Published
The 24-inch hand-dig zone: within two feet of a marked utility, the machine stops.
The rule, in the statute’s own words
Everyone on a dirt job knows you call before you dig. What fewer people know is that Idaho’s Dig Law does not end at the call — it follows the machine all the way down. Once a utility has marked its line, a specific duty attaches to the ground within arm’s reach of that mark:
“An excavator shall use reasonable care to avoid damaging underground facilities. An excavator shall: (a) Determine by hand digging, in the area twenty-four (24) inches or less from the facilities, the precise actual location of underground facilities that have been marked…”
— Idaho Code § 55-2207(2), Idaho Underground Facility Damages (the Dig Law). Retrieved 11 September 2026
Read that as a zone, not a tip. Within twenty-four inches of a marked facility, the bucket is not the tool — the law requires the precise actual location to be determined by hand digging before excavation machinery works that close. The paint got you the neighborhood; hand exposure gets you the line.
One section, three duties
The hand-dig clause is the first of three obligations the same subsection puts on whoever is digging — and the other two are the ones that decide how a careful job actually runs:
| § 55-2207(2) duty | What it looks like on the ground |
|---|---|
| (a) Hand-dig within 24 inches | Expose the marked line’s precise actual location by hand before machine work that close — the tolerance zone follows the buried facility |
| (b) Plan to avoid or minimize interference | The excavation plan itself is shaped around the lines — trench paths, spoil piles, and machine routes account for what is marked |
| (c) Support the facilities, including during backfill | An exposed line is not a finished problem: support it while the work is open, and do not let backfill crush or settle it |
That third duty is the one crews forget. The statute’s words are “including during backfill operations” — the law is still on the line after the pipe is in and the trench is being closed.
Measured from the facility — the paint is the proxy
The twenty-four inches run from the facility itself, not from the edge of the paint, and that distinction matters because locate marks show the route, not the depth and not the exact spot. Until the line is exposed, the mark is the best proxy you have — so the practical reading is generous, not stingy: measure the zone from the mark, expose by hand, and only then trust what you see.
This is also why the hand-dig zone earns real respect on trench jobs: the mark is a line on the surface, the facility is a physical thing at depth, and the gap between the two is exactly what the twenty-four inches is for. It is a horizontal distance from the marked route — a different measure entirely from how deep a trench must be buried, which is its own subject on the trench-depth page.
What the statute does not say
- It does not define “hand digging.” The words are the words — no named methods, no equipment list. If someone wants to use something other than hand tools this close to a marked line, that is a question for the utility, not a paragraph on a website.
- It does not carve out shallow work. Inside the zone there is no depth exemption to lean on — the exemptions people quote live elsewhere in the chapter and carry their own conditions, covered on the 811 walkthrough.
- It does not shift the duty with the machine. “An excavator” is whoever is doing the excavating — owner, homeowner, or hired operator. The duty follows the dig, which is the same principle behind who owes what when you rent the machine.
The duty above you: contract documents
The same section puts one obligation on the project owner, and it is worth reading before you sign an excavation contract:
“Project owners shall indicate in bid or contract documents the existence of underground facilities known by the project owner to be located within the proposed area of excavation.” — § 55-2207(1)
If you know a line crosses your lot, that knowledge belongs in the paperwork you hand every bidder. A bid built on a blank map is a bid with a surprise in it, and the statute is explicit that known facilities are the owner’s to disclose, not the operator’s to divine.
The teeth: liability and fees
Two closing subsections explain why serious operators treat the zone so carefully. If an underground facility is damaged and the damage is the consequence of failing an obligation under the chapter, the party failing to perform that obligation is liable (§ 55-2207(3)). And in an action under the chapter, the prevailing party recovers reasonable attorney’s fees (§ 55-2207(4)).
Put plainly: skipping the hand exposure to save twenty minutes converts a routine dig into a damage claim with fee-shifting attached. The section’s history line shows the legislature was here recently — it was amended in 2023 — so this is live law, not a forgotten clause.
Working the zone, start to backfill
- Pre-mark your dig path in white so the locator knows where to look — the first step of the locate process.
- Give notice and wait out the window; every utility on the ticket gets its chance to mark.
- Read the marks before the machine moves — colors tell you what is down there, and the color code is public.
- Establish the tolerance zone: twenty-four inches either side of every marked line, measured generously from the paint.
- Hand-expose each facility where the work crosses it, before machine excavation within the zone.
- Support exposed lines while the work is open, and again as backfill goes in — the statute names backfill specifically.
- When the plan respects the zone from the first pass, the whole job runs faster — want it built that way? (208) 932-1140.
Common questions
How close to a marked utility can you dig with a machine?
Idaho Code § 55-2207(2)(a) requires the precise actual location of a marked underground facility to be determined by hand digging in the area twenty-four (24) inches or less from the facility. Inside that zone, hand exposure comes before the bucket.
Is the 24 inches measured from the paint or from the line?
From the facility itself. The statute says "from the facilities" — the buried line, whose exact position is unknown until it is exposed. The paint mark is the proxy you measure from in practice, which is why a generous read of the zone is the safe read.
What counts as hand digging under Idaho law?
The statute uses the words "hand digging" and does not define the term further or name approved alternatives. Anyone wanting to use other methods that close to a marked line should clear it with the facility owner first.
Does the hand-dig rule apply to homeowners digging on their own lot?
The duty sits on "an excavator" — whoever is doing the excavating. The notice obligations of the same chapter apply the same way, which the 811 page on this site walks through.
What are the other duties in § 55-2207(2) besides hand digging?
Two more: plan the excavation to avoid damage to or minimize interference with underground facilities in and near the excavation area, and provide support for those facilities — including during backfill operations — as reasonably necessary for their protection.
Who pays if a utility line is damaged inside the tolerance zone?
Section 55-2207(3) makes the party whose failure to fulfill an obligation under the chapter caused the damage liable for it — and section (4) adds reasonable attorney's fees for the prevailing party in an action under the chapter.
Does the property owner have any duty under this section?
Yes. Section 55-2207(1) requires project owners to indicate in bid or contract documents the existence of underground facilities they know to be located within the proposed area of excavation.
What if the locate marks are gone or covered with snow?
The marks are the proxy for the zone, so missing marks are not a technicality — the notice rules and the season-end realities are covered on the 811 and late-season pages on this site.
Has this law changed recently?
Yes — the section's own history line shows it was amended in 2023 (chapter 191 of that session's laws). It is current, active law rather than a forgotten clause.