ARTICLE 2. Surface Transmission [8026. - 8038.]

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC 2.

in effect

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8026. Section 8026.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain any wire or cable used to conduct electricity, on any pole, or any crossarm, bracket, or other appliance attached to such pole, within a distance of 13 inches from the center line of the pole. This section does not apply to signal wires or cables which are attached to a pole to which is attached no wire or cable other than signal wires or cables, except within the corporate limits of a city, nor shall this section apply to such wires or cables where they are placed vertically on poles, nor to bridle or jumper wires on any pole which are attached to signal wires on the same pole, nor to any aerial cable, as between such cable and any pole on which it originates or terminates. Telephone toll lines may be exempt from the provisions of this section if proper evidence introduced before the commission proves to the satisfaction of the commission, that compliance would seriously interfere with long distance telephone transmission. This section does not apply to wires run from lead wires to arc or incandescent lamps nor to transformers placed upon poles, nor to any wire or cable where it is attached to the top of a pole, as between it and the pole, nor to any aerial cable containing signal wires where the cable is attached to a pole on which no other wires or cables than wires continuing from the cable are maintained if electric light or power wires or cables are not maintained on the same side of the street or highway on which the aerial cable is placed.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8027. Section 8027.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain in the vicinity of any pole (and unattached thereto) within the distance of 13 inches from the center line of the pole, any wire or cable used to conduct electricity, or place, erect or maintain any pole (to which is attached any wire or cable used to conduct electricity) within the distance of 13 inches (measured from the center of such pole) from any wire or cable used to conduct or carry electricity. As between any wire or cable and any pole, only the wire, cable, or pole last in point of time run, placed, or erected, shall be held to be run, placed, erected, or maintained in violation of the provisions of this section. This section does not apply to signal wires, or cables on poles to which are attached no other wires, as between such wires and poles to which are attached no other wires or cables than signal wires if such wires, cables, and poles are not within the corporate limits of a city. Telephone toll lines may be exempt from this section if proper evidence introduced before the commission proves to the satisfaction of the commission, that compliance would seriously interfere with long distance telephone transmission.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8028. Section 8028.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain, above ground, within four feet from any wire or cable conducting less than 600 volts of electricity, any wire or cable which conducts at any one time more than 600 volts of electricity, or run, place, erect, or maintain within four feet from any wire or cable which conducts at any one time more than 600 volts of electricity any wire or cable conducting or carrying less than 600 volts of electricity. This section does not apply to wires or cables attached to a transformer, arc or incandescent lamp within four feet (measured along the line of the wire or cable) from the point where such wire or cable is attached to such transformer, arc or incandescent lamp, nor to wires or cables within buildings or other structures, nor to wires or cables where they are placed vertically on poles, or to any lead wires or cables between the points where they are made to leave any pole for the purpose of entering any building or other structure and the point at which they are made to enter such building or structure. As between any two wires or cables, or any wire or any cable, run, placed, erected, or maintained in violation of this section, only the wire or cable last in point of time run, placed, or erected shall be held to be run, placed, erected, or maintained thus in violation of this section. Where no more than one crossarm is maintained on a pole, all the wires or cables conducting at any one time more than 600 volts of electricity shall be placed on the crossarm on one side of the pole, and all the wires or cables conducting less than 600 volts of electricity shall be placed on the crossarm on the other side of the pole. The space between any wire or cable conducting at any one time more than 600 volts of electricity and any wire or cable conducting less than that voltage shall be at least 36 inches clear measurement in a horizontal line. Where the provisions of this section cannot be complied with, the commission may grant permission for the following form of construction; where two or more systems for the distribution of electric light or power occupy the same poles with wires or cables, all wires or cables conducting at any one time more than 600 volts of electricity may be placed on the crossarms on one side of the pole, and all wires or cables conducting less than that voltage, shall in such case, be placed on the crossarms on the other side of the pole; the space between any wire or cable conducting at any one time more than 600 volts of electricity and any wire or cable conducting or carrying less than that voltage shall be at least 36 inches in measurement in a horizontal line; and in such construction all crossarms shall be at least 36 inches apart in a vertical line.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8029. Section 8029.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain any wire or cable which conducts at any one time more than 600 volts of electricity, without causing each crossarm, or such other appliance as is used in lieu thereof, to which such wire or cable is attached to be kept at all times painted a bright yellow color, or, on such crossarm, or other appliance used in lieu thereof, shall be placed signs, providing, in white letters on a green background, not less than three (3) inches in height the words “high voltage” on the face and back of each crossarm. The provisions of this section do not apply to crossarms to which are attached wires or cables conducting more than 10,000 volts of electricity, and which are situated outside the corporate limits of a city.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8029.5. Section 8029.5.

No person shall place, erect, or maintain on any pole any transformer, capacitor, or other electrical device containing polychlorinated biphenyls for transforming electric current, when the pole or transformer is required to be marked pursuant to applicable regulations of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, unless the person owning or controlling the pole on which the device is situated, upon request of any fire protection agency within the person’s electrical service area, either marks the pole with a reflective band specified by the fire protection agency or furnishes to the fire protection agency the location of every pole within the fire protection agency on which such a device is located, at the person’s option.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8030. Section 8030.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain any guy wire or guy cable attached to any pole or appliance to which is attached any wire or cable used to conduct electricity, without causing the guy wire or guy cable to be effectively insulated at all times at a distance of not less than four (4) feet nor more than eight (8) feet (measured along the line of the wire or cable) from the upper end thereof, and at a point not less than eight (8) feet vertically above the ground from the lower end thereof. Where two or more guy wires or guy cables are attached to the same pole and same anchorage pole there shall be at least one foot, vertical space, between the points of attachment. No insulation shall be required at the lower end of a guy wire or guy cable where it is attached to a grounded anchor. Where guy wires or guy cables are attached to a pole or structure of steel or other conducting material supporting wires or cables conducting in excess of 15,000 volts where the pole or structure is thoroughly grounded no insulation shall be required at any point in the guy wire or guy cable. This section does not apply to guy wires or guy cables attached to poles carrying no wire or cable other than signal wires or cables and which are situated outside the corporate limits of a city.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8031. Section 8031.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain vertically on any pole any wire or cable used to conduct electricity, without causing such wire or cable to be at all times wholly incased in a casing equal in durability and insulating efficiency to a wooded casing not less than one and one-half inches thick. This section does not apply to vertical signal wires or cables on poles where no other such wires or cables are maintained, and which are outside the corporate limits of a city, nor to wires or cables run vertically on iron poles or structures where both pole or structure and conduit are securely grounded.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8032. Section 8032.

No person shall place, erect, or maintain on any pole, or any crossarm or other appliance on the pole, which carries or upon which is placed an electric arc lamp, any transformer for transforming electric currents. This section shall not apply if the arc lamp is suspended so that it can be trimmed from the ground or from a stand located on the pole not less than seven feet below the transformer, and in so suspending the arc lamp no wire or cable in connection therewith is run vertically on the pole unless the wire or cable is protected as provided for in Section 8031.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8033. Section 8033.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain any wire or cable carrying more than 15,000 volts of electricity across any wire or cable carrying less than that voltage or across any public highway, except on a pole of such height and so placed at each crossing that under no circumstances can the wire or cable of a voltage higher than 15,000 volts in case of breakage thereof or otherwise, come in contact with any wire or cable of less than that voltage, or fall within a distance of ten (10) feet from the surface of any public highway; or in lieu thereof double strength construction may be installed, in which case the wires carrying a voltage higher than 15,000 volts shall, between the points of crossing, be of a cross-section area equal to at least twice that used in the line outside of such crossing, except where the conductor used is equal to number four (4) stranded Brown and Sharpe gauge or greater, in which case the wires or cables will be considered as complying with the law.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8034. Section 8034.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain any suspension wire to which is attached any aerial cable of 75 pair No. 19 Brown and Sharpe gauge or over, or of 100 pair No. 22 Brown and Sharpe gauge or over suspended from a crossarm, or from any other structure or appliance from which the suspension wire is hung, by a single bolt and clamp without at the same time attaching the suspension wire to the crossarms, structure, or appliance by an additional safety bolt and clamp, or other safety appliance for thus attaching the suspension wire of tensile strength equal to the first bolt and clamp.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8035. Section 8035.

None of the provisions of Sections 8026 to 8034, inclusive, apply to direct current electric wires or cables having the same polarity, nor to signal wires when no more than two (2) of such signal wires are attached to any one pole, but no such direct current or signal wires shall in any case be run, placed, erected, or maintained within the distance of thirteen (13) inches from the center line of any pole other than the pole or poles on which the wires or cables are carried, carrying electric wires or cables. As between any two wires, or cables, or any wire or cable run, placed, erected, or maintained in violation of this section, only the wire or cable last in point of time run, placed, erected, or maintained shall be held to be run, placed, erected, or maintained thus in violation of this section.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8036. Section 8036.

No person shall run, place, erect, or maintain any span wire attached to any wire or cable used to conduct electricity, without causing the span wire to be at all times effectively insulated between the outer point at which it is in any case fastened to the pole or other structure by which it is hung or supported, and at the point at which it is in any case thus attached. Such insulation shall not in any case be placed less than two (2) feet or more than four (4) feet from the point at which the span wire is so attached. When in any case such span wire is attached along its length to any two (2) such wires or cables, conducting electricity and extending parallel to each other, not more than eighteen (18) feet apart, such insulation shall not be required therein at any point between such parallel wires or cables. This section does not apply where feeder wires are used in place of span wires.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8037. Section 8037.

The commission may grant such additional time and shall inspect all work which is included in the provisions of this article, and may make such further additions or changes as the commission deems necessary for the purpose of safety to employees and the general public. The commission shall enforce the provisions of this article.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 8038. Section 8038.

Any violation of any provision of this article is a misdemeanor.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026