Calling 811 Before You Dig in Indiana: How It Works and How Long It Takes
Indiana requires two full working days of notice to 811 before any digging. How the days are counted, what the marks mean and which lines 811 will not mark.
5 minute read. Published October 12, 2026.
The Short Answer
In Indiana you contact 811 at least two full working days before you dig, wait for every utility to mark its lines or report that it has none, and then dig by hand within two feet of any mark.
The call is free and it applies to everyone who digs, homeowners included. Indiana's Dig Law, IC 8-1-26, is the rule behind it, and Indiana 811 is the one place that notifies every member utility at once.
The wait exists so that every utility with a line near the dig has time to find it and mark it. A ticket placed on a Friday afternoon for a Monday start does not give them that time, and the law does not count it as notice.
How the Two Working Days Are Counted
Indiana 811 counts working days as every day except Saturday, Sunday and state and national legal holidays. A ticket submitted after 7am on a working day does not count that day toward the notice.
In practice that means a ticket placed on a Tuesday morning before 7am covers Tuesday and Wednesday, and digging can start Thursday. The same ticket placed Tuesday at noon pushes the start to Friday. Over a holiday weekend the wait stretches further.
- Call 811, or 1-800-382-5544, or submit the ticket online through Indiana 811
- Mark the area you plan to dig with white paint or white flags first, so locators know where to look
- Submit a new ticket for every digging project, even at an address that was marked before
What the Paint and Flags Mean
Each utility marks its own lines in its own color, following the national color code that Indiana 811 publishes on its marking card:
- Red: electric
- Yellow: gas, oil and steam
- Orange: communications, such as phone, cable and fiber
- Blue: drinking water
- Green: sewer and drain lines
- Purple: reclaimed water
- Pink: temporary survey markings
- White: the proposed dig area, marked by whoever is digging
A mark shows roughly where the line runs, not its depth. That is why the next rule matters.
The Two Foot Tolerance Zone
Indiana's rules set a tolerance zone of two feet on either side of each mark. Inside that zone only careful methods are allowed, such as hand tools. Mechanical equipment can work outside the zone, and only goes in once the line has been exposed by hand.
The zone is measured from the edges of the line, so a wide line carries a wider zone. Indiana 811 gives the example of a six inch wide water line, whose zone reaches about two feet three inches from the mark on each side. The size can vary by utility, so the locating technician is the person to ask.
Positive Response: Waiting for Every Utility
A ticket is not finished when the first flags appear. Every utility on the ticket has to either mark its lines or report that it has none in the area, and Indiana 811 records each answer in its Positive Response system. Everyone who digs, homeowners included, is expected to check those responses before starting.
If a member has not marked or cleared the area by the requested start time, call Indiana 811 for an additional notice, with the ticket number and the names of the members that did not respond. Digging around a gap is how lines get hit.
Lines 811 Does Not Mark
Indiana 811 members mark the lines they own, which usually stop at the meter or the property line. Anything the property owner installed after that point is usually private, and no 811 member will mark it.
- A water or electric feed to a detached garage, barn or shop
- Irrigation and sprinkler lines
- Invisible pet fence wire and landscape lighting
- A gas line to a grill, pool heater or outbuilding
- Septic lines and private drain tile
Private locating companies will find these for a fee, and Indiana 811 keeps a list of them. On a rural property, where water, septic and outbuilding feeds are often all private, this step matters as much as the 811 ticket itself.
Common Questions
Do I have to call 811 for a small project like a fence or a mailbox?
Yes. Indiana 811 says its notice applies to small projects too, including mailboxes, fences and landscaping. The depth of the hole does not change the rule.
How much does it cost to call 811 in Indiana?
Nothing. Indiana 811 describes the service as always free to the person digging.
How long do I have to wait after calling?
At least two full working days. Weekends and state and national holidays do not count, and a ticket placed after 7am on a working day does not count that day.
Will 811 mark the line to my detached garage or my sprinkler system?
Usually not. Indiana 811's member utilities mark the lines they own. Privately owned lines, such as a feed to an outbuilding, an irrigation system or an invisible fence, need a private locator, which charges a fee.
Who calls 811 when I hire an excavating contractor?
Indiana's law puts the notice on whoever does the digging, so the contractor places the ticket for the work they are doing. It is reasonable to ask for the ticket number before the machine arrives.
Where These Rules Come From
Every figure in this guide comes from Indiana 811 or the law it administers: