811 rules by state
There is no national 811 rule. Each state sets its own notice period, ticket life and tolerance zone. Most want 2 or 3 working days' notice, and Hawaii wants 5. Pick your state for the full rule and the law it comes from.
Checked September 24, 2026 against each state's statute or its one-call center's copy of the law. Download the table as a CSV, free to reuse with a link back.
| State | Notice | Ticket life | Tolerance zone | White lining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 working days, not counting the day of notification | 20 working days from proposed start date; renew at least 2 working... | Width of facility plus 18 inches on either side of outside edge | Not confirmed |
| Alaska | At least 2 working days, not more than 15 working days | 15 working days (Alaska Digline's rule; the statute sets no expiry).... | Marks must be within 24 inches of the facility (30 inches if it is... | Not confirmed |
| Arizona | 2 working days | Marks valid 15 working days from marking; to extend, notify at least 2... | 24 inches: within 24 in of marked facility must expose with hand tools | Yes (except excavator's own... |
| Arkansas | At least 2 but not more than 10 full working days before... | Must start within 10 working days of call; renew if not complete... | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| California | At least 2 working days, not more than 14 calendar days, not... | 28 days from issuance; renew by end of day 28 via web or 811 | 24 inches on each side of the field marking | Yes (excavator must delineate area... |
| Colorado | 2 business days, not including day of notice | Marks valid while clearly visible but not more than 30 calendar days... | 18 inches horizontally from exterior sides of facility (nondestructive... | Not confirmed |
| Connecticut | At least 2 full days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and... | 30 days from the day notice given (not start date); renewable within... | Not confirmed | Yes (pre-mark with white paint, flags or... |
| Delaware | Not less than 3 business days, no more than 12 business days... | 12 business days after transmission to members; expires day 13, then... | 24 inches of outside wall or edge of facility | No (highly recommended if exact location... |
| District of Columbia | At least 96 hours but no more than 10 days, excluding... | 15 days excluding weekends/legal holidays from notification; request... | 18 inches from outermost part of facility | Not confirmed |
| Florida | Not less than 2 full business days before excavation or... | 30 calendar days; work continuing past that needs a subsequent notice | 24 inches from the outer edge of either side of the marked facility | Yes (premark with white paint, flags or... |
| Georgia | Operators get 2 full business days, counted from 7 | Work must commence within 30 calendar days of the effective date; new... | Width of facility or sewer lateral plus 18 inches on either side | When the site can't be described with... |
| Hawaii | At least 5 working days before commencing excavation | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes (delineate in white before calling,... |
| Idaho | Not less than 2 business days before scheduled excavation | Markings valid no longer than 4 consecutive weeks from notification | 24 inches horizontally from outside dimensions of each side of the... | Yes (pre-mark path with white paint or... |
| Illinois | At least 48 hours / 2 working days | 28 days; call again if work extends past 28 days or marks are... | 18 inches on either side of the marked line (hand dig / vacuum) | Yes (physical, electronic, or verbal... |
| Indiana | At least 2 full working days before commencement | Expires 11:59 p.m. 20 days after received; new locate request needed... | Facility width plus 2 feet on either side | When location can't be given by street... |
| Iowa | 48 hours, counted from 6 | 25 calendar days beginning the day the 48-hour period ends | 18 inches horizontally on either side of the facility (horizontal... | Yes (white paint, flags or stakes at... |
| Kansas | At least 2 full working days before scheduled start | Valid 20 calendar days after excavation start date | 24 inches from outside dimensions in all horizontal directions... | When the operator requests it |
| Kentucky | Not less than 2 full working days nor more than 10 full... | 21 calendar days from initial request; request remarks 2 working days... | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Louisiana | At least 48 hours but not more than 120 hours, excluding... | Marks good while visible but not longer than 20 calendar days from... | Width of facility plus 18 inches on either side | When used: white paint, flags, stakes... |
| Maine | At least 3 business days but not more than 30 calendar days... | Excavation must start within 30 days of notice and be completed within... | Marks cover a strip not more than 1.5 feet on each side of the... | Yes |
| Maryland | At least 3 business days after the ticket is filed | 12 business days after selected start work date; repeat notification... | Hand-expose before mechanized equipment within 18 inches of a marking | Not confirmed |
| Massachusetts | At least 72 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal... | Not confirmed | Safety zone: width of facility plus not more than 18 inches on each... | Yes; premark up to 500 ft with white... |
| Michigan | At least 72 hours but not more than 14 calendar days before... | 21 days from start date; 180 days if notice says work will take longer... | Not confirmed | When location can't be described... |
| Minnesota | At least 48 hours, excluding day of notification, Saturdays,... | 14 calendar days from start time; new notice 48 hours before... | Marks within plus or minus 2 feet; locate precisely before excavating... | Not confirmed |
| Mississippi | Not less than 3 and not more than 10 working days advance... | 14 calendar days from processing; renew 3-4 working days before... | Not confirmed | Yes, pre-mark with white paint, flags or... |
| Missouri | At least 2 working days but not more than 10 working days... | Expires 11:59 p.m. 21 calendar days from start date; relocate request... | Not confirmed | Optional: may white line physically or... |
| Montana | Call before digging | Work must be completed within 30 days of notification; if no... | 18 inches of the outside lateral dimensions of both sides of facility... | When needed to give adequate information... |
| Nebraska | At least two full business days before commencing excavation | Marks must last at least 5 business days on dirt and 10 on pavement | 18 inches either side of the marking plus one-half the facility width | Not confirmed |
| Nevada | At least 2 working days before excavation or demolition is... | Not confirmed | Not more than 24 inches on either side of the exterior surface of the... | Yes (reasonable effort to mark proposed... |
| New Hampshire | At least 72 hours before excavation, not including... | Valid for 30 calendar days from confirmation of notification | Not confirmed | Yes, premark perimeter in white before... |
| New Jersey | Not less than three business days before beginning... | Valid 45 business days from notification if work starts within 10... | Not confirmed | Optional/encouraged (excavator may mark... |
| New Mexico | Two full working days advance notice | Locate markings valid 15 working days from end of advance notice... | 18 inches either side of a marking (expose by non-mechanical/vacuum) | Encouraged; white premark defines actual... |
| New York | At least two but not more than 10 working days, not... | No fixed expiry in the rule, but postponing the start by more than 10... | One-half known diameter plus two feet either side of center line (two... | Encouraged, not required |
| North Carolina | No less than three full working days before proposed... | Notice expires 28 calendar days after the work start date | One-half known diameter plus 24 inches either side of center line, or... | When the excavation area cannot be... |
| North Dakota | 48 hours, counted from 12 | May not use a locate more than 21 days after planned excavation date;... | 2 feet on either side of the facility (hand dig within 24 inches) | Yes, site identification (white marking,... |
| Ohio | At least 2 working days, not including the day of... | Not confirmed | Width of facility plus 18 inches on each side | Yes, excavator shall premark in white... |
| Oklahoma | No less than 48 hours, excluding the date of notification,... | Expires 14 calendar days from the excavation start date; new notice... | 2 feet on either side of the facility | Not confirmed |
| Oregon | At least 2 full business days before excavation | 30 days (OAR 952-001-0010(23), cut from 45 effective Jan 8, 2026) | 24 inches on all outside dimensions (OAR 952-001-0090) | Yes, mark proposed excavation area in... |
| Pennsylvania | Not less than 3 nor more than 10 business days in advance | Not confirmed | 18 inches from the outside wall or edge of the facility | When exact work site information cannot... |
| Rhode Island | At least 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays | Excavation must commence within 30 days of notice | 1.5 feet on either side of the facility | Not confirmed |
| South Carolina | 3 to 12 full working days before start, not counting the day... | Expires 15 working days after the commencement date in the notice | Half the known diameter plus 24 inches each side (24 inches from mark... | When the excavation area cannot be... |
| South Dakota | At least 48 hours | 21 days, per South Dakota 811 | 18 inches horizontally from exterior sides of facility | Not confirmed |
| Tennessee | At least 3 working days before excavation | 15 calendar days from the start date; give new notice at least 3... | Width of the utility plus 2 feet on each side (hand dig) | Not confirmed |
| Texas | No later than 48 hours before excavation begins, excluding... | 14 days unless you and the operator agree on longer (Railroad... | Half the pipeline width plus at least 18 inches either side (Railroad... | When the excavation site cannot be... |
| Utah | Not less than 48 hours | 21 days; if work continues, renew at least 48 hours but no sooner than... | 24 inches either side of the mark's outside edge (or half the marked... | Not confirmed |
| Vermont | At least 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal... | Valid unless excavation is not done within 30 days, marks fade or are... | 18 inches on either side of the facility | Yes |
| Virginia | Dig no sooner than 48 hours starting 7 | 15 working days from 7:00 a.m. the next working day, or from the... | 2 feet either side of the marked line | When a specific location cannot be... |
| Washington | Not less than 2 full business days before the scheduled... | Marks expire 45 calendar days after the notice | 24 inches from the outside edges of both sides of the facility... | Yes |
| West Virginia | Not less than 48 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and... | Not confirmed | Operator marks within 2 feet horizontally of the facility's outside... | Not confirmed |
| Wisconsin | Not less than 3 working days before nonemergency excavation | Valid if work starts within 10 days of the scheduled start and is not... | Keep power equipment at least 18 inches from the marks | No (encouraged: white paint, flags or... |
| Wyoming | At least 2 full business days before excavation | Renew at least once in each following 14-business-day period | Facilities may be up to 24 inches from the marks | Yes |
How long is an 811 ticket good for?
It depends on the state. Most tickets or marks last somewhere between 14 and 30 days, New Jersey allows 45 business days if you start within 10 and keep the marks up, and some states set no fixed expiry at all. The table on this page gives each state's rule.
How much notice do you have to give before digging?
Most states require 2 or 3 working days, not counting the day you call. Hawaii requires 5 working days, and several states count from the next morning rather than from the call.
What is the tolerance zone?
The strip either side of a marked line where you may only dig by hand or with vacuum excavation. It is 18 inches in many states and 24 inches or 2 feet in others, sometimes plus half the width of the pipe.
Keep every ticket on its job
TrackOver holds the ticket number, markout date and expiry on each job and warns before a ticket runs out. You still call your state's center; we make sure nobody loses the ticket after.