are a leading cause of outages, fires, and electrocution, and the easement exists precisely so the utility can prevent that without negotiating tree by tree.
The second is a government agency, usually a municipal or county public works department, managing the strip of land along a public road. Their authority comes from local ordinances rather than a private easement agreement, and the goals are public safety ones: keeping the roadway clear of overhanging limbs, keeping signs and signals visible, and preserving sight lines at intersections.
You can find out exactly what easements cross your property by reviewing your deed, your title insurance documents, or the plat map at the county recorder’s office. The utility that owns the nearby infrastructure can also provide a copy of the right-of-way agreement on request.1Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Tree Trimming and Vegetation Management Landowners FAQ
What Counts as Reasonable Trimming
Easement holders are not entitled to do whatever they want with your trees. The legal standard is that the work must be reasonable and necessary to serve the easement’s purpose. For a utility, that means clearing vegetation to prevent contact with lines and keep service reliable. For a transportation department, it means removing branches that block sight lines or hang dangerously over the road. Cutting down a healthy tree far from any infrastructure, with no plausible safety justification, would exceed the easement’s scope.
In practice, utilities trim more aggressively than most homeowners expect, and there is a reason. Trees grow back. A utility working on a three-to-five year trimming cycle will cut well beyond the current minimum clearance so the tree does not reach the lines again before the next scheduled visit. The result can look severe for a season or two even though it is standard industry practice. The method is also the utility’s call: pruning, herbicide, or complete removal are all on the table depending on the situation and the terms of the agreement.1Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Tree Trimming and Vegetation Management Landowners FAQ
If you think a crew has gone beyond what the easement allows, start with the specific language of the agreement. The terms vary widely; some grant broad rights to remove any vegetation within the corridor, while others are more restrictive. If the work exceeded those terms, your state’s public utility commission oversees utility activities within its jurisdiction and can take complaints about whether trimming was reasonable.1Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Tree Trimming and Vegetation Management Landowners FAQ FERC has also cautioned utilities not to overstate what federal reliability standards require as a way to justify aggressive clearing.2Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Vegetation Management Best Practices
Notice and Cleanup
For routine, scheduled trimming, most utilities provide notice before crews arrive, usually through a door hanger, a mailed letter, or an in-person visit. How much notice depends on the jurisdiction and the utility’s own policy. Some local rules set a specific number of days; others only require “reasonable” notice. Emergencies are the exception. When a storm drops limbs onto power lines or a tree is actively threatening infrastructure, the utility can act immediately with no notice at all.
During routine work, the crew is generally responsible for cleaning up the debris they create. Smaller branches are chipped on site and hauled away. Larger wood is often cut into manageable lengths and left for the homeowner, which some people welcome as free firewood and others would rather not deal with. After storm response, cleanup standards are looser. Crews are focused on restoring service and clearing hazards, and any debris still on the ground after that is usually the property owner’s problem.
When the Crew Damages Something
If the trimming crew damages something outside the scope of the easement, such as a fence, a garden bed, or a tree that was not within the easement corridor, you may have a claim for compensation. Document the damage with photos right away. Put your complaint to the utility or government agency in writing and keep records of every communication.
If the company refuses to compensate you, a formal complaint with the state public utility commission is the next step. For damage caused by a government crew, the process generally involves filing a tort claim with the municipality or county. Statutes of limitations on property damage claims typically run two to three years, and the clock starts on the day of the damage, so moving quickly matters.
What You Owe on Your Side
Hazard Trees Are Your Problem
This is where homeowners often get caught off guard. You can be held financially responsible if your tree damages utility infrastructure and you knew, or should have known, the tree was a hazard. A dead, rotting, or visibly leaning tree that eventually falls onto a power line can generate liability for the damage and repair costs. That exposure grows if the utility previously flagged the tree or offered to trim it and you turned them down. Regular inspection of the trees on your property is a form of legal self-protection.
Do Not Trim Near Power Lines Yourself
Even when a tree on your land is growing into a power line, do not try to trim it yourself. Call the utility. Working near energized lines without the right training and equipment is extremely dangerous, and if you damage utility equipment in the process, you could be on the hook for the repair bill. Most utilities will handle vegetation that threatens their lines at no charge to you, in large part because they do not want untrained people anywhere near the hardware.
Plant Carefully Inside an Easement
You generally can do basic landscaping inside a utility easement: grass, low-growing flowers, shallow-rooted shrubs. What you want to avoid is planting large trees or deep-rooted species that will eventually reach overhead lines or damage underground utilities. If a tree you planted within the easement grows into the lines, the utility can remove it, and no federal requirement forces them to replace it or pay you for the loss. The same caution applies to permanent structures inside the easement, which can be removed if they obstruct access or maintenance.
Making Sure the Crew Is Legitimate
Legitimate crews working for a utility or municipality will carry identification and can tell you which company or agency they work for and what project authorized the visit. If a crew shows up unannounced and you are not sure they are authorized, ask for identification and call the utility directly to confirm the work order before letting them proceed. Fake tree-trimming operations do appear, especially after major storms when homeowners are anxious to clear damage. A real utility contractor will not pressure you or ask for payment on the spot.
To verify a contractor independently, check whether they are licensed, bonded, and insured through your local building department or your state’s contractor licensing board. Your utility’s customer service line can confirm whether a specific crew or subcontractor is authorized to perform work in your area.