Your utility handles its own lines and you handle your own trees, but nobody on your side should work near an energized line until the legal steps are done. Georgia has no single statute that splits every case, so the details come from your utility’s rules and your easement.
The legal limit. Georgia’s High-Voltage Safety Act applies to lines above 750 volts. Under O.C.G.A. § 46-3-33, no one may start work if a person or equipment could come within 10 feet of a high-voltage line, until notice has been given and the line’s owner has guarded against contact, such as by de-energizing it or adding protective covering. Under § 46-3-34, that notice goes to the utilities protection center at least 72 hours ahead, excluding weekends and holidays. So a tree crew near a line needs that step, and a homeowner should never try it.
Who to call.
| Situation | Call |
|---|---|
| Line down or tree on a line | 911 and the utility |
| Tree growing toward a street line | The utility, and ask about its trimming program |
| Tree near the wire from the pole to your house | The utility, and ask who's responsible on your side |
| Digging, stump grinding near buried lines | Georgia 811 before you start |
Ask the utility three things and write down the answer: Whose line is it? Will you trim or make it safe? Who pays? Electric cooperatives, cities, and Georgia Power may answer differently.
Your deed or plat may show an easement, and that can limit what you can plant or do under the line. Treat the whole tree, and anything touching it, as energized. Don’t touch it, don’t spray water, and keep everyone back.
General information about Georgia law as of November 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.