Planning a home improvement project?
If it calls for digging, it calls for Virginia 811.
Planning to install a new fence or mailbox? Ready to start that garden you’ve been dreaming about, or maybe remove old fence posts or stumps? Anytime you’re breaking ground — whether for a small project or larger tasks like landscaping, excavation, or demolition — you need to contact Virginia 811 at least 3 working days in advance. Using Virginia 811’s free service to mark the approximate location of buried public utility lines on your property helps you avoid hitting an underground line, protecting your property, your neighborhood, and yourself.
Safety begins with CARE
The Virginia 811 C.A.R.E. Message
Whether you’re a professional excavator, contractor, or homeowner, you have an important role in preventing damage to underground utilities. No matter how big or small your project is, contacting Virginia 811 to request utility line markings before you dig will help avoid physical injury, property damage, costly repairs, and service interruptions.
Safe digging always begins with following the Virginia 811 Dig with C.A.R.E. message:
CARE Message
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Contact Virginia 811
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Allow the Required Time for Marking
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Respect the Marks
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Excavate Carefully
Always remember… shallow digging is still digging.
There is no allotted depth before a person needs to contact Virginia 811. Whether you are planting small shrubs or installing fences, any time you put a shovel in the ground you need to contact Virginia 811 because many utilities are buried just a few inches below the surface.
