---
title: Utility Easement: Why a Tree Near Power Lines Is Shared
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/utility-easement/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

- [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/)
- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- Utility easement

# What is utility easement?

A utility easement is a strip of land that a utility company has the legal right to use for its lines and equipment, even though the land belongs to someone else. Trees within it can be pruned or removed by the utility for the safety of the line.

## What it is

An easement is a recorded right, usually shown on a plat map or in a property's title papers. Power, gas, water and communications utilities each have their own. The easement width and the rights it gives are set by the document, which is why the answer to 'can I plant or keep a tree there' is on paper and not a general rule.

Easements also run along back lot lines in many subdivisions, where trees and fences sit in the path.

## Why it matters in Northern Nevada

NV Energy handles its own primary lines and trims trees back from them. The service drop from the pole to the house is the owner's responsibility. Trees that grow into lines cause outages in snow and wind storms. Tree work near lines is dangerous; stay away from a line and call NV Energy if a tree touches one. See [trees and power lines in NV Energy territory](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/trees-and-power-lines-nv-energy/).

Where the easement lies is a question for the title papers, the plat or the utility, and not something to guess from the fence.

## What an arborist does about it

Battle Born offers utility and structure clearance for branches near buildings and service lines on the owner's side, and the arborist will tell you where the job stops and the utility's work starts. Anything that involves the utility's primary lines is the utility's. Call before the tree reaches the line. See [utility and structure clearance](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/utility-structure-clearance/).

If you are planning any tree work near the back lot line or the street, look at your plat or title papers first, and call the utility with questions. Do not trim anything that is touching or near a power line yourself.

### Sources

- [NV Energy: Tree trimming near power lines](https://www.nvenergy.com/tree) (read October 17, 2026)
- [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Avoiding Tree and Utility Conflicts](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Avoid%20Utility%20Conflict_0621.pdf) (read October 17, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/)
- [Right-of-way](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/right-of-way/)
- [Trees and power lines in NV Energy territory](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/trees-and-power-lines-nv-energy/)
- [Utility and structure clearance](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/utility-structure-clearance/)

## See also

[Right-of-way](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/right-of-way/) [Wildland-urban interface (WUI)](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/wildland-urban-interface/)

## This term in our guides and answers

[Tree rules by jurisdiction: permits, rights-of-way and Lake Tahoe](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/tree-rules-by-jurisdiction/)