Mississippi Hydrovac & Excavation Regulations
Excavation law, 811 notice rules, tolerance zone and penalties for Mississippi, 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
Mississippi at a Glance
Call 811 before you dig
- One-call center
- Mississippi 811, Inc.Visit website for Mississippi 811, Inc. (opens in a new tab)
- Phone
- 811 or 800-227-6477
- Notice required
- At least 3 and not more than 10 working days (Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays excluded)
- Tolerance zone
- 18 inches plus one-half of the facility diameter (when diameter is indicated at the marks)
- Ticket life
- 20 calendar days
- Maximum penalty
- $5,000 per incident (gross negligence or willful misconduct)
Mississippi requires excavators to pre-mark the dig area and contact Mississippi 811 at least 3 working days before digging. Title 77, Chapter 13 (Regulation of Excavations Near Underground Utility Facilities) protects buried utilities across the state.
Within the tolerance zone, excavation is allowed only after the precise location is determined with noninvasive methods such as hand digging, pot holing, soft digging, vacuum methods, or pressurized air or water.
Tolerance Zone
18 inches plus one-half of the facility diameter (when diameter is indicated at the marks)
No excavation within the tolerance zone unless the precise location is determined using noninvasive methods such as hand digging, pot holing, soft digging, vacuum methods, or pressurized air or water
Key Regulations
Regulation of Excavations Near Underground Utility Facilities (Miss. Code Title 77, Ch. 13)
Requires notice before excavation and sets safety standards.
Citation: Miss. Code Ann. 77-13-1 et seq. (77-13-1 through 77-13-37)
Operator Response
Operators must respond within 3 working days after the locate request ticket is processed (up to 4 working days if the facility can only be located by excavation); marks and ticket valid 20 calendar days.
Citation: Miss. Code Ann. 77-13-5
White Pre-Marking
White pre-marking required: before giving notice the excavator must pre-mark the boundary with white paint, flags, stakes or electronic pre-marking.
Citation: Miss. Code Ann. 77-13-5
Emergency Excavation
Emergency excavation (imminent danger to life, health or property, or a customer service outage) is exempt from advance notice.
Citation: Miss. Code Ann. 77-13-11
Penalties for Violations
Graduated civil penalties (77-13-27): 1st violation training; 2nd within 5 years training and/or up to $500 per incident; 3rd+ within 5 years up to $2,500 per incident; gross negligence or willful misconduct up to $5,000 per incident plus training.
Maximum penalty: $5,000 per incident (gross negligence or willful misconduct)
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 Mississippi licensing board and your local permit office before bidding work.
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors license where the work requires one
- Local business license where required
- 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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