New Missouri Law Makes Digging Mistakes Expensive

If you've lived in Missouri for any length of time, you have no doubt heard the radio jingle about calling before you dig because it's the law. Well, there's a new revision to digging laws in Missouri that have new requirements and even harsher punishments if you make a mistake.

There's a new Missouri Senate Bill SB133 which goes into effect on August 28, 2025. The new requirement is that you must call Missouri 811 at least 3 days before any digging project no matter how small or large it is. There are also new requirements for land owners:

"Under the act, an underground facility owner shall ensure that all new and active underground facilities installed on any real property after August 28, 2025, with the exception of storm sewers and sanitary sewer mains and laterals installed at depths of more than 6 feet, shall be installed with a detectable underground location device unless the facility is capable of being detected from above ground with an electronic locating device."

If you begin an approved digging project, it must now be complete in 21 days or a new approval request must be submitted.

What are the penalties for not obeying the new Missouri digging laws?

An individual or company can be fined up to $10,000 per day for each violation. It also says "If underground utilities are damaged due to non-compliance with the law, the excavator is responsible for the repair costs". If a violation is serious, a lawsuit may be filed against the offender by the Missouri Attorney General.