Do you have to call 811 before digging in Oregon?

Why it matters

Power, gas, water, sewer and communication lines run under yards, driveways and rural land all over Central Oregon. A post hole, a footing trench or a driveway cut can hit one. The Oregon Utility Notification Center, or OUNC, operates the free 811 one call center so that lines get marked before anyone digs.

The timing: two to 10 business days

OUNC's guidance, repeated in its 2026 news, is to call 811 at least two and no more than 10 business days before you plan to dig. Too early and the marks may fade or the ticket may expire before the work starts. Too late and the utilities may not have had time to mark.

For employers, Oregon OSHA's excavation requirements, as summarized by OUNC, include notifying OUNC of the proposed excavation area at least two working days before starting.

Homeowners and contractors both

OUNC urges all Oregon homeowners and contractors to call 811 before digging. If you hire a contractor for excavation, foundations or flat work, the contractor typically makes the call for its own dig, but it is worth confirming who is responsible before work starts.

You can dial 811 or call 800-332-2344. Utilities then mark their lines at no cost to the homeowner or employer.

New in 2026: shorter ticket life

OUNC's rulemaking update under OAR 952-001-0010(23) changed the definition of ticket life from 45 days to 30 days, with implementation on January 1, 2026. In plain terms, a locate request now covers a shorter window. If a project stalls, plan to renew the ticket before you dig again.

The same update exempts working within a facility enclosure from notification, as long as you are not digging beneath the base of the structure. That is a narrow exception; ordinary yard and site digging still needs a call.

What the marks do and do not cover

811 locates cover the utility owners that are members of the one call system. Lines you own privately past a meter, such as a line to a detached shop, a well line, a private septic line or landscape lighting, may not be marked by utilities. Tell your contractor what you know about private lines before excavation starts, and keep any as built drawings you have.

Digging carefully after the marks

Marks show the approximate location of a line, not its exact depth or position. Hand digging near marks and keeping heavy equipment away from them is the standard practice. If a line is hit, stop and report it to the utility right away.

Projects that need a locate

It is not just big excavation. Footings for a garage or deck, fence posts, a new driveway that needs the ground cut down, trenches for power to a shop, tree planting with a large root ball, and grading for a slab all involve digging deep enough to reach a buried line. If a shovel or machine is going into the ground, plan on a locate.

Building the locate into your schedule

Because you can only call 2 to 10 business days ahead and tickets now last 30 days, timing matters. Call when the start date is firm, not when you first get a bid. If weather pushes the dig back past the ticket's life, renew before starting. On larger projects, contractors often phase the work so each area is dug while its ticket is current.

Keep the marks visible. Paint and flags can be lost to snow, rain, traffic or landscaping. If marks are gone before digging starts, request a re-mark rather than guessing.

Who to call in an emergency

If you hit a line and smell gas, hear a hiss or see damage to an electric line, leave the area, call 911, and then notify the utility. Do not try to fix or cover the damage, and do not restart digging until the utility says it is safe. Even a small nick in a coating or cable should be reported, because damage can fail later.

Excavation with RCC

RCC's excavation work comes before the foundations and concrete we pour, so utility locates are part of planning every job. If your project needs digging, send us the address and we will build the locate step into the schedule.