Do You Have to Call 811 Before You Dig in West Virginia?
Yes. West Virginia law puts the duty on any person who intends to dig. That includes a homeowner with a shovel. You notify WV811 at least 48 hours ahead, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.
WV811 calls that two business days. Dial 811 or file a ticket online, but no more than ten work days before the dig. The locate is free. Tilling soil for a farm or a home garden is the one everyday job the law leaves out.
Many land jobs involve some digging. On our excavation jobs in West Virginia, the dig ticket comes first.
What counts as digging under the WV call before you dig law?
The law’s definition of excavation is wide. It covers moving earth or rock in the ground by means of any tool or equipment. The list includes digging, trenching, grading, boring, backfilling and ditching.
The national 811 service names common projects that need a call. Planting trees and shrubs is one, and so is installing fences and mailboxes. Some utilities are buried just inches below the surface.
The national 811 site names drain tile too. A French drain or drainage trench moves earth, and so does digging out a stump. Under the law, both need a locate first.
What do you tell WV811 when you call?
The law lists what the notice must cover. The key part is the work site: county, nearest town, street, nearest cross street and landmarks. You also describe the work and give the starting date and time.
WV811 asks callers to mark the work site in white when possible. That shows the utilities exactly where you plan to dig. If the start date or time changes, tell WV811 at least 24 hours ahead, not counting weekends and holidays.
At the end, WV811 gives you a reference number that serves as proof of your call. Inside West Virginia, dial 811. From outside the state, WV811’s number is 1-800-245-4848.
What happens after you call WV811?
WV811 passes your notice to the utilities with lines in the area. Each one has 48 hours to respond, not counting weekends and legal holidays. That clock starts at midnight after WV811 receives your notice.
With no holiday in the way, a Monday call gives them through Wednesday. A Thursday call gives them through Monday, because the weekend does not count.
A utility either marks its lines or tells you it has no lines in the area. The marks only have to land within two feet of the line’s outside walls, measured sideways. So the line can sit a little to either side of the paint.
WV811 runs a positive response system where homeowners can review each utility’s response. The national 811 site says to wait until every utility has responded before you break ground.
What do the 811 paint colors mean?
The marks come as paint or flags, in a color code set by West Virginia law. White is the color you or your contractor put down to outline the dig.
| Color | What it marks |
|---|---|
| White | Proposed excavation, the area you plan to dig |
| Pink | Temporary survey markings |
| Red | 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 | Drinking water |
| Purple | Reclaimed water, irrigation or slurry lines |
| Green | Sewer or drain lines |
How close can you dig to the marks?
West Virginia law says to dig in a way that avoids damage to buried lines, including hand digging when necessary. It also says to protect and preserve the marks and stakes. With a machine, keep a clearance between the line and the cutting edge. If the marks fade or stop being accurate, WV811 says to request a remark before you keep digging.
What does 811 not mark?
The one-call law covers utility lines: gas and oil pipelines, water mains, sewers, power lines and telecom lines. Whoever runs those lines has to belong to the one-call system. Lines you own are a different matter.
WV811’s positive response list includes a response that reads located to meter only. It means private property beyond the meter was not located.
Across the state line, Virginia 811 spells out its own list of private lines that will not be marked. It names the water line from the meter to the house, and lines to a detached garage or shed. Septic tanks and their lines are on it, along with propane tanks and lines and invisible pet fences.
West Virginia law also recognizes that a nonmetallic line may not be located accurately without a locating wire. Rural property often has several private lines, so point out every one before anyone digs.
What happens if you dig without calling 811 in West Virginia?
Failing to notify WV811 before digging is a misdemeanor. A conviction carries a fine of up to $5,000. Skip the rules and damage a member utility’s line, and you are liable for the total repair cost.
Nationally, not contacting 811 is the top driver of damage to buried utilities every year. Backhoes are the number one tool in that damage, and shovels are number two. Damage to buried utilities costs the U.S. about $30 billion a year in repairs and societal impacts.
The notice rule has one exception, an emergency. The law means a clear and present danger, like escaping gas or exposed wires. Even then, the digger has to call WV811 as soon as reasonably possible.
What are the 811 rules on the Virginia side?
We also work in Frederick, Warren and Shenandoah counties in Virginia. Virginia law allows no digging there before a locate request to Virginia 811. Virginia 811 asks for at least three working days notice, and its service is free.
Work starts only after the digger confirms each utility’s positive response. A Virginia ticket is valid for 15 working days. Virginia 811 says state law sets a two-foot tolerance zone on either side of the marks. Inside it, only certain digging is allowed, such as with hand tools.
If the dig site cannot be described exactly, its route or boundary gets marked in white paint, if practical. Willfully skip the request and damage a member utility’s line, and you owe three times the repair cost. The punitive part, beyond actual damages, is capped at $10,000 in any single case. Virginia 811 also says that when you hire a contractor, the contractor is responsible for the call.
What happens with 811 when you hire us to dig?
On a West Virginia job, we file the dig ticket with West Virginia 811 before the bucket goes in. The utility companies mark their lines for free. Lines you put in yourself, like a water line out to a barn, do not get marked. Point those out and we dig around them.
The same goes for digging stumps on a lot clearing job, where the house and the drive will sit. Our guide to permits for clearing land in West Virginia covers the other paperwork that can come with clearing.
We are based in Augusta, in Hampshire County, and work across the Eastern Panhandle and the northern Shenandoah Valley. Estimates are free. Call or text (540) 327-1400.