Call 811 before fence posts go in

Call 811 before anyone digs a post hole or a footing trench, at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays. The call is free, and the national 811 site names fences as a job that needs it. Then wait for the marks, and look for what they will not show.

What Texas says

The Railroad Commission of Texas says "Anyone planning to dig, excavate, or otherwise move earth deeper than 16 inches is required by Texas law to call 811", and recommends calling for any digging, regardless of depth. Its homeowner page says the rule applies "even if you're working in your own backyard."

The statute itself reads a little differently. Utilities Code section 251.002 defines excavating as using powered or mechanized tools, naming auguring and digging among other work, to disturb soil 16 inches or more. Section 251.151 has the excavator notify a notification center at least 48 hours before starting and not more than 14 days before, with Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays not counted, and with some exceptions. Give notice on a Saturday and digging may start the following Tuesday at 11:59 a.m.

We are not lawyers, and the practical answer does not depend on the fine print: a post hole or wall footing will often pass 16 inches, a power auger is what the statute describes, and calling costs nothing even when you dig by hand.

Who makes the call

El Paso Electric's page says "a call to 811 is required before you begin working", even if you hire a professional. The statute puts the duty on whoever is excavating, and the Railroad Commission's 2020 release says homeowners, excavators and contractors are all required to call, and warns that homeowners "could also be liable" for damage. So do not assume. Write into the agreement who calls, and ask for the ticket number before the crew arrives.

Why it matters here

In August 2026 a Texas Gas Service spokesperson told KFOX that in El Paso last year, "almost half of the damages to our pipelines occurred because 811 was not contacted before work began." El Paso Electric says striking a line can cause outages for entire neighborhoods. A fence line is also a long, narrow dig, often along the edge of a lot where a service line may run, so one call covers many holes. Say so when you make it, and describe the whole run.

After you call

The Railroad Commission's notice lays out the order:

1. Wait 48 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, so the locators can mark.
2. Verify the response: visually confirm the area is marked, or that you got an all-clear.
3. Survey the site for signs of unmarked pipelines, such as gas meters or risers.
4. Dig with care. The national site says to dig carefully around any utility marks, and to consider moving a project that sits close to buried lines.

In the KFOX report, Texas Gas Service says to use hand tools near the marks and describes a tolerance zone of "18 inches plus half the diameter of the pipeline on either side of the markings." Its own page says tickets are valid for 14 business days and to renew if the job is not done by the 12th day. That matters on a long fence that gets delayed by wind or by a hard layer of ground.

When the ground is hard

USDA describes El Paso County soils with a cemented layer 5 to 20 inches down or at about 30 inches. Where the ground is like that, hand tools near a mark are slow work and a heavier machine is tempting. Ask the company ahead of time how it digs near marks when it hits rock, and ask it to move the post instead if that is an option.

What 811 does not mark

Lines you own usually go unmarked. We could not open Texas811's own pages (they blocked our reader), so this comes from another utility: LG&E and KU in Kentucky says private lines "will NOT be marked by 811", naming a pool's water line, electric lines running to sheds and invisible pet fencing, and says it is the property owner's job to contact a private locating company. That is not a Texas rule, so ask when you call. Look around your yard for sprinklers, a shed or garage with power, a pool, and an outdoor kitchen or gas grill, and tell the company about them.

If something gets hit

The Railroad Commission notice says to immediately call 9-1-1 if there is a release of product, and to notify the pipeline operator through 811 as soon as possible, no later than 1 hour for any damage, including minor scrapes and dings. For gas, Texas Gas Service says to "leave the area immediately and then call 911 and 800-959-5325." Commission questions go to 512-475-0512. None of those are our numbers, and this site is not for emergencies.

Overhead lines are separate

811 is about what is underground. Look up as well, especially if your fence runs along an alley with poles. Texas Health and Safety Code section 752.004 keeps people and tools six feet clear of a high voltage overhead line, unless steps are taken to guard against contact. El Paso Electric's tree page talks about at least 10 feet from lines up to 50,000 volts and lists (915) 877-3400. That page is about trees, but the distance matters the same for a crew carrying long posts. Ask how it will handle posts, pallets of block and equipment near a line.