Georgia 811 Locate Request Size Policy

Edited April 22, 2024
 
As required by O.C.G.A. § 25-9-6, locate requests shall describe the tract or parcel of land which blasting or excavating is to take place with sufficient particularity to enable the facility owner or operator to ascertain the precise tract or parcel involved. In the event the location upon which the blasting or excavating is to take place cannot be described with sufficient particularity the person proposing the blasting or excavating shall mark the route or boundary of the site of the proposed blasting or excavating by means of white lining. The Georgia 811 Ticket Size Policy identifies the maximum size limits for Locate Instructions that excavators can request per Normal locate request and Emergency notification. This policy does not apply to Large Project, Design and Overhead requests, as these types of requests do not have size limits.
 
Click here to view the Georgia Underground Facility Protection Act (GUFPA), commonly known as the Georgia Dig Law, in its entirety.
 
A single locate request (ticket) may be submitted when excavation or blasting, as those terms are defined by O.C.G.A. § 25-9-3(4)(15), at a contiguous geographical site or area:

• One (1) linear mile or less, or
• Will require an excavation of ninety (90) days or less.

Additional Ticket Size Policy requirements and restrictions include:

• Any ticket requesting multiple properties may not exceed one (1) mile on a single street and may not exceed five (5) addresses, buildings, or lots/areas.
• Any ticket requesting a large property may not exceed 99 acres.
• Any ticket requesting a single street for one (1) linear mile or less may include both sides of the road and a maximum of 300 feet in any direction along all intersecting streets.
• Any ticket requesting a single intersection may not exceed 300 feet in any direction measured from the center point.

As defined by O.C.G.A. § 25-9-3(21), a Large Project means an excavation that involves more work to locate underground facilities than can reasonably be completed within the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 25-9-7(a). A Large Project ticket is required in any of the following instances:

• Any contiguous geographical site or area that exceeds one (1) linear mile.
• Any contiguous geographical site or area that will require an excavation of more than ninety (90) days.
• Any contiguous geographical site exceeding ten (10) addresses, buildings, or lots/areas.
• Any ticket requesting a large property of 100 or more acres.

GPSC 515-9-4-.13 describes the procedures for Large Projects: https://rules.sos.state.ga.us/GAC/515-9-4-.13. (Visit the Large Project webpage to access additional resources.)
 
The following Work Locations are explained:
 

 

Properties

 
Single Property
 
Individual addresses, buildings, or lots/areas are defined as being the entire physical property including all adjoining public rights of way. Excavators may be more specific and limit what needs to be located on a property, but they may not expand upon this definition.
 

 
Multiple Properties
 
If work will take place on multiple individual pieces of properties, a maximum of five (5) individual addresses, buildings, or lots/areas will be allowed per ticket, not to exceed more than one (1) linear mile between the first and last address on a single street.
 

 
A maximum of ten (10) addresses, buildings or lots/areas can be requested in the same geographical area before a Large Project ticket is required.
 
Large Property
 
If work will take place on a large property or facility such as strip mall, shopping center, airport, etc., (99 acres or less) a maximum of five (5) buildings or lots/areas will be allowed per ticket. A maximum of two tickets (ten buildings or common areas) can be requested before a Large Project ticket is required.
 
If the excavator is excavating on a large property (100 acres or more) or area that will take more than 90 days of excavation to complete, then a Large Project ticket must be requested. There is no maximum acreage that can be requested under a Large Project.
 
Regarding apartment complexes, townhomes, condominiums or mobile home communities, etc., a maximum of five (5) buildings or other common areas such as pool-area, clubhouse, tennis-court, entrance, etc., may be included on one ticket, not to exceed one (1) mile on a single street. A maximum of two tickets (ten buildings or common areas) can be requested before a Large Project ticket is required.
 

 

 

Streets

 
Single Street
 
Any ticket requesting a single street for one linear mile or less may include:

• Both sides of the road, and
• A maximum of 300 feet in any direction along all intersecting streets.

 

 
Intersection
 
The locate instructions for an intersection begins at the center point of the requested intersection, may not exceed 300 feet in all directions, and may include the right of way on both sides of the roads.
 
If an excavator needs additional footage exceeding 300 feet in any direction at an intersection, then additional tickets must be issued in compliance with this Ticket Size Policy.
 

 
 

 

 
Multiple Streets
 

 

 
 

 
Unnamed Street
 
For excavation on an unnamed street, the excavator needs to assign names or labels to the street in question. This can be as simple as Street A, Street B, Street C, etc. A ticket may then be entered for each street. There must be a note placed in the remarks field of the ticket that the excavator assigned the street names or labels and the excavator may provide a map of the area directly to the facility owner operator if necessary. The excavator may also need to provide specific driving directions in the remarks field (i.e., for new developments or subdivisions). If the excavator is excavating on multiple unnamed streets in the same geographical area that when added together exceeds one (1) linear mile, then a Large Project ticket must be requested.
 

 

 

Cross-Country

 
Cross-country locates are tickets requesting areas across fields or countryside, as opposed to on roads. Any ticket requesting a cross-country locate such as, but not limited to, gas transmission pipeline, power transmission line, or railroad tracks, may not exceed one (1) linear mile from the starting point to the ending point. Driving directions must be provided in the remarks field of the ticket.
 

 

Interstate

 
An excavator may request up to one (1) mile along an interstate when work will take place in the road or along the shoulder of the traveled road. The direction of traffic or travel must be specified on the ticket, i.e., northbound, southbound, eastbound, westbound, etc. Each directional lane is to be treated as an individual road.
 
Please note the following for Interstate tickets:

• Median – Requests along the median do not require a separate ticket. Medians can be included with a ticket requesting along the shoulder of the traveled interstate.
• Crossing Interstate – Only one ticket is needed for crossing an interstate and will cover all lanes.
• Ramps – Separate tickets are required for entrance and exit ramps, including a maximum of 300 feet in any direction along the intersecting interstate.
• Additional Areas – Overpasses, underpasses, tunnels, and properties with separate addresses along an interstate require separate tickets. This includes but is not limited to rest areas, weigh stations, and welcome centers.