Land and Right-of-Way Services

SDG&E secures easements on private property for our electric and gas systems including any supporting equipment and facilities.  These easements provide SDG&E the rights to access and maintain our existing facilities and construct new lines and facilities in compliance with legal, regulatory and industry standards to provide safe and reliable service throughout our service territory.  At SDG&E, we take great care to keep our easements and rights-of-way clear of any structures, improvements or other uses that might interfere with our ability to provide safe and reliable service.

Land Services

Encroachments Fact Sheet

Encroachments Fact Sheet

Learn more about easement encroachments and how you can work with SDG&E to ensure the success of your projects by viewing the Encroachments Fact Sheet.

View Fact Sheet

SDG&E’s preference is that you consider options that do not encroach within or encumber SDG&E properties, easements or rights-of-way.  Allowable uses within SDG&E easements or rights-of-way are very limited in scope and type.  Each request to use an SDG&E easement or right-of-way will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  If SDG&E can accommodate your project, your request may also require approval by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Public Utilities Code Sections 851 - 857 requires SDG&E to seek CPUC approval prior to disposing of SDG&E property or allowing encroachments within SDG&E easements.  Please refer to the Learn More options below for greater detail about CPUC Sections 851 - 857 which could add a minimum of 6 to 12 months to your project's timeline. Click here to read these detailed sections of the CPUC code. 

In December 2019, the CPUC also adopted a Tribal Land Transfer Policy.  If the Tribal Land Transfer Policy applies to your project, this may add an additional 4 months minimum to a project’s timeline and may result in a tribe’s involvement in the process.  Please refer to the CPUC Tribal Land Transfer Policy for further details about this policy. 

Encroachment Request

Request permission to develop within an SDG&E electric or gas easement.

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Easement Quitclaim

Request a Quitclaim of an SDG&E easement

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Frequently Asked Questions

An easement or right-of-way is a right to use the property of another for certain purposes. SDG&E obtains easements on property, owned by others, for the right to install, maintain, operate and access our facilities on that property.  The easement may restrict certain uses within the easement or right-of-way area, for the purpose of maintaining unencumbered access to SDG&E facilities, allowing us to maintain safe and reliable systems.  An easement or right-of-way remains in effect and transfers with the property to any new owners.

An SDG&E utility corridor is a strip of land that forms a passageway through which SDG&E installs, operates and maintains its gas and electric facilities both above and below ground. An SDG&E utility corridor can either be located within land owned by SDG&E, or within land owned by another upon which SDG&E has an easement or right-of-way.

An encroachment occurs when a person builds on or intrudes on, under, or over the property of another, including within an easement, without permission from the property or easement holder.

Property owners should refer to their property title report or title policy to determine the presence of any easements on their property.

Any item or activity that could interfere with the safe and reliable operation of SDG&E’s facilities is called an encroachment, which is prohibited under the terms of the easement along with any prohibited encroachments by City, State, and Federal policies. SDG&E actively enforces rights granted by our easements, and protected by these government policies, to ensure reliable operation of our electric and gas systems.

The Owner of the property has the responsibility to maintain clearance of all encroachments from an SDG&E easement, which can include clearing of vegetation, trash, or any other materials that interfere with SDG&E facilities. SDG&E’s easements give us the right, but not the obligation, to trim trees and remove vegetation as needed.  SDG&E may choose to enforce its easement rights to require such clearing at the property owner’s expense.

SDG&E has the right to use an easement or right-of-way for specific purposes including access to and from its gas and electric facilities for maintenance and construction. SDG&E may enforce these rights and rights granted through government policies, by requiring the encroachment be removed at the property owner’s expense.

At SDG&E, we take great care to keep our facilities clear of anything that might cause a safety or reliability issue.  Uses within an SDG&E easement or right-of-way are usually very limited in scope and type.   Uses of any type require written consent from SDG&E along with adherence to all California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) General Orders and OSHA standards. Certain encroachments may require approval from the CPUC.  If you have an existing project number from SDG&E Builder Services or Service Order Team, you can submit an Encroachment Request for SDG&E to review. 

If you have an easement maintenance concern, please email SDG&E Land Services Department at [email protected].

Contact Information

For questions regarding an SDG&E easement or right-of-way

Email the Land Services Department at [email protected] if you have questions regarding an SDG&E easement or right-of-way. 

For general inquiries, NOT related to land rights, contact SDG&E Customer Service at 1-800-411-7343

For inquiries regarding vegetation management

Visit our Vegetation Management pages.

Email Vegetation Management at [email protected] or Call (858) 654–8608

Call 811 Before You Dig 

Please call 811 for Dig Alert before you dig. DigAlert must be called at least 2 working days in advance of digging but no more than 14 days before digging is to start. If digging is not complete within 28 days of mark out, then DigAlert must be called to mark out again. Mark out must be redone every 28 days until excavation (digging) is completed.  Mark out is provided free for the first mark out.  SDG&E will send a crew to mark the underground gas and electric facilities before you begin work, helping you to plan a safe project.  For detailed DigAlert information go to https://digalert.org/calaw-full