Dial 811 From Any Phone in North Carolina to Locate Utility Lines Before You Start to Dig

Hitting an electrical or phone line could be costly and dangerous, but all you need to do is dial 811 from any phone

Are you a homeowner planning a project that involves digging? Are you a contractor preparing for new construction or repair work that requires disturbing the ground? If you are doing anything more than light planting of small flowers, you should be dialing 811 from any phone to have hidden underground utility lines located and marked. This step is not just good practice, it is the law in North Carolina. Calling before you dig helps prevent injuries, protects vital infrastructure, and ensures you will not be held financially responsible for damage. Even seemingly small projects such as installing a mailbox post, putting up a fence, adding a pergola, or planting a tree can result in serious harm and high costs if you strike an unmarked utility line.

North Carolina 811 is a free statewide service designed to protect both people and property. When you call, the service notifies all member utilities in your area so they can mark their lines before you start your work. This coordinated process is required by the North Carolina Underground Utility Safety and Damage Prevention Act, which mandates that anyone excavating provide at least three full business days’ notice before beginning work. Skipping this step can lead to fines, liability for repairs, and, in the case of severe incidents, possible criminal charges.

Utilities May Not Be Obvious

Many people assume they can tell where utility lines are located just by looking at their property, but this is rarely the case. Utility lines can run in unexpected directions and may be buried much closer to the surface than you think. Electric cables, water service lines, sewer pipes, natural gas pipelines, fiber optic cables, and telephone lines are all common beneath residential and commercial properties. In some cases, private lines installed by past owners may run to sheds, garages, well pumps, or lighting systems without any visible markers.

The risks of hitting a utility line vary depending on the type of service but can be severe. Damaging an electric line can cause electrocution, fire, or power outages affecting entire neighborhoods. Striking a natural gas line can result in dangerous leaks, explosions, or the need for large-scale evacuations. Breaking a water or sewer line can cause flooding, contamination, or property damage. Severing a cable or fiber optic line can disrupt internet and phone service for many customers and lead to costly emergency repairs. Because these hazards are often invisible until damage occurs, professional marking before you dig is essential.

Call Before You Dig!

North Carolina 811 (NC 811), a nonprofit funded by its member facilities, serves as the communication hub between those performing excavation and the facility owners responsible for underground lines. This includes utilities, municipalities, universities, and even some homeowner associations. When you call 811 or use the online ticket system, NC 811 collects the location, nature, and timing of your planned work and sends this information to the relevant member utilities. Those members then either send trained locators to mark their underground lines with paint and flags or notify you that there is no conflict in your work area.

NC 811 itself does not perform the marking, it ensures the right people are notified. This separation is important because it means the service is focused entirely on accurate communication and compliance with safety regulations. For homeowners, this also means you get a single point of contact instead of having to reach out to multiple utility companies individually.

How Long Does It Take?

After you submit a locate request, the member facilities have three full business days to mark underground utilities or to inform you that your planned work will not interfere with their lines. The “three full business days” requirement starts the day after your request is made. This timeframe ensures utilities have enough time to schedule and complete the marking, especially during peak construction seasons or following severe weather events that may cause backlogs.

The markings you see will follow the nationally recognized APWA color code: red for electric power lines, yellow for gas or petroleum, orange for communication lines, blue for potable water, green for sewer and drain lines, white for proposed excavation, and pink for temporary survey markings. Within the 24-inch tolerance zone on either side of these markings, only hand tools should be used to expose the line. This careful approach prevents accidental damage during excavation.

NC 811 is a free service for anyone in the state. For Survey/Design requests, those made when you are not excavating immediately but need utility maps for planning — you should allow 10 business days’ notice. These are common for engineers, architects, surveyors, and developers. Remember that NC 811 only covers public utility lines. Private utilities, such as sprinkler systems, invisible pet fences, or privately installed power to outbuildings, are not marked by NC 811 and require a private locator service.

Requesting an update is also important if your project takes longer than expected. Locate requests in North Carolina are valid for 15 working days from the start date. If you have not completed your work within that period, you must contact NC 811 again before continuing to dig to ensure that markings are still accurate.

Dial 811 From Any Phone or Call (800) 632-4949

Within North Carolina, simply dial 811 from any phone. If you are outside North Carolina, call (800) 632-4949. You can also file a Single Address Ticket (SAT) online at the NC 811 website if your project is small and limited to one address. For contractors handling multiple sites or more complex projects, Remote Ticket Entry (RTE) provides an online system for managing multiple locate requests efficiently. These options allow you to avoid hold times and submit requests at any time of day.

Do Not Call NCCC

While we are happy to help with other consumer-related questions, we are not affiliated with NC 811. Please do not call NCCC to have utility lines marked, as we cannot process locate requests. For more information about safe digging practices, the locate request process, or the color code system, visit NC 811's website. You can also find educational resources there to help you understand your responsibilities under North Carolina law and prepare for your next excavation project safely.