Contact 811: Call or Submit Online

Notifying utility operators about your planned digging project is as easy! Just dial 811 on to speak directly with one of our Damage Prevention Specialists. They will walk you through the process and assist you in submitting your 811 ticket.

Don’t want to wait on hold? Use our online 811 ticket program, OneCallAccess. Here you will be able to create and manage your 811 tickets in one place. With this free online tool, you have access to view and complete any action to your tickets.

How to Submit an 811 Ticket Online

OneCallAccess is a self-service online option for professional excavators to submit and manage their 811 tickets. It allows users to create and update tickets online at any time, without waiting on hold for an operator.

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Get a Copy of your Ticket

You can download a copy of your 811 ticket directly from your OneCallAccess account. Open your ticket inside the history tab and click on the actions menu. From here you can download your confirmation sheet.

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Excavation Law

California

Nevada

Support

We’re here to help you understand and use the 811 system. Whether you need assistance creating a ticket, have questions about the excavation process, or want training for your team, USA North 811 offers multiple ways to get support.

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811 Ticket Support

If you’re using our online ticket platform, OneCallAccess, we provide several tools to make the process easier:

Training Videos

Step-by-step tutorials on creating and managing tickets.

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Live Chat

Connect with a real person for quick answers in real time.

Web Operations Team

Contact us directly for one-on-one help with creating and managing tickets.

weboperations@usan.org
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Questions About the 811 Process

Our Education Department can help you better understand excavation law and the 811 process:

SAFE Presentations

Free public training sessions for professional excavators.

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Direct Presentations

Free, customized trainings for your company or organization, offered in person or as a webinar.

Email Us

Send us your questions and a team member will respond.

education@usan.org
Call Our Education Coordinators

Speak with an expert for guidance on 811 requirements and excavation law. View our Team

California Dig Safe Board

The California Underground Facilities Safe Excavation Board was created by the Dig Safe Act of 2016 to investigate accidents, develop excavation safety standards and coordinate education and outreach programs.

The Underground Safety Board is made up of nine members appointed by the Governor and Legislature. Members are charged with overseeing the safety of excavations around buried utilities by coordinating the state’s education and outreach efforts, investigating accidents to determine their causes, setting standards for safe excavation and ensuring the state’s safe excavation laws are followed. Visit the Underground Infrastructure Directorate page to report excavation damage, submit ideas to the Board, and search for other helpful resources.

CA Dig Safe Board Links
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Public Utilities Commission of Nevada

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) is the state agency responsible for regulating utilities and ensuring the safe and reliable operation of Nevada’s utility infrastructure, including its role in the 811 industry. As part of its responsibilities, the PUCN oversees compliance with Nevada’s excavation laws, NRS 455 & NAC 455, to help prevent damage to underground utility facilities

The Commission enforces safe excavation practices, investigates incidents involving utility strikes, and issues penalties for violations when appropriate. In addition, the PUCN provides education and outreach to excavators, utility operators, and the public to promote awareness of the 811 process and safe digging requirements. Through these efforts, the PUCN plays a critical role in protecting underground utilities, public safety, and the continuity of essential utility services across the state

Visit PUCN website

Utility Marking Code & Premarking

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Pre-Marking Best Practices

Pre-marking is an essential step in the excavation process where the proposed dig site is marked with white paint or flags. This visual indicator helps utility locators identify where you plan to excavate, ensuring that underground utilities are accurately located and marked. Proper pre-marking minimizes the risk of damaging utilities, which can lead to project delays, costly repairs, and safety hazards. Always ensure your pre-marks are visible and clear to assist the locators effectively.

CGA Best Practices Guide:
CGA Guidelines for Excavation Delineation
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Utility Marking Color Code

Utility markings use a standardized color code to indicate the type of utility buried underground. This system helps excavators quickly identify and avoid different utility lines. The American Public Works Association (APWA) color code is widely adopted and includes:

  • Red:s Electric power lines, cables, conduit, and lighting cables
  • Yellow: Gas, oil, steam, petroleum, or gaseous materials
  • Orange: Communication, alarm or signal lines, cables, or conduit
  • Blue: Potable water
  • Green: Sewers and drain lines
  • Purple: Reclaimed water, irrigation, and slurry lines
  • Pink: Temporary survey markings
  • White: Proposed excavation sites

Understanding these colors is crucial for maintaining safety and preventing utility damage during excavation.

Color Marking Code
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Marking Abbreviations

In addition to color codes, specific abbreviations are used next to utility markings to provide more detailed information about the utilities present. These abbreviations help communicate the material of the pipe or line and the type of service it carries.

Knowing these abbreviations helps excavators understand the nature of the utilities they are working around, allowing for safer and more informed digging practices.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the following resource:
CGA Guidelines for Operator Facility Field DelineationArrow Next

Ticket Research Service

Our Ticket Research service provides customers with access to historical 811 ticket information maintained by USA North 811. This service is available to utility members, industry stakeholders, and other parties who may need official ticket records for reference, investigation, or legal purposes. Requests are processed by our team to ensure accurate and timely delivery of the information needed to support safe excavation practices, compliance efforts, and documentation requirements

For more detailed information, you can refer to the following resources:
Ticket Research RequestArrow Next Ticket Research for SubpoenaArrow Next Ticket Research for Utility MembersArrow Next

Private Locators

When planning any digging project, it's important to remember that utility operators are only responsible for marking and locating the utilities they own or operate. This means that some underground utilities, often referred to as private lines, may not be marked through the standard 811 process.

These private lines can include:
  • . Electrical lines to detached garages or outdoor lighting
  • · Gas lines to grills or pools
  • · Water lines to sprinklers or outbuildings
  • · Communication lines to secondary buildings

Since these private lines are not covered by the 811 service, excavators and homeowners must take additional steps to ensure these utilities are properly marked to avoid damaging them.

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Why You Need Private Locators

Private lines can be just as hazardous as public utilities. Striking a private gas line or an electrical wire can lead to serious injuries, costly repairs, and project delays. To safely proceed with your excavation, it’s crucial to hire private locating services to identify and mark these private utilities. This extra step helps you avoid unnecessary risks and ensures the safety of everyone involved in the project.

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How to Find Private Locators

We provide a list of private locating companies and their contact information to help you get started. These companies specialize in identifying and marking private underground utilities:

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Rant of Rave

Feedback is good and sometimes it’s the only thing that causes change. Let us know if we are excelling in a certain area of our service or if we are failing to meet your expectations. Either way, we want to hear about it!

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Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Best Practices

The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Best Practices Guide is a nationally recognized resource essential for anyone involved in excavation activities. Developed through the consensus of 16 stakeholder groups, these best practices are designed to enhance safety and prevent damage to underground utilities. They are widely referenced in both California and Nevada excavation laws and serve as a critical resource for excavators, utility operators, and homeowners alike.

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Key Areas Covered by CGA Best Practices

Planning and Design:

Emphasizes the importance of thorough planning before any excavation begins. This includes notifying utility operators and conducting pre-marking to identify the proposed dig site.

Excavation Procedures:

Outlines safe digging practices to avoid damaging buried utilities, including guidelines for hand digging and machinery use within the tolerance zones

Locating and Marking:

Provides detailed instructions on how to accurately locate and mark underground utilities using standardized color codes to ensure marks are visible and durable.

Post-Excavation:

Recommends steps to take after excavation, such as restoring utility marks and documenting any issues encountered during the dig.

Communication:

Stresses the need for clear and consistent communication between excavators, utility operators, and other stakeholders to coordinate effectively and mitigate risks.

Promotional Items

At 811, our mission is to ensure safe digging practices and prevent damage to underground utilities. As a professional excavator, you play a crucial role in this mission. Our promotional items not only provide valuable resources to support your work but also help you partner with us to spread awareness about the importance of calling 811 before any digging project.

Click on the link below to browse our full selection and place your order. By incorporating these items into your daily operations, you not only improve safety but also help spread the critical message of 811 to others in the industry. Plus, all items are shipped to you free of charge.

Promotional order form

Project Design

The Planning and Design platform is designed to assist project designers and engineers in obtaining underground utility information during the design phase.

This free, self-service platform provides utility contact information for engineers and project designers, supporting projects scheduled to start beyond the legally required 811 ticket submission period.

Important Reminder: Using the Planning and Design platform does not replace the need for an 811 ticket. When your excavation is scheduled to begin within the legally allotted time frame, you must submit an 811 ticket, even if you have utility information from the design phase

Access the Planning and Design Platform for Free

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Training Video: To help you get started, we have created a detailed training video that covers how to use the Planning and Design platform effectively.