Short answer: Before any digging project, including planting a tree or shrub, setting fence or mailbox posts, or trenching for landscape lighting, call 811. The federal pipeline safety agency, PHMSA, says every state has a one-call notification center and requires by law that you call 48 to 72 hours ahead. The call and the line marking are free. Then wait the required time, respect the flags or paint, and dig carefully. If you hit a line, PHMSA warns, you could hurt yourself and others, cut service to a neighborhood, and be responsible for fines and repair costs (PHMSA Call Before You Dig). The FCC made 811 the nationwide call-before-you-dig number in 2005 (FCC). On insurance, the personal liability part of a homeowners policy is built for damage you're legally responsible for causing to someone else's property, such as a utility's line (NAIC Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance). Fines, and repairs to lines you own, are separate questions.
This explainer applies in every state. It's based on federal pipeline-safety rules and the national regulators' home insurance guide, checked in October 2026. Your state's one-call law sets the exact notice period, how long marks stay valid, and penalties.
How the 811 process works
PHMSA lays out the steps (PHMSA):
- Call 811 (or file online with your state center) a few business days before you dig. If 811 doesn't connect, PHMSA lists 1-888-258-0808 to get your center's direct toll-free number.
- The center notifies operators that may have lines near your dig: natural gas and hazardous-liquid pipelines, telecom, electric, water and sewer.
- Operators locate and mark their facilities with flags or paint within the time your state law allows.
- You wait, respect the marks, and dig with care. Call again for each new project. PHMSA notes that people often skip the call because they assume nothing is buried there or that an earlier call still counts.
Mark the planned dig area first if your state center asks for it. Keep your ticket number until the project is finished.
What federal rules add
Most of the details live in state law. Federal rules set a floor for pipelines and push states to enforce it:
- The excavator must call. Under 49 CFR 196.103, anyone excavating near pipelines must use an available one-call system first, wait for the operator to mark, dig with proper regard for the marks, and call again as needed (PHMSA excavation rule text). "Excavation" covers digging with hand tools as well as machines, and "excavator" means any person proposing to dig. A homeowner with a shovel counts (49 CFR 196.3).
- Report damage even without a leak. If you damage a pipeline in any way, you must report it to the operator at the earliest practicable moment. If gas or hazardous liquid escapes, call 911 (49 CFR 196.107 and 196.109).
- State enforcement is reviewed. PHMSA reviews state damage-prevention enforcement programs each year. It can take enforcement action itself against excavators in a state whose program it finds inadequate (49 CFR part 198, subpart D).
If you smell gas or hear hissing after hitting something, leave the area right away, keep others away, and call 911 and the gas company from a safe distance. Don't try to fix or bury a damaged line, even a small nick in the coating. Pipeline "damage" under the federal definition includes coatings and the tracer wire attached to the pipe (49 CFR 196.3).
Fall projects that need a ticket
| Project | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Planting trees and shrubs | PHMSA names this small job specifically (PHMSA) |
| Fence or deck posts, mailbox posts | Post-hole augers go deep and fast |
| Landscape lighting, irrigation trenches, French drains | Long trenches cross more buried lines |
| Removing stumps, regrading for drainage | Disturbs soil over the service-line routes |
Hiring someone? The person doing the digging is the excavator and must make the call (49 CFR 196.3). Ask for the ticket number before work starts, and confirm the contractor carries liability insurance. Our fence contractor insurance and excavation contractor insurance pages cover what trades usually carry.
Lines you own vs. lines the utility owns
The one-call center notifies the companies that operate underground facilities in your area, and those operators mark their lines (PHMSA). Lines you installed or own may not be marked by a utility. Examples include a feed to a detached garage or hot tub, a sprinkler system, a private well line or a propane line to a backyard heater. Ask the 811 center which lines member operators will mark, and consider a private locator for the rest.
How homeowners insurance usually maps
- Damage to the utility's line. NAIC describes personal liability as coverage for your financial loss if you're sued and found legally responsible for injuries or damage to someone else (NAIC). A utility's repair bill after you dig is the kind of third-party property claim liability coverage is designed for. Whether it pays depends on your policy wording, exclusions and the facts, including whether you called 811. Report it to your insurer quickly.
- Fines and penalties. PHMSA warns that excavators who damage lines can face fines (PHMSA). A liability policy pays damages you're legally responsible for. Don't assume it pays a state penalty. Ask your insurer in writing.
- Damage to your own home. If a struck gas line leads to a fire, fire is one of the standard examples NAIC gives of a covered peril for your dwelling and belongings (NAIC). Your policy terms and exclusions still control.
- Your own buried service lines. Repairing a water, sewer or power line you own after it fails or is dug into is often not part of a base homeowners policy. Many insurers offer a service-line endorsement. See our service line coverage guide.
- Injuries. If a helper or neighbor is hurt, medical payments to others and personal liability are the parts of a homeowners or renters policy that usually respond (NAIC).
Taking down a tree before you dig? See fallen-tree claims: who pays. For your state's insurance regulator, see the state insurance rules hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need to call 811 just to plant a shrub?
Yes. PHMSA says every digging project needs a call, even small ones like planting trees or shrubs, and all states require it by law (PHMSA).
How far ahead do I need to call?
PHMSA says states require 48 to 72 hours' notice. Your state's one-call law sets the exact business-day count and how long marks stay valid (PHMSA).
Does calling 811 cost anything?
No. PHMSA says the call is free, and there's no cost to you for having the operators' underground lines marked (PHMSA).
What do I do if I nick a gas line?
Report any pipeline damage to the operator right away, even if there's no leak. If gas escapes, leave the area and call 911 (49 CFR 196.107 and 196.109).
Will homeowners insurance pay if I hit a utility line?
Personal liability is designed for damage you're legally responsible for causing to others' property, so it may respond to a utility's repair claim, subject to your policy terms. Fines are a separate issue, and repairs to lines you own often need a service-line endorsement (NAIC).
Alishahi Insurance · 439 N Canon Dr, Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 · (877) 711-4545 · CA License #4348151. General information only. This isn't legal, tax or financial advice or a coverage determination. Coverage depends on policy language and underwriting, and rules vary by state.