Tree touching power lines in New Zealand: who is responsible

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes WorkSafe's page and two lines companies' own pages. The regulations themselves were not opened for this page, because the legislation site does not serve scripts. Other countries are not covered here.

What WorkSafe says

The WorkSafe page Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 says the regulations prescribe the distances from electrical conductors within which trees must not encroach, set rules about who is responsible for cutting or trimming encroaching trees, assign liability if the rules are breached, and provide an arbitration system for disputes between works owners and tree owners. It says a tree owner can apply to an arbitrator under regulation 22 to settle the terms of a dispensation, and that disputes that do not qualify for arbitration can be referred to Utilities Disputes. It names a tree arbitrator appointed by a gazette notice dated July 18, 2025.

Who is responsible

The Powerco page Trees near power lines says that in most cases the tree owner is responsible for making sure the tree does not grow too close to power lines, and that the tree owner is usually the person who owns the land the tree grows on. The Vector page Managing trees around lines says the regulations cover network lines and not the service line that runs directly to a house. It says the lines company's part is to tell tree owners their trees are encroaching, which it does with a cut or trim notice.

The zones

Powerco gives the full table below, and Vector's table gives the same distances for the voltages it lists, up to 33 kV. Both describe the growth limit zone as the space around a line that must stay clear of trees. The cut-back zone extends one metre beyond it. The hazard warning notice zone extends two metres beyond it.

Powerco says the growth limit zone for some lines extends above the line, called clear to the sky. It says this already applies to higher-voltage lines and that from October 17, 2026 it also applies to lines at 11 kV or below outside urban areas. It says trees protected by district plans are excluded from the clear to the sky requirement, and that for spans over 150 metres additional clearances apply.

Notices, cost and fines

• Vector says a cut or trim notice may be issued when a tree enters the growth limit zone, explains what work is required and by when, and that a tree entering the growth limit zone normally has to be cut back to the cut-back zone unless a dispensation applies.
• Vector says the first cut is done at its cost when the tree has not been trimmed by it before, and that later trimming is at the tree owner's cost. Powerco says it pays for a tree's first cut or trim when the tree qualifies under the regulations, and that ongoing trimming is generally the tree owner's responsibility.
• Both say any trimming within 4 metres of lines is for approved utility arborists. Vector says a tree owner or unapproved arborist can trim only when all parts of the tree are 4 metres or more from the lines, and Powerco says a person can be prosecuted under the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 for trying to do it personally.
• Vector says the tree owner must give at least three working days' notice of the work. Both say a fine of up to NZ$10,000, and up to NZ$500 for each day or part of a day if the offence continues, can follow where a cut or trim notice is not met.
• Vector says a tree owner can apply for a dispensation within five working days of a notice, and that the response is sent within five working days of receiving the application.
• Vector says an owner can declare no interest in a tree that was naturally sown, or that the owner reasonably believed at planting would not interfere with lines, and that a notice already received must be answered within 10 working days.

Treefall hazard notices from July 23, 2028

Vector says the treefall hazard zone extends 24 metres horizontally from the edge of the growth limit zone, and that being inside it does not make a tree hazardous. It says that from July 23, 2028 a treefall hazard notice may require removal of a tree assessed as moderate or high risk, with written advice from a qualified arborist. It gives 25 working days for a high-hazard tree and 45 working days for a moderate-hazard tree, says the lines company will generally meet the reasonable removal cost, and gives the owner 10 working days to apply to the arbitrator to dispute the assessment. Vector says the regulations were amended on July 23, 2026 with some changes taking effect later.

Phone lines the pages list

Both lines companies give 111 for an emergency or a downed line and say to stay at least 10 metres from a downed line. Powerco lists 0800 27 27 27 for a tree touching or likely to fall on a line, and Vector lists 0508 832 867 for electricity.

Who to call

• 111: an emergency or a downed power line, per the lines companies
• Powerco, 0800 27 27 27: a tree touching or likely to fall on a power line in the Powerco area
• Vector, 0508 832 867: electricity enquiries and trees near lines in the Vector area
• WorkSafe, tree arbitrator page: where the appointed tree arbitrator for dispensation disputes is named

Sources

• WorkSafe New Zealand, Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003, read October 9, 2026
• Vector, managing trees around lines, read October 9, 2026
• Powerco, trees near power lines, read October 9, 2026
• Vector, home page with electricity phone line, read October 9, 2026