Regional Notification Center

This part describes a Regional Notification Center and who is required to contact them.

A regional notification center is an association of owners and operators of subsurface installations (water, gas, electric, telephone, sewer, oil lines, etc.). Damage to underground structures may result in the disruption of essential services and pose a threat to workers, the public, and environmental safety. The purpose of the center is to provide a single telephone number that excavators can use to give the center's members advance notification of their intent to excavate. The operators of the underground installations are then responsible for providing information about the locations of the facility, or marking or staking the approximate location of their facility, or advising the excavator of clearance. The operators are only responsible for any facility they own. The operators are not responsible for facilities they do not own.

Who Must Comply?

Any person or entity who plans to disturb the surface of the ground, whether by digging, drilling, boring, etc.

Exempt Persons:

There are very few exemptions. They do include:

  • An owner of private property, who contracts with a contractor or subcontractor (contractor/subcontractor must be licensed) for an excavation project, which does not require an excavation permit.
  • An owner of private property, who is not a licensed contractor or subcontractor, who as a part of improving his or her principal residence does work which does not require a permit for excavation.

Regardless of whether or not an equipment operator is provided for that piece of equipment, any person or private entity that leases or rents power-operated or power-driven excavating or boring equipment to a contractor or subcontractor licensed pursuant to the Contractors' State License Law if the signed rental agreement between the person or private entity and the contractor or subcontractor contains the following provision: "It is the sole responsibility of the lessee or renter to follow the requirements of the regional notification center law pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 4216) of Chapter 3.1 of Division 5 of Title 1 of the Government Code. By signing this contract, the lessee or renter accepts all liabilities and responsibilities contained in the regional notification center law."