Yes! There are several factors that can affect a buried utility’s depth to the surface, such as erosion, weather, and grading (adding or removing soil). Even if you have worked in that area in the past, notifying OHIO811 before every dig keeps you and your community safe. Plus, it’s the law!

To be clear, Ohio law (a/k/a the Ohio Revised Code or “ORC”) defines “Excavation” at ORC 3781.25 (I) as follows:

“…the use of hand tools, powered equipment, or explosives to move earth, rock, or other materials in order to penetrate or bore or drill into the earth, or to demolish any structure whether or not it is intended that the demolition will disturb the earth…”

No, it is the responsibility of the person making the excavation to notify OHIO811 prior to the start of any digging work.

If you hire a contractor for a job that requires any type of digging or disturbance in the soil, you should always confirm with your contractor that they have notified OHIO811 before working on your property. You can also ask them to provide the confirmation number they received from OHIO811 and the status of each registered utility that was notified.

An “Excavator” is defined in ORC 3781.25(K) as:

“…the person or persons responsible for making the actual excavation.”

An “Excavation” is defined in ORC 3781.25(I) as follows:

“’Excavation’ means the use of hand tools, powered equipment, or explosives to move earth, rock, or other materials in order to penetrate, bore, or drill into the earth, or to demolish any structure, whether or not it is intended that the demolition will disturb the earth…”

Under Ohio law, OHIO811 must be notified at least 2 working days (excluding weekends, holidays, and the day of the notification), but no more than 16 calendar days, before any digging, no matter the project size. This requirement protects you, your property, the environment, and essential utility services you and your neighbors rely on. To be clear, contact OHIO811 any time the soil is disturbed, like tree planting, landscaping and fences, installing a mailbox, leveling for a pool, and of course larger excavation tasks.

It is quick and easy to notify OHIO811. You can reach us by telephone or through our online internet options:

1. If you are calling by telephone, simply dial 8-1-1 or 800-362-2764.
2. Notify online by visiting OHIO811.org. Use e-dig for homeowners and i-dig for professional excavators.
3. If you are using the OHIO811 mobile app, select “e-dig” for homeowners, or “i-dig” for professionals.

Ohio law states the following in ORC 3781.28(A):

“Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C), (D), (E), and (F) of this section, at least two working days, not including the day of the notification, but not more than sixteen calendar days before commencing excavation, the excavator shall notify the protection service of the location of the excavation site and the date on which excavation is planned to commence.”

If excavation does not start within sixteen calendar days from the time of the OHIO811 excavation notification being submitted (811 ticket), or if a utility marking is destroyed or removed at any time, the excavator must stop working and notify OHIO811 again.

To be clear, Ohio law states the following:

“(A) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C), (D), (E), and (F) of this section, at least two working days, not including the day of the notification, but not more than sixteen calendar days before commencing excavation, the excavator shall notify the protection service of the location of the excavation site and the date on which excavation is planned to commence.” — ORC 3781.28(A)

“(B) If the markings of underground utility facilities made under section 3781.29 of the Revised Code are destroyed or removed before excavation is completed, the excavator shall notify the utility through the protection service that the markings have been destroyed or removed, and the utility shall remark the facilities in accordance with section 3781.29 of the Revised Code.” — ORC 3781.31(B)

It is the responsibility of the utility/facility owner to ensure their buried lines are marked. ORC 3781.29(A)(1) states :

“…within at least two working days, not including the day of the notification, of receiving notice under section 3781.28 of the Revised Code, each utility shall review the status of its facilities within the excavation site, locate and mark its underground utility facilities at the excavation site in such a manner as to indicate their course, and report the appropriate information to the protection service for its positive response system…”

Some utilities also use a contract locating service to mark their lines on their behalf.

YOU PAY NOTHING! OHIO811 is a free public safety service! When notifying OHIO811 before you dig, utilities in your area will receive a notice from OHIO811 so they can respond and mark their underground lines.

“Private Utility Lines” are owned by the property owner and often run from your house to individual systems and structures on your property. Some examples would include, i) down spout drain lines, ii) electric lines extended from the house to a shed, lamppost, landscaping lights, pavilion, or other outdoor structure, iii) septic lines, iv) electric and water lines going to/from a water well, v) electric and plumbing for pond fountains and water gardens, or vi) electric and data transmission lines for outdoor security systems. In addition to the legal requirement to notify OHIO811, a private locating company may be required to identify private lines.

Service lines are another type of private line and often refer to the pipes and cables that connect a property to the main public utilities for services like water, gas, sewer, electricity, and communications. These lines can be buried underground or suspended overhead and are responsible for bringing services into a home or taking wastewater out. They run from the main supply line in the street or on the pole to the point where they enter a property structure. Typically, service lines are considered as the responsibility of the property owner and may require a private utility locator to identify these lines.[

When you notify OHIO811, utility owners and operators registered with OHIO811 that have potential utilities in the excavation area will be notified by OHIO 811. Each utility company will then identify and mark the buried lines that they own and operate and respond through the Positive Response System. (Some utility companies may hire a contract locating company to identify and mark their lines.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Service lines and private lines may not be located without contacting a private locating company. Learn more about private locating services by visiting: www.OHIO811.org/private-utility-locating/

After you notify OHIO811 about your planned excavation, you will receive a confirmation email with a reference number and a list of all registered utility members who will be notified by OHIO 811. Your 2-working day response window begins the day after your notification (working days exclude weekends and legal holidays). When the response window ends, you will receive a second email that provides the response of each notified utility member. This is known as a “Positive Response.”

You can learn more about the “Positive Response” by visiting www.OHIO811.org/private-utility-locating/ If you have any questions about a response from a registered utility, please contact OHIO811 immediately at 800-362-2764 or 8-1-1 with your reference number. Please note: if the markings are destroyed or removed prior to the completion of your project, your excavation notification (ticket) is no longer valid and you must notify OHIO811, as stated in ORC 3781.31 (B):

“If the markings of underground utility facilities made under section 3781.29 of the Revised Code are destroyed or removed before excavation is completed, the excavator shall notify the utility through the protection service that the markings have been destroyed or removed, and the utility shall remark the facilities in accordance with section 3781.29 of the Revised Code”

Buried utilities are marked with flags, paint, or stakes in accordance with the Ohio universal marking standards. Distinct colors are used for each utility type based on the following American Public Works Association (APWA) Uniform Color Code:

YES! The depth of an underground utility can change due to many factors including construction, past excavation activities, or natural occurrences such as erosion, heavy rainfall or drought.  Ohio law requires a notification to OHIO811 before every dig, Notifying OHIO811 helps to keep you safe and prevents damage to essential services you and your neighbors rely on.

To be clear, ORC 3781.28(A) states as follow:

“(A) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C), (D), (E), and (F) of this section, at least two working days, not including the day of the notification, but not more than sixteen calendar days before commencing excavation, the excavator shall notify the protection service of the location of the excavation site and the date on which excavation is planned to commence.”

YES! ORC 3781.25(I) defines “Excavation” to include the following:

…the use of hand tools, powered equipment, or explosives to move earth, rock, or other materials in order to penetrate or bore or drill into the earth, or to demolish any structure whether or not it is intended that the demolition will disturb the earth…

“Excavation” excludes specified low-risk exempted activities, which are outlined in ORC 3781.25(I)(1-7)

Please see ORC 3781.30, titled “Duties of Excavator” for a list of the statutory obligations of an excavator.

Flags, paint, and stakes are used by utilities to mark underground utility lines indicate that a planned excavation is taking place. If you hired an excavator to work on your property, they must contact OHIO811 to notify the utilities that they will be digging in that area. To see excavations that are planned around your home, you can download the OHIO811 mobile app and click on the “Near Ticket” feature. This free service provided by OHIO811 will show planned excavations within a 1,000-foot radius of your GPS location.

When excavation damages a buried utility, the first move should always the same: get everyone to safety, stop work, and protect the area. Next, report the damage to the appropriate parties.

Ohio requires all damages to be reported to Ohio 811;

(6) As soon as any damage is discovered, including gouges, dents, or breaks to coatings, cable sheathes, and cathodic protection anodes or wiring, report the type and location of the damage to the utility and the protection service and permit the utility a reasonable amount of time to make necessary repairs. If the owner or operator of the utility facility is unknown, notification to the protection service satisfies the excavator’s reporting requirement to the utility under this section. — ORC 3781.30(A)(6)

(7) Immediately report to the utility, the protection service, and, if necessary, to the appropriate emergency response agencies by calling 9-1-1, any damage to an underground utility facility that results in escaping flammable, corrosive, explosive, or toxic liquids or gas, and take reasonable appropriate actions needed to protect persons and property and to minimize safety hazards until those agencies and departments and the utility arrive at the scene. If the owner or operator of the utility facility is unknown, notification to the protection service satisfies the excavator’s reporting requirement to the utility under this section. — ORC 3781.30(A)(7)

(8) In complying with divisions (A)(6) and (7) of this section, damage information reporting shall, at a minimum, include all of the following:

(a) The location or address where the damaged underground facility is located;

(b) The type of underground utility facility damaged, including the approximate size, material type and color, if available;

(c) The approximate depth at which the damaged underground utility facility was encountered. — ORC 3781.30(A)(8)

Striking underground utility lines can be costly, but more importantly, it can be dangerous. CAUTION MUST ALWAYS BE USED.

No. OHIO811 is the communication link between the excavator and those who own or operate underground utilities facilities as defined by statute at ORC 3781.25(A). When contacting OHIO 811 before you dig, OHIO811 will submit your excavation plans to the utilities who are registered with our service so they can locate and properly mark their underground lines. Please note that not all utilities are registered with OHIO811. Private utility lines may need to be marked by you or your excavator using a utility locating service for hire. Learn more about private locating services by visiting: www.OHIO811.org/private-utility-locating/

When you notify OHIO811 before you begin your project, utilities registered with OHIO 811 will mark the approximate location of their underground lines in the digging area. It is important to dig with care when excavating near the markings and to respect the “tolerance zone,” which spans the width of the utility line, plus 18 inches on both sides of the line width. Learn more about the “Tolerance Zone” by carefully reviewing the “Duties of an Excavator” in ORC 3781.30 and the definition of Tolerance Zone in ORC 3781.25(E) at www.OHIO811.org/law

Please note that unregistered lines, including some service lines and privately-owned lines, may not be marked. You should contact a private locating company if you believe you have additional lines in your excavation area. Learn more about private locating services by visiting www.OHIO811.org/private-utility-locating/

Flags and/or other stake markings can be removed upon completion of your excavation project. If you notice, however, that flags or stakes were placed on your property or in the public right-of-way for another excavation project, do not remove or destroy these markings without first verifying with the excavator that their project is complete.

To see excavations that are planned around your home, you can download the OHIO811 mobile app and click on the “Near Ticket” feature. This free service is provided by OHIO811 and will show planned excavations within a 1,000-foot radius of your GPS location. You can also contact OHIO811 at either 8-1-1 or 800-362-2764.

Yes. In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated 8-1-1 as the nationwide number for the protection of underground utilities from excavation damage. Although 8-1-1 can be dialed from anywhere in the United States, each one-call center operates independently, and your call will be routed to the appropriate utility protection service.

Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OHIO811) is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization established in 1972, and it has its principal place of business located at 12467 Mahoning Ave, North Jackson, Mahoning County, OH 44451.