Permits and locates
Permits and Utility Locates Before You Dig
Who calls 811, what it marks and what it doesn’t, and which office issues permits where you are. Plain information about who to call. It isn’t legal advice.
Call before you dig
811 is the law, and it’s free
Washington’s dig law requires anyone excavating to notify the one call center before digging. Call 811 or file online through Dig Safe Washington at least two full business days before you dig, and no more than ten. The day you call, weekends and holidays don’t count.
The dig area gets marked out in white first, so the locators know where to look. Utility owners then mark their lines in the public right of way and the marked area. Marks are good for 45 days or until the project is done, whichever comes first.
On our jobs, we call it in. The ticket is in before the machine shows up, and we don’t open ground until the marks are out.
Sources: Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, Dig Law; Dig Safe Washington, Homeowner Information.
What 811 doesn’t mark
Private lines are on you and us
811 only marks lines the utilities own. These are private, and they aren’t marked:
- Septic tanks, lines and drain fields
- Irrigation mains and laterals, common on old orchard ground
- Power run to a shop, barn or outbuilding
- Pool and spa heating lines
- Invisible dog fences and landscape lighting
- Private water lines from a well
Tell us what you know about the property before we start. For anything that matters, a private locator can find and mark it.
Canals and irrigation districts
Irrigation district facilities get located separately from an 811 ticket. That includes the Highline Canal around Cashmere and the Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation District around Quincy. Work inside a district easement without their say so comes out at your expense.
Who issues permits
Which office to call
Permits for grading, driveways, walls and building pads depend on where the parcel sits. Here’s who to start with.
- Chelan, Manson and unincorporated Chelan County
- Inside Chelan city limits, the City of Chelan. Everywhere else in the county, including Manson, Sunnyslope and Malaga, Chelan County Community Development.
- Wenatchee, Entiat, Cashmere and Leavenworth
- Each city handles permits inside its own limits. Outside them, Chelan County Community Development.
- Waterville, Orondo, Bridgeport and East Wenatchee
- Douglas County. Inside town or city limits, that town or city. Douglas County treats slopes of 45 percent or steeper with 10 feet of relief as a steep slope hazard.
- Brewster, Pateros, Omak, Okanogan and the Methow
- Okanogan County. Twisp, Winthrop, Omak, Okanogan, Brewster and Pateros each issue their own permits inside city limits.
- Quincy and George
- Grant County outside city limits. The City of Quincy and the City of George inside theirs.
When earthwork gets reviewed
Things that bring in extra review
- Volume. In Chelan County, any excavation of 1,000 cubic yards or more requires SEPA review under the State Environmental Policy Act.
- Critical areas. Work in or next to mapped critical areas, such as shrub steppe or mule deer winter range, can need a study by a qualified professional.
- Water. Work near Lake Chelan, the rivers or a wetland can bring in shoreline and critical area rules.
- Steep slopes. Douglas County can require a sealed geotechnical report on steep slope hazards.
- Walls. Past a certain height a retaining wall needs an engineered design and a permit.
Source: Chelan County, Major earth moving may trigger state processes and county regulations.
What we need from you
Before we roll in
- Your parcel address or number
- Any permits or approvals you already have
- Plans, a site plan or a survey if there’s one
- What you know about private lines on the property
- Where you want the machine to travel and what it should avoid
If you don’t have any of that yet, that’s a normal place to start. Tell us about the job.
Questions
Permit and locate questions
Who do I call before digging in Washington?
811. Call 811 or file online through Dig Safe Washington at least two full business days before you dig, not counting the day you call, weekends or holidays. It’s free, and Washington law requires it.
Who calls 811 on your jobs?
We do, before we open ground. You’ll know the ticket is in before the machine shows up.
Does 811 mark my septic or irrigation lines?
No. 811 marks lines owned by the utilities. Private lines aren’t marked: septic, irrigation, power to a shop or outbuilding, pool heating, invisible fences and similar. Tell us what you know, and for anything important a private locator can mark it.
How long are locate marks good for?
Washington requires marks to be maintained for 45 days or until the project is complete, whichever is shorter. A longer job gets a new locate.
Do I need a permit to move dirt?
It depends on where the parcel is, how much ground moves, the slope and how close you are to water. In Chelan County any excavation of 1,000 cubic yards or more needs SEPA review. Call the office for your area, listed on this page, and we’ll talk through it with you too.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page tells you who to call. The agency for your parcel has the final word, and for anything unclear you should ask them directly.
Call or text the owners
Get a written estimate
Tell us what you’re building and where. A photo of the way in helps more than anything else.
(509) 881-1848