MISS DIG 811 — the Michigan excavator's guide
Everything a contractor needs to work with MISS DIG 811, Michigan's one-call notification system: setting up an account, the training that unlocks full access, placing tickets, and the timing rules in Michigan's dig law (Act 174 of 2013) — organized in one place instead of scattered across PDFs.
PRO811Tracker is not affiliated with or endorsed by MISS DIG 811. This is an independent guide; always confirm requirements with the official center.
Facts verified July 18, 2026 against the official sources linked below.
Michigan 811 at a glance
- ticket validity from the stated start date
- 21 days
- minimum advance notice (72 business hours)
- 3 working days
- furthest ahead you can place a ticket
- 14 days
- expired ticket = place a new one
- No renewals
- or 800-482-7171 from anywhere
- 811
- required before the legal start date
- Positive response
MISS DIG 811 basics
MISS DIG 811 is Michigan's one-call center: one notice, and every member utility with underground facilities near your dig site is notified to mark them. Contact routes:
- Online: the OneCallAccess portal (see portals) — the system that replaced the legacy Newtin platform.
- Phone: dial 811 inside Michigan, or 800-482-7171 from anywhere.
The legal framework is the MISS DIG Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act, Act 174 of 2013 (MCL 460.721–460.733). The timing rules below cite it directly.
Set up an excavator account
Per MISS DIG's excavator pages and the OneCallAccess user guide:
Open the OneCallAccess signup page
From missdig811.org choose Submit Locate Request, then Sign Up Here on the OneCallAccess login page.
Enter your details and pick your company
Fill in your contact details and select your company from the list. Not listed? Choose -Not Listed- — MISS DIG contacts you to add the company.
Validate your email, then log in
Click the link in the confirmation email before your first login — tickets can't be placed until the address is verified. That's it: no approval gate, and a new account can immediately place Normal 21-Day dig tickets and Design tickets.
Good to know: usernames must be unique and can't be changed later; a shared company email can back multiple accounts; placing a ticket by phone also auto-creates an account. Portal support: Web Ticket Dept, webticketdept@missdig811.org, 248-370-6420 (7am–5pm Mon–Fri).
Training & External Plus access
Michigan does not require training for basic ticket entry. It does require training to upgrade to an External Plus account — the tier needed for Normal 180-Day tickets, Project tickets, Emergency and Short Notice tickets, and retransmits (the equivalent of full access under the old Newtin system). Two paths, per the excavator training page:
- Self-paced: complete the OneCallAccess Basic + External Plus modules in SkillBuilder, MISS DIG's training platform.
- Instructor-led: attend a ~2-hour OneCallAccess Tutorial webinar and pass the quiz at 83% (unlimited attempts).
Accounts are upgraded within 24 hours on business days after completing either path. Training questions: education@missdig811.org.
The portals and what each is for
- missdig811.org — the main site: excavator handbooks, reference PDFs, training links, and member/damage-reporting info.
- OneCallAccess (OCA) — the working portal: place tickets, view ticket history, and see positive responses on your own tickets. Responsive on phones; there is no separate mobile app.
- posr.missdig811.org — public Positive Response lookup: check any ticket's utility responses by ticket number, no login.
- SkillBuilder — the training platform for the External Plus upgrade.
Create a dig ticket, step by step
The flow in OneCallAccess for a Normal 21-Day ticket, condensed from the official user guide:
Start a new ticket
Log in and click New Ticket; choose the Dig category and the ticket type.
Describe the work
Pick the Type of Work (construction, sewer, CATV, …) and the activity, then the excavation method and maximum depth.
Set the Work to Begin date
The portal only accepts dates between 3 working days and 14 calendar days out — that's the legal notice window.
Add contacts and site flags
Who you're working for, the on-site contact, and flags such as private-locate needs, pre-marking, pets on site, or work in water.
Map the dig site
Search by address, intersection, or GPS, then draw a polygon covering the entire work area — facility owners are notified based on that polygon, so cover everything you'll touch.
Review and submit
Confirm the dig-site address and nearest cross street, add remarks (400-character limit), accept the terms, and submit. You get a ticket number and a PDF confirmation by email.
Every ticket carries four dates: the Work to Begin and Work Completion dates you enter, plus the auto-calculated Work Legal Start Date and Work Expiration Date. Digging before the legal start date is illegal even if all utilities have already responded. Size limits for a normal ticket: up to 1,320 linear ft / 20,000 sq ft in urban areas, 2,640 linear ft / 50,000 sq ft rural (Ticket Types reference).
Ticket timing rules (21 days, notice, positive response)
The numbers that matter, with their statutory source in Act 174 of 2013:
- Advance notice — 72 hours to 14 days. Notice at least 72 hours before digging, excluding non-business hours (MISS DIG documents call it three working days), and no more than 14 calendar days ahead. Notices after 5pm or on non-business days start counting at 7am the next business day. — MCL 460.725(1)
- Validity — 21 days from the start date stated on the notice; 180 days if the notice declares the work will take longer than 21 days. — MCL 460.725(3)
- Positive response. Facility owners must mark their facilities and post a response through the positive response system by the excavation start; in practice, by the ticket's Work Legal Start Date. — MCL 460.727(1),(3)
- Stop-work triggers. Visible evidence of an unmarked facility, a missing positive response, or a response reporting an unmarked facility all require you to stop and re-notify. — MCL 460.725(9)
- Destroyed markings. After you report destroyed or covered markings, the facility owner must remark within 24 hours excluding non-business days. — MCL 460.727(4)
Renewals & retransmits
Michigan does not have a renewal action. If a ticket expires before excavation begins, you place a new dig notice and wait the full notice period again (MCL 460.725(7)). What OneCallAccess does offer are retransmits — same ticket number with a revision suffix (…-000 → …-001) — for marking problems, per the ticket action procedures:
- Destroyed Markings — any user; available from the legal start date until 24 hours before expiration; owners remark within 24 business-day hours.
- Unmarked Facilities — for missing marks or no response; owners get a minimum of 3 business hours to respond.
- Additional Assistance — External Plus users, after the legal start date; minimum 3 business hours for the owner to respond.
Also useful: Cancel works only up to the legal start date — tickets with wrong info can't be edited by retransmit; cancel and replace them. Copy clones an old ticket into a new one, and Continue chains polygons when a job is too big for one ticket. Note that retransmit actions require External Plus training.
Emergency & short-notice tickets
An Emergency ticket covers situations needing a response in under 3 working days because of danger to life, health, property, or the environment, or to restore utility/government/transport service. Only MISS DIG phone operators or External Plus users can place one; facility owners must respond within 3 hours of the notice, or by its start time if later (MCL 460.727(7)). A Short Notice ticket exists for faster-than-normal needs that don't meet the emergency definition — but the Work Legal Start Date still governs: digging before it remains illegal (Ticket Types reference).
Track your MISS DIG tickets in PRO811Tracker
PRO811Tracker — the product part of this guide
Everything above happens in the official MISS DIG systems. Where PRO811Tracker comes in: after your tickets exist, it keeps them organized — Michigan is a fully supported auto-sync state.
- Add a ticket by its 13-digit MISS DIG number (e.g. 2026061801498) and PRO811Tracker pulls its status and every utility's positive response, refreshing about every 15 minutes.
- Statuses roll up to one answer per ticket — Pending, Clear, Clear with exception, or Expired — with expiration reminders before the 21 days run out.
- The whole crew sees the same list and map, on desktop or phone.
How to add and sync tickets: Docs — Adding your tickets · start a 30-day free trial for Michigan. PRO811Tracker never files or renews tickets for you — that always happens in OneCallAccess.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a MISS DIG ticket good for?
21 days from the start date stated on the notice. If the notice declares the work will take longer than 21 days, the ticket is valid for 180 days instead. That comes straight from Michigan's dig law, MCL 460.725(3).
How far in advance do I have to contact MISS DIG before digging?
At least 72 hours, excluding non-business hours — MISS DIG's own documents call it three working days — and no more than 14 calendar days before work starts (MCL 460.725(1)). OneCallAccess enforces the same window on the Work to Begin date.
Can I renew or extend a MISS DIG ticket before it expires?
No — there is no renew/extend action in OneCallAccess. If a ticket expires before you begin excavating, you must place a new dig notice and the 72-hour clock starts over (MCL 460.725(7)). Retransmits exist only for marking problems — see Renewals & retransmits.
When can I legally start digging in Michigan?
On the Work Legal Start Date printed on the ticket — digging earlier is illegal even if every utility already responded. Facility owners must mark and post through positive response by that date; if a response is missing or reports an unmarked facility, the law requires you to stop and re-notify (MCL 460.725(9)).
Do I need training to use OneCallAccess?
Not for the basics — a standard account places Normal 21-Day and Design tickets with no training. Training is required for External Plus access, which unlocks 180-day, Project, Emergency, and Short Notice tickets plus retransmits. Details in Training & External Plus.
What's the best way to keep track of multiple MISS DIG tickets?
Most crews start with a spreadsheet — but every ticket runs its own 21-day clock and each utility responds separately, so tickets slip. PRO811Tracker is a tracking tool built for exactly this: add your ticket numbers and it syncs each ticket's status and every positive response automatically (~15 min), with reminders before expiration. It doesn't file or renew tickets — that always happens in OneCallAccess.
How do I check the status of a MISS DIG ticket without an account?
Use the public Positive Response lookup at posr.missdig811.org — enter the ticket number and see every facility owner's response, no login required.