Professional Excavators

Excavators are responsible for notifying Iowa One Call of their proposed excavations so facility operators with underground facilities near the excavation site can be informed of pending excavation. Excavators are required by law to notify Iowa One Call 48 hours in advance (excluding weekends and holidays) before beginning excavation. To notify Iowa One Call of your excavation plans online, click the button below.

Submit a Ticket

ITIC - Online Ticketing System for Professional Excavators

ITIC, the electronic ticket entry system, is a user-friendly internet-based application available for use by anyone planning an excavation. For more information, and to register for a username and password to use ITIC, please click the “Submit a Ticket” button above.

White Lining

Excavators are required by law to identify the area of proposed excavation using white paint, stakes, or other suitable white markings in a manner that will enable utility operators to know the boundaries of the proposed excavation activities.

When Should I Call?

Contact Iowa One Call any time you plan to excavate. Whether it’s a small or a large construction project, you must submit a locate request at least 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays) prior to excavation. Iowa One Call will notify the owners/operators of underground facilities who participate in Iowa One Call. The various underground facility operators will dispatch “locate” personnel to the area to mark the underground facility locations with flags and paint markings, showing where underground facilities are located so the excavator can avoid damaging the facilities. Iowa law applies to professional contractors as well as homeowners, and encompasses a wide array of outdoor projects including:

Installing a fence
Planting trees or shrubs
Building a patio, addition, deck, garage, outdoor shed or any similar structure that requires any form of digging
Putting in a new driveway
Installing a septic system or water drainage system
Terracing or landscaping

Things To Remember

A ticket is valid for 20 calendar days from the time of the call.

ALWAYS check your ticket status before beginning excavation using Iowa One Call’s Positive Response System.

Positive Response System

Hand dig or vacuum excavate within the tolerance zone to expose the facility (18″ on either side of the markings).

Our Excavator Manual Contains All of Your Need-to-Know Information!

For more information about excavator responsibilities, check out our Excavator Manual.

Excavator Manual

Best Practices are derived from existing multi-industry, governmental and public practices that are determined to be “best” in enhancing safety and through rigorous review and evaluation processes developed by the CGA.

CGA Best Practices

What is the Process for Safe Digging?



1) Excavator Files Locate Request

Effective July 1, 2014, excavators must use white paint, white flags, white stakes, or a combination thereof, to mark the proposed area of excavation (with exceptions. see Iowa Code Section 480.4.e).



4) Excavator digs with care, avoiding damages

2) Iowa One Call processes & submits locate requests to facility operators



3) Facility operators mark dig site or advise if they are ‘clear’

What is the Process for Safe Digging?



1) Excavator Files Locate Request

(White-lining or pre-marking the dig site is strongly encouraged)

2) Iowa One Call processes & submits locate requests to facility operators



3) Facility operators mark dig site or advise if they are ‘clear’

