Maryland Hydrovac & Excavation Regulations
Excavation law, 811 notice rules, tolerance zone and penalties for Maryland, with citations to the statutes and the one-call center.
Last reviewed October 18, 2026. General information only, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by locality and utility, so always contact 811 and confirm current requirements before you dig. Read the disclaimer
Maryland at a Glance
Call 811 before you dig
- One-call center
- Miss UtilityVisit website for Miss Utility (opens in a new tab)
- Phone
- 811 (Western Shore 800-257-7777, Eastern Shore 800-441-8355)
- Notice required
- Open a ticket and choose a start-work date at least 3 and no more than 12 business days after the ticket is opened; the ticket is valid for 12 business days after the start-work date
- Tolerance zone
- 18 inches
- Ticket life
- 12 business days after the selected start work date
- Maximum penalty
- $2,000 for a first offense and $4,000 for each later offense; the Maryland Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Authority may double the maximum if earlier penalties are unresolved
In Maryland, excavators open a ticket with Miss Utility and choose a start work date at least 3 and no more than 12 business days later. The ticket is valid for 12 business days after the start work date. The law is Md. Code, Public Utilities Title 12 (section 12-101 et seq.).
Tolerance Zone
18 inches
Expose facilities by hand or with nondestructive techniques before using mechanized equipment within 18 inches of a marking (PUA 12-127).
Key Regulations
Underground Facilities Damage Prevention
Primary statute for notification, marking and excavation safety.
Citation: Md. Code, Public Utilities 12-101 et seq. (Title 12)
Owner Response and Ticket Check
Owner-members must mark, or report that they have no facilities, within 2 business days after the ticket is sent or before the selected start-work date; Miss Utility's Ticket Check (positive response) is mandatory for all Maryland owner-members.
Citation: PUA 12-126
Designer Tickets
Designers may (optionally) submit a non-excavation designer ticket for a planned project.
Citation: PUA 12-131
Penalties for Violations
The Maryland Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Authority enforces civil penalties.
Maximum penalty: $2,000 for a first offense and $4,000 for each later offense; the Maryland Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Authority may double the maximum if earlier penalties are unresolved
- Instead of or along with a penalty, the Authority may require damage prevention training or procedures to reduce the chance of damage.
- Courts may assess up to 10 times the cost of repairs for later offenses
Licensing and Permits to Confirm
Licensing depends on the type of work and the city or county. Treat these as items to check with the Maryland licensing board and your local permit office before bidding work.
- Maryland Home Improvement Commission license where the work is covered
- County contractor licensing where required
- Workers compensation and liability insurance as required by law and by contract
Sources
Last reviewed October 18, 2026. Facts on this page were checked against these statutes, rules and one-call center pages.
Disclaimer
This guide is general information about state excavation and one-call (811) laws. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Laws, rules and one-call center procedures change, and requirements can differ by city, county, utility operator and type of work. Facility operators may also set their own requirements. Before any excavation, contact the state one-call center through 811 and confirm current requirements in the statute and rules cited on this site. For questions about your obligations or liability, consult the statute directly or a licensed attorney in the state where the work takes place.
Hydrovac News makes no warranty that this information is complete, current or accurate, and is not liable for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on it.
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