Before You Dig: Alabama Guide
The state rules that apply to land clearing, grading, trenching and burning in Alabama — and what Big C handles for you before the work starts. Big C holds Alabama State License #2700106.
Call Alabama 811 Before Any Underground Digging
Alabama law requires excavators to notify Alabama 811 before digging so underground utilities — gas, power, water, fiber — can be located and marked. Alabama 811 asks for a locate request at least 2-10 full working days before the project, not counting the day of notification. The service is free.
In plain terms: before anyone breaks ground on a trench, a utility line, a footing or a French drain, the buried utilities in that path have to be marked with paint or flags so they are not cut. That includes the line you are running power or water through, and any other line that happens to cross it. The 2-10 working day window gives the utility owners time to come out and mark — so the earlier you plan, the smoother the start. "Working days" do not count weekends or holidays, and the day you submit the request is not one of them.
What we do: Big C contacts Alabama 811 before every trenching and excavation job, waits for the marks, and digs only after the lines are located.
ADEM Construction Stormwater Permit (NPDES ALR100000)
Land disturbance of one acre or more, or less than one acre if it is part of a larger common plan of development (like a lot in a subdivision), needs coverage under ADEM's construction stormwater general permit (NPDES Permit ALR100000). Home gardens and individual home landscaping are exempt.
What this means on the ground: when you strip vegetation and grade bare red clay across an acre or more, rain runs off it fast and carries sediment into ditches and streams. ADEM's construction stormwater permit requires erosion controls — things like silt fence, inlet protection and stabilized construction entrances — to keep that sediment on site. The trigger is the disturbed area, not the building size, so a large clearing or grading job can cross the threshold even without a structure. A single lot in a subdivision can count too, because the whole subdivision is one "common plan of development." A homeowner tilling a garden or reworking a planting bed does not.
ADEM Construction General Permit InfoAlabama General Contractor License Threshold
Alabama requires a general contractor license for projects of $100,000 or more, and the definition includes site work and grading. Big C holds Alabama State License #2700106.
Why this matters to you: above that dollar threshold, the person doing the work has to hold a state license — it is a legal requirement, not a marketing claim. Site work and grading are explicitly part of what the license covers, so a large clearing-and-grading package can land in licensed territory. Hiring a licensed contractor means the work is backed by a state board and that the contractor met its requirements to hold the license. You can verify a license through the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.
Alabama Licensing Board for General ContractorsAlabama Forestry Commission Burn Permits
Burning brush may require a burn permit from the Alabama Forestry Commission — call them before burning. We'll go over the options for your property when we quote, including whether burning or hauling off is the right call.
Burning cleared brush can be the cheapest way to get rid of it — but it is regulated, and the rules depend on conditions and location. A phone call to the Alabama Forestry Commission before you light anything is the safe move. If burning is not allowed or not practical on your property, hauling the debris off is the alternative, and we can build that into the scope.
What We Handle For You
- We contact Alabama 811 before every trenching and excavation job so buried lines get marked.
- We hold Alabama State License #2700106 for site work and grading.
- We carry $1 million in liability insurance.
- We walk you through what applies to your property when we come out.
Rules change and local requirements vary by city and county. We'll tell you what applies to your property when we come out.
Have a Dig or Clearing Project? Text Us First.
We'll handle 811 and walk you through what your property needs. Free on-site estimate.