Tex. Codes » Utilities Code · TITLE 5. PROVISIONS AFFECTING THE OPERATION OF UTILITY FACILITIES · CHAPTER 251. UNDERGROUND FACILITY DAMAGE PREVENTION AND SAFETY
Texas Codes

Tex. Util. Code § 251.151 (2026)

Duty Of An Excavator

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Sec. 251.151. DUTY OF AN EXCAVATOR. (a) Except as provided by Sections 251.155 and 251.156, a person who intends to excavate shall notify a notification center not earlier than the 14th day before the date the excavation is to begin or later than the 48th hour before the time the excavation is to begin, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), if an excavator makes a Saturday notification, the excavator may begin the excavation the following Tuesday at 11:59 a.m. unless the intervening Monday is a holiday. If the intervening Monday is a holiday, the excavator may begin the excavation the following Wednesday at 11:59 a.m.

(c) To have a representative present during the excavation, the operator shall contact the excavator and advise the excavator of the operator's intent to be present during excavation and confirm the start time of the excavation. If the excavator wants to change the start time, the excavator shall notify the operator to set a mutually agreed-to time to begin the excavation.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 18.17(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2004–2025 · leading case: Seaway Prods. Pipeline Co. v. Hanley, 153 S.W.3d 643 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2004).
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Seaway Prods. Pipeline Co. v. Hanley, 153 S.W.3d 643 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2004). · cites it 2× “Tex. Util.Code Ann. § 251.151 (Vernon Supp.”
City of San Antonio ex rel. City Pub. Serv. Bd. v. Tommy Harral Constr., Inc., 502 S.W.3d 286 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2016). · cites it 3× “151 of the Utilities Code, see Tex. Util. Code Ann. § 251.151 (West 2007), and declare that section 251.”
City of San Antonio ex rel. City Pub. Serv. Bd. v. Tommy Harral Constr., Inc., 486 S.W.3d 77 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2016). “3(a), (e), and (f), the actual entity or person digging is required to provide notification prior to a dig; and that 2) “excavator” as used in the Texas Utilities Code, Sections 251.151 et seq.”
City of Houston v. Sw. Bell Tel. Co., No. 01-16-00734-CV, 2017 WL 3262131 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 1, 2017). · cites it 2× “When the matter of immunity 2 See TEX. UTIL. CODE ANN. §§ 251.151(a), 251.152(2)(A)–(B) (West 2016).”
City of San Antonio v. Tommy Harral Constr., Inc., No. 04-15-00286-CV (Aug. 5, 2015). · cites it 2× “10 Tex. Util. Code § 251.151 ...............”
Keith Jannise v. Enter. Prods. Operating LLC, No. 14-18-00516-CV, 2019 WL 3432171 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] July 30, 2019). “See 2 Tex. Util. Code § 251.151(a); see also generally id.”
Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion: KP-0499, No. KP-0499 (Tex. Att'y Gen. Sept. 15, 2025). “TEX. UTIL. CODE §§ 251.151(a), .157(a). But this statute contains “no waiver of liability for any failure to provide proper notice” before excavating.”
Tex. Util. Code § 251.151(a): 5 cases
Seaway Prods. Pipeline Co. v. Hanley, 153 S.W.3d 643 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2004). “Tex. Util.Code Ann. § 251.151 (Vernon Supp.”
City of Houston v. Sw. Bell Tel. Co., No. 01-16-00734-CV, 2017 WL 3262131 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Aug. 1, 2017). “When the matter of immunity 2 See TEX. UTIL. CODE ANN. §§ 251.151(a), 251.152(2)(A)–(B) (West 2016).”
Keith Jannise v. Enter. Prods. Operating LLC, No. 14-18-00516-CV, 2019 WL 3432171 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] July 30, 2019). “See 2 Tex. Util. Code § 251.151(a); see also generally id.”
Untitled Texas Attorney Gen. Opinion: KP-0499, No. KP-0499 (Tex. Att'y Gen. Sept. 15, 2025). “TEX. UTIL. CODE §§ 251.151(a), .157(a). But this statute contains “no waiver of liability for any failure to provide proper notice” before excavating.”
City of San Antonio v. Tommy Harral Constr., Inc., No. 04-15-00286-CV (Aug. 5, 2015). “10 Tex. Util. Code § 251.151 ...............”
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