Gas, power, fiber, water and sewer lines run under yards and streets. Minnesota's excavation notice law, Minnesota Statutes chapter 216D, sets out who has to give notice before digging, when, and what happens next. Gopher State One Call (GSOC) is the notification center that takes those notices and passes them to the utilities.
Who has to give notice
Section 216D.04 says that, except in an emergency, an excavator must contact the notification center before beginning any excavation. The law defines excavation as disturbing soil with powered tools, machine-powered equipment of any kind, or explosives. It leaves out a few activities, such as gardening less than 12 inches deep.
What about a shovel? GSOC says hand tools are exempt from the requirement, but it highly recommends having lines marked anyway and accepts requests from people who plan to use only hand tools.
If you hire a contractor, the contractor doing the digging is the excavator. You can ask for the ticket number and look it up on GSOC's site without logging in.
When to file: 48 hours and 14 days
The notice has to go in at least 48 hours before digging starts, not counting the day of notification, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. It also can't go in more than 14 calendar days before you start.
Because the weekend doesn't count, a ticket filed on a Thursday runs through Friday and Monday, so the earliest start is Tuesday, later if a holiday falls in between.
A few more timing rules from section 216D.04:
- A notice is valid for 14 calendar days from the start time stated on it.
- If the work will run past that, a new notice has to go in at least 48 hours (again excluding weekends and holidays) before the old one expires, unless the excavator arranges with the utilities to refresh the marks. In that case the notice is valid for six months.
- GSOC adds that a new ticket is needed if the dig area grows beyond the original one.
How to file a ticket
GSOC lists three ways in:
- Phone. Call 811, or (651) 454-0002 in the Twin Cities and (800) 252-1166 in greater Minnesota. Emergency locates go to (866) 640-3637 and must be made by phone, 24 hours a day.
- Online. GSOC's ITIC system takes requests 24/7. Occasional users can use ITIC Lite, which only needs an email address to register.
- The GSOC app, for starting and tracking a request.
The statute lists what a notice must include, such as the precise location, the type and extent of the work, the start date and time, and how long it will last. GSOC says a ticket missing required information may be suspended.
Mark your dig area in white first
Under section 216D.05, the excavator marks the proposed dig area with white markings, or black markings in wintery conditions. Electronic marking is allowed if it gives at least as much information as physical marks, and a utility can still ask for physical marks. GSOC says white markings define the entire area of excavation, and it suggests including a safety buffer.
What the utilities mark, and how
Before the locate period ends, each utility must mark the approximate horizontal location of its underground lines, at no cost to the excavator. The statute defines that location as a strip of land two feet on either side of the line, and says the markers must:
- combine paint with at least one flag, stake or whisker (paint alone is allowed on hard surfaces)
- follow the American Public Works Association color code
- be placed within a tolerance of plus or minus two feet
- show the utility's name on each flag, stake or whisker
GSOC lists the color code as follows:
- White: proposed excavation
- Pink: temporary survey markings
- Red: electric
- Yellow: gas, oil, steam, propane
- Orange: communication, cable TV, fiber
- Blue: water
- Purple: reclaimed water, irrigation
- Green: sewer
Since August 1, 2026, a change to the law also requires each utility to give an electronic "positive response" through GSOC before the locate period ends. GSOC says to confirm that every utility on the ticket has responded before you break ground. If a utility can't finish marking by the stated start time, the statute says it must contact the excavator.
Your duties once the marks are down
The marks are approximate. The statute requires the excavator to find the precise location of a line, without damaging it, before digging within two feet of the marks. GSOC says that means hand tools or vacuum excavation inside that tolerance zone, and it reminds excavators that any depth a locator gives is only an estimate.
Section 216D.05 also requires the excavator to plan the dig to avoid damage, keep machine cutting edges clear of lines and support exposed lines, including during backfill. The excavator must protect the marks while they're needed and call the utility or GSOC if marks are missing or wrong.
If a line is damaged, section 216D.06 requires the excavator to notify the utility promptly. If gas or another flammable, toxic or corrosive substance escapes, or there's a danger to people or property, the excavator must notify the utility and 911 immediately. Backfilling has to wait until the utility has investigated, unless it authorizes otherwise.
Private lines are not marked
Utilities mark their own lines. Section 216D.01 says a property owner isn't an "operator" just because lines on the property serve only that property. GSOC says private or customer-owned lines will not be notified and may not be marked unless the owner participates in GSOC.
GSOC's examples of private lines include:
- electric lines from the meter to a garage, shed, barn or yard light (it notes the supplier usually marks power only up to the meter)
- gas lines past the meter to a grill, pool heater or outbuilding
- water and sewer lines running from the right of way into private property, which it says most cities treat as private, plus wells and septic systems
- invisible fences, geothermal loops and propane lines
GSOC suggests waiting to dig until private lines are found and professionally marked. Locating them is the property owner's job, and GSOC keeps a directory of private locators. If you know of private lines, tell your excavator.
Planning excavation or site work in or around Montgomery? Estevez Construction does excavation, concrete, demolition, paving and structural steel work for residential and commercial customers. Call us at (612) 601-3995 or request a free estimate.
Sources
- Minnesota Statutes, section 216D.01: definitions of excavation, excavator, locate period and operator, Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- Minnesota Statutes, section 216D.04: notice timing and contents, marking requirements, excavator duties near marks, Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- Minnesota Statutes, section 216D.05: white or black premarking, electronic marking, precautions to avoid damage, Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- Minnesota Statutes, section 216D.06: damage notice, 911 and backfilling, Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- Laws of Minnesota 2026, chapter 112: electronic positive response, effective August 1, 2026, Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes
- Ticketing: how to submit and find a ticket, ITIC Lite, positive response, Gopher State One Call
- Home page: locate request and emergency phone numbers, Gopher State One Call
- Homeowner information: white markings and private facilities, Gopher State One Call
- What do the marks mean: APWA color code, Gopher State One Call
- Preparing for excavation: new tickets, tolerance zone, hand tools, Gopher State One Call
- What does NOT get marked: private and customer-owned lines, Gopher State One Call
