Does 811 locate private lines? Short answer: no. Sunshine 811 — Florida’s official call-before-you-dig program — only locates utility-owned lines. Anything installed on the private side of the meter is outside its scope, by law and by design.
1. How Sunshine 811 Actually Works
When you call 811 or submit a ticket online, participating utility companies send technicians to mark their own lines — gas, electric, water, and communications — up to your property’s service point. It’s free, it’s state-mandated before excavation, and it’s a genuinely useful first step. You can submit a ticket directly through Sunshine 811 before any digging project.
2. Where Sunshine 811’s Coverage Ends
This is the core of does 811 locate private lines — and the answer stays no no matter how the ticket is worded. Once a line crosses onto your property and past the service point, it becomes the property owner’s responsibility. That means irrigation systems, propane lines to outdoor kitchens, electrical wiring to a shed or pool pump, and septic lines are never touched by an 811 ticket, no matter how thorough the request.
3. Why This Catches People Off Guard
Many homeowners and even some contractors assume a “positive response” on an 811 ticket means the whole property is clear. It doesn’t — it just means the utility-owned lines are marked. Everything else is still unknown ground, and it’s the single most common misunderstanding we run into on Florida job sites.
What to Do About the Gap
This is exactly why private utility locating exists as a separate service. A private utility locate uses the same core technology (EM locating, GPR) but is scoped specifically to your property — covering what 811 won’t. Sunshine 811 even maintains its own list of registered private utility locators for exactly this reason.
Bottom Line
Sunshine 811 is required and it’s free — but it’s not a full-property utility locate. If your project goes past the meter, you’ll need a private locate to actually be covered.
Related reading: Public vs Private Utility Locates | What 811 Does Not Mar
Quick FAQ
Does 811 cover irrigation lines? No — irrigation systems are private infrastructure and fall outside 811’s coverage entirely.
What happens if I dig based only on an 811 ticket? You risk striking private lines like propane, pool equipment, or septic infrastructure that were never part of the 811 process.
