Florida law requires notice to Sunshine 811 before any excavation, so buried utilities get marked first.
The timeline
- Submit the ticket.Call 811 or (800) 432-4770, or file a single-address ticket online, at least 2 full business days before digging (10 for work beneath state waters).
- Mark your dig area.Sunshine 811 suggests outlining a small dig area in white paint or flags.
- Utilities mark.Within 2 full business days, to within 24 inches of either side of each line.
- Dig within the window.Ticket information is valid for 30 calendar days.
Homeowners
Florida's exemption for owners (F.S. 556.108) stops at 10 inches deep on your own single-family lot, and never applies on a utility easement. Septic tanks, pools and trenches are far deeper.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 556.105 (2025): Procedures (notice to Sunshine 811)
- Florida Statutes 556.108 (2025): Exemptions
- Sunshine 811: Get started, create a ticket
Reviewed October 20, 2026. Rules, prices and contacts change, so check the source before relying on it.
Questions and answers
Do homeowners have to call 811 in Florida?
Yes, for anything deeper than 10 inches. The homeowner exemption in F.S. 556.108 only covers digging up to 10 inches on your own single-family lot.
Get it quoted
Call, or fill out the form, and a contractor who digs in south Lake County will contact you. Quotes are free.
Got voicemail? Leave your name, number, the property address and what you need dug.