When Do I Need to Notify 811 Before I Dig in Ohio?
48 Hours
What Info Do I Need When Notifying OHIO811 About Digging?
Caller Information:
Why Do I Need to Notify OHIO811 Before Digging?
It’s The Law
How to Contact OHIO811
Before digging in Ohio, the person performing the excavation is legally responsible for notifying OHIO811 at least 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) in advance to provide time for registered utilities to identify and mark their underground facilities.
Simply call 811 or submit a dig notification online to protect your family, your property, and the utilities you and your neighbors rely on every day.
Being prepared when you call ensures your 811 notification ticket is accurate and helps utilities to respond effectively. Note: some service lines are the property owner’s responsibility, and a private utility locator may need contacted.
Important Details About Your 811 Notification
Wait
- Utilities have 48 hours from the time of your notification (when you receive the confirmation number) to identify and mark the lines that they own, operate, or maintain.
Reference Number/Look for Your Confirmation Email
- Your confirmation email from OHIO811 will detail all registered utilities that were notified about your project.
- Use the Reference/Confirmation Number to confirm utility responses (also known as Positive Response)
- You will receive a Positive Response email when the 48-hour notification period has completed.
What Happens After I Contact OHIO811?
Check the Status of Your Dig Notification
When the 48 hours has completed, you will receive an email with the status from each notified utility, known as ‘Positive Response’.
Positive Response can also be checked online or mobile app, using your confirmation number.
What do the Markings Mean?
Flags, paint, or stakes are used by underground utility locators to identify buried lines.
Each utility type uses a different color, as outlined in Ohio’s Universal Marking Standards.
Abbreviations and symbols are also used in utility markings to identify additional information about the
underground facilities, such as the material type, the facility owner, and/or the direction of the utility facility.
What Do I Do If…?
Important Details to Know
Private Lines and Service Lines
Facility owners are required to mark what they own and operate. Unregistered lines, including some service lines and privately-owned lines, may not be marked. Privately owned lines are the responsibility of the homeowner and the excavator should contact a private locating company if you believe you have additional lines in your excavation area.
How do I get private utilities marked? Here you can find a listing of Private Utility Locators.
If You’ve Hired a Contractor
If you’ve hired someone to perform excavation work on your property, Ohio law requires the person performing the work to submit the 811 notification before digging begins. Always confirm that a notification to OHIO811 was placed before any works begins on your property!
Why are there flags and markings in my yard?
Utility owners will mark their right-of-way when excavation work is going to take place. Markings may include space on your property.
Here’s some things to know:
- Markings on your property do not necessarily mean excavation work will commence on your property. Flags and paint could indicate proposed improvements or near-by excavation work.
- Do not remove, destroy, or replace markings.
- If you see markings, check out the “Near Ticket” function on the OHIO811 App to learn more about projects happening near your location.
