Virginia 811

What Virginia 811 does

Virginia 811 is the designated one-call notification center for the Commonwealth of Virginia, mandated by state law to coordinate underground utility locate requests before any excavation work. Founded in 2007 (per primary company records) and headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, the non-profit organization operates the Exactix web-based ticket entry platform that allows professional excavators, contractors, and homeowners to submit locate requests, which are then routed to member utility operators (gas, electric, water, telecom, and cable) who mark buried facilities before digging begins. The organization also operates a Positive Response System for utility feedback, a Ticket Search tool, an Underline Quest educational app, Web Ticket Entry (WTE) training for high-volume professional users, Local Damage Prevention Committee (LDPC) meetings across regions, and the recently launched Dig Smart Mobile Learning Center for K-12 community outreach.

Virginia 811 is funded primarily through membership assessments paid by utility operators that operate underground facilities in Virginia, while the core locate request service is provided free of charge to all users including homeowners and professional excavators. The organization employs 51-100 staff and serves the entire Commonwealth, with revenue mechanics functioning as a member-funded non-profit model rather than a commercial subscription business. Recent strategic initiatives include the creation of two BEAD-funded Broadband Support Specialist positions in partnership with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to coordinate rural broadband infrastructure expansion, and the 2026 launch of the Dig Smart Mobile Learning Center partially funded by Columbia Gas of Virginia.

The organization holds a statutory monopoly within Virginia as the sole 811 notification center, with all excavation activity legally required to route through its notification system. Its technology stack centers on Exactix as the core platform, supplemented by training, education, and outreach products. Leadership includes President and CEO Scott Crawford and Manager of Public Awareness and Training Frank Giannini, with the Broadband Support team staffed by Anita Scott and Roy Lax. No external investors, parent companies, or acquisition activity are associated with the organization.

Name

Virginia 811

Legal name

Virginia 811

Website

https://va811.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Virginia 811 is a non-profit, state-mandated one-call notification center coordinating underground utility locate requests across Virginia between homeowners, professional excavators, and member utility operators via its Exactix platform, funded through utility membership assessments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Underground Utility Damage Prevention Services

NAICS

Telephone Call Centers (56142), Telemarketing Bureaus and Other Contact Centers (561422)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency, After-Hours & Hotline Contact Centers (BPAAAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dispatch, Communications & Medical Control Centers (PSAP/ECC) (HLAFANAK)

Keywords

• Underground utility locating
• Damage prevention services
• One-call notification
• Utility coordination services
• Safe digging education

Headquarters

HQ city

Roanoke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Member Utility Assessments: Virginia 811 is funded through membership fees assessed to utility companies that operate underground facilities in Virginia. Member utilities pay into the system to participate in the one-call notification process.
2. Free Public Service: The core 811 service is provided free of charge to homeowners and professional excavators. This is a mandated public safety function.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Virginia 811 operates the state-mandated one-call notification center for the Commonwealth of Virginia, coordinating underground utility locate requests between excavators/homeowners and member utility operators before any digging project. The Exactix web platform, 811 phone hotline, and Positive Response System form the core service, which is provided free of charge to end users and funded by membership assessments from gas, electric, water, telecom, and cable utilities.

Product overview

Virginia 811 operates as a utility notification service that connects excavators with utility operators before digging projects. The core product is the Exactix web-based ticket entry system for submitting locate requests, supported by the Positive Response System for utility operator feedback. The company offers training programs including Web Ticket Entry (WTE) Training and the recently launched Dig Smart Mobile Learning Center for public education. Additional offerings include the Underline Quest education app, Ticket Search functionality, Display Truck, and Broadband Support Specialists for rural broadband infrastructure projects. The portfolio is unified around damage prevention and safe excavation practices across Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exactix: Web-based ticket entry system for professional excavators to submit locate requests
• Dig Smart Mobile Learning Center
• Underline Quest
• Virginia 811 Training
• Virginia 811 WTE Training

Products and services

• Exactix

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbia Gas of VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Columbia Gas of Virginia is a partial funding partner for the Dig Smart Mobile Learning Center initiative. This mobile educational unit teaches children about safe digging practices and will travel to schools and community events across Virginia starting in 2026. The partnership demonstrates Columbia Gas's commitment to damage prevention and community safety education.
• Virginia Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Virginia 811 partnered with the Department of Housing and Community Development to support rural broadband expansion through the BEAD program. Two new Broadband Support Specialist positions were created to manage increased locate requests and improve coordination among telecommunications stakeholders during broadband infrastructure projects.
• S&N InfrastructureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerS&N Infrastructure sponsors and hosts LDPC (Local Damage Prevention Committee) meetings across Virginia regions, including Eastern VA Region 1 (Hampton) and Central VA Region 2 (Louisa). They provide catering sponsorship for industry stakeholder gatherings.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dig Safely New York 811: New York State's 811 notification center coordinating utility locates and safe-digging education across a large and diverse utility footprint. Direct state-mandated peer with the same member-funded operating model.
• Sunshine 811: Florida's 811 one-call center providing utility locate request coordination, positive response, and damage-prevention outreach. Comparable member-funded, state-mandated one-call model serving a large excavator base.
• Georgia 811: Georgia's 811 one-call center coordinating underground utility locates through member utilities, web ticketing, and public education campaigns. Operates with the same damage-prevention mission, membership funding, and statutory requirement as Virginia 811.
• Utility Notification Center of Colorado (UNCC): Colorado's designated one-call notification center that receives and transmits locate requests to member utilities. Comparable state-by-state mandate, member assessment funding, and damage-prevention mission.
• Texas 811: Texas's designated one-call notification center serving a large and geographically diverse state with member utility assessments, web ticket entry, and excavator training programs. Comparable in mandate, operating model, and stakeholder mix to Virginia 811.
• MISS DIG 811: Michigan's designated one-call notification center providing the same 811 hotline, web ticket entry, and damage-prevention coordination model for Michigan excavators, homeowners, and member utilities. Functionally identical mission and operating model to Virginia 811.
• Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS / O811): Ohio's nonprofit one-call notification service that processes locate requests and notifies member utilities, with training and public awareness programs. Direct operating-model peer to Virginia 811.
• Pennsylvania One Call System (PA 811): Pennsylvania's statewide one-call notification center that receives locate requests and notifies member utilities of pending excavation. Direct state-by-state equivalent of Virginia 811 with the same statutory mandate and member-funded model.
• North Carolina 811: North Carolina's statewide 811 notification center for damage prevention, coordinating locate requests among member utilities and offering training and public awareness. Closest geographic and operational peer to Virginia 811.

Broad incumbents

• Common Ground Alliance (CGA): National nonprofit association representing the entire damage-prevention industry, including all 811 centers, utilities, locators, and excavators. Sets national best practices and the DIRT report that benchmark Virginia 811's performance against peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/va_811
• YouTubeyoutube.com/slightvups
• Facebookfacebook.com/VA811
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virginia-utility-protection-service/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/811ofva/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Virginia 811