Call 811 Before Digging in Texas: The Rules and the Steps

Every drainage project starts with a hole in the ground. Before that hole exists, one phone call can save you from a gas leak, a cut internet line, or a very bad day. If you plan any trench, post hole, or dry well, you need to call 811 before digging in Texas. It is free, it is fast, and it is the law.

Here is how the process works, what the rules say, and what to do while you wait.

What 811 is

811 is the national call-before-you-dig number. In Texas, calls and online requests go to Texas811, a notification center. You tell them where you plan to dig and what kind of work you are doing. They send a notice to the utility companies that have lines in that area. Each utility then sends a locator to mark where its lines run.

Texas811 states that getting your lines marked is a free service. It covers public utilities such as gas, electric, water, sewer, and communications lines owned by companies. It does not cover private lines that you or a previous owner installed. More on that below.

The notice rule

According to Texas811 and the Railroad Commission of Texas, the notice rule is two business days. That means you must make the request at least two business days before you dig, and business days exclude weekends and holidays. Victoria Electric Cooperative gives a clear example: if you plan to work on Saturday, call no later than Wednesday.

You may see older pages that say “48 hours.” That wording is out of date or simplified, so plan on two full business days, and give yourself a little extra.

Texas811 says the law applies to homeowners as well as contractors, including digging in a backyard. Hiring a contractor does not remove the duty. Ask your contractor whether they will make the request or whether you should. For jobs like French drains and downspout lines, we make sure the request has been placed before any work begins.

How to make a request

You have a few ways to do this.

Call 811. A representative will ask for your address, the nearest cross street, the type of work, and the exact area where you will dig.
Use the Texas811 website. Many people prefer the online form because you can describe the dig area in writing and mark it on a map.
Use a mobile app, if Texas811 or your utility offers one.

Be specific. If you say “the backyard,” locators may mark far more or far less than you need. Better: “a trench along the back fence, from the northeast corner to the gate, about 40 feet.” Mark the dig area at the site with white paint, flags, or stakes if the process asks for it. White marks show the locators where you plan to dig.

Write down your ticket number. You will need it if something goes wrong.

What happens next

Utilities have until the notice time ends to mark their lines. Locators use paint or flags in standard colors. The common color code in the United States is:

Red: electric power lines and cables
Yellow: gas, oil, steam, petroleum
Orange: communications, alarm, signal, cable TV
Blue: potable water
Green: sewer and drain lines
Purple: reclaimed water and irrigation
Pink: temporary survey marks
White: proposed excavation limits

Do not remove the marks. Take photos of them from several angles before you start digging, in case rain or foot traffic washes them away.

If a utility has no line in your area, it may mark “no conflict” or contact you. Wait until all utilities that were notified have responded, or until the notice time has passed and you have confirmed with Texas811 or the utilities that it is safe to proceed.

How long do the marks last?

Texas Gas Service says a locate request is valid for 14 calendar days. The Railroad Commission’s materials mention 14 working days for some routine tickets. Because sources differ, check with Texas811 when you make your request and ask how long your ticket stays valid. If your project may run longer, ask how to renew it. Do not assume.

Staying safe near marked lines

Marks show the approximate location of a line, not the exact center. The standard approach is to treat a strip on each side of the mark as a tolerance zone. Texas Gas Service advises avoiding mechanical equipment within 18 inches plus half the pipe diameter on all sides of a utility mark. The Railroad Commission’s rules for pipelines use an 18-inch figure too. Some other states use 24 inches, so do not rely on a number from another state. Ask Texas811 or the utility what applies to your situation.

Inside that zone, use hand tools or soft-dig methods. Shovels and probes are fine. Power augers, trenchers, and skid steers are not, unless the utility says otherwise.

If you hit or damage a line:

Gas: Stop work. Leave the area immediately. Do not use anything that could spark. Call 911 and the gas utility from a safe distance.
Electric: Stay away from the equipment and wires. Call 911.
Water or sewer: Shut off equipment and call the utility.
Communication lines: Call the owner. Even a small cut can be costly and can cut service to neighbors.

Report every damage, even if it seems minor. A nick in a gas line can leak later.

The Railroad Commission rule

The Railroad Commission of Texas regulates pipelines. It says to call 811 for any digging deeper than 16 inches and recommends calling for any excavation, regardless of depth. Why does that matter for homeowners? Because drainage work often goes deeper than people think. A French drain trench and a downspout line can easily pass that depth, and dry wells go deeper still.

In practice, the simple rule is this: if you are digging with anything more than a trowel, call.

What 811 does not locate

This is the part most people miss. Public utility owners mark their own lines, but several things in your yard are not on their maps:

Private water lines from the meter to the house.
Private sewer laterals running from the house to the main.
Irrigation lines and valve boxes.
Landscape lighting and low-voltage wiring.
Electric lines to a detached garage, pool, or shed.
Gas lines to a grill, a fire pit, or a pool heater.
Previously installed drain lines like old French drains or downspout pipes.

Texas811 notes that private locates may carry a fee, and they are done by private locating companies. If your project is near any of these, a private locate may be worth it. Also look at your property for clues, such as a gas meter on a wall, a lamp post in the yard, or a sprinkler controller in the garage. Follow the lines in your mind from the equipment to the destination.

A hand-dug exploratory hole, called potholing, can verify what is below. It is slower than a machine but far cheaper than a broken line.

Why this matters in clay soil

Around Pflugerville and the Blackland Prairie belt, clay soil can shift as it dries and swells. Pipes and conduits can move over time, and a line installed at a given depth ten years ago may not be at that depth now. A locate mark shows where the locator detected the line, not necessarily the depth. We cover the soil in Blackland Prairie clay and drainage. Digging by hand near marks protects against surprises.

New subdivisions are not safe either. Utilities run along street frontage and between lots, sometimes shallow. Lines may not match what the builder told you.

Planning a drainage project around the locate

A good plan uses locate information early.

Sketch the project. Mark where trenches, basins, wells, and outlets would go.
Call 811 with that plan in mind. Give a clear dig area.
Wait for marks. Use the time to check the percolation test, the HOA rules, and the layout.
Adjust the design. If a gas line crosses your planned French drain route, move the route or plan a careful crossing. Pipes can often cross at an angle with enough clearance, but only with the utility’s guidance.
Dig by hand near the marks. Then proceed with equipment.

This is a good time to review any rules your neighborhood might have. Our post on HOA drainage rules in Texas explains how approvals work. Cities can have their own requirements, so check with the city before you dig near an easement or the right of way.

Costs and penalties

The locate itself is free for public lines. The risk is the cost of a strike. If you damage a line, you may be responsible for the repair, the service interruption, and possible fines. Texas also has enforcement rules under the Railroad Commission for certain pipeline damage. We are not lawyers, so we won’t go into specifics, but the message is plain: the call is cheaper than the problem.

Common mistakes

Calling the same day you dig. The notice period exists for a reason.
Assuming a past locate still works. Tickets expire, and marks fade.
Digging outside the marked area. If your plan changes, call again.
Trusting old plans. Past owners may have added lines.
Ignoring private lines. The sprinkler system is the most common victim.
Not telling the crew. Make sure everyone who digs knows where the marks are.

What a contractor should do

A reputable drainage contractor places the request, waits for the marks, photographs them, and hand-digs near them. Ask these questions before you hire:

Who places the 811 request?
Will you check for private lines?
How do you protect marks during work?
What happens if you find an unmarked line?

If the answer is a shrug, keep looking.

For more on how drainage jobs run from first visit to cleanup, see our French drain installation and underground downspout drains pages.

A short checklist

Decide exactly where you will dig.
Call 811 or use the Texas811 website at least two business days ahead.
Save your ticket number.
Mark the area in white if asked.
Wait for utilities to respond.
Photograph the marks.
Hand-dig near marked lines.
Look for private lines.
Renew the ticket if the job runs long.
Stop and call the right people if you hit anything.

Bottom line

Calling 811 before digging in Texas is simple, free for public lines, and required. Give at least two business days, be specific about where you will dig, and treat the marks as a guide and not a guarantee. If you live in Pflugerville or a nearby suburb and your drainage project involves trenching, you will want this done before any shovel goes in.

When you are ready to plan a drain, a dry well, or a downspout line, we can walk the site, talk through the layout, and make sure the digging starts the right way. Request a free estimate to get started.