Why a stump job triggers 811
JULIE’s excavator FAQ is blunt: Illinois law requires anyone planning an outdoor project that involves digging to submit a locate request at least 2 days (not including the day of the notice) before putting a shovel in the ground, regardless of depth or project size, and every project every time (JULIE excavator FAQs). Stump grinding cuts and chips wood below grade. That is digging. JULIE’s homeowner when-to-call page lists trees and shrubs among common projects that need a locate first (JULIE when to call). If you are planning stump grinding in Joliet after a tree removal, treat the grind like any other dig.
Local fact: JULIE is based in Joliet at 3275 Executive Dr., Joliet, IL 60431 (JULIE excavator FAQs; same address on JULIE home).
The 2-day rule (and the page that says 3)
Two JULIE sources and the statute agree on a 2-day floor. The excavator FAQ says notify at least 2 days, not counting the day of notice (JULIE excavator FAQs). The Illinois statute (220 ILCS 50/4) says excavators must provide notice not less than 2 days but no more than 10 days in advance through JULIE, and must pre-mark the dig area (220 ILCS 50/4). JULIE’s when-to-call page tells homeowners to notify at least 3 but not more than 10 days before digging, and that weekends and holidays do not count toward that advance notice (JULIE when to call). We are not inventing a reconciliation. For a crew grinding a stump, cite the excavator FAQ and the statute for the 2-day rule, and read the ticket start date JULIE gives you.
How to call it in
- Call 811 or 800-892-0123, or use JULIE’s online request options. The service is free, and the call center plus self-service options run 24/7, 365 days a year (JULIE excavator FAQs).
- Pre-mark the dig site with white paint, flags or stakes (or electronic white lining when available). State law requires pre-marking before you contact JULIE (JULIE excavator FAQs; 220 ILCS 50/4).
- Have the basics ready: your contact info, county and address, cross streets, start date and time, type and extent of excavation, and whether the area is pre-marked (JULIE excavator FAQs).
- Member utilities mark their own lines. JULIE is a notification hub, not a locator. It does not own, locate or mark underground lines (JULIE excavator FAQs).
Before the grinder starts
- Check Positive Response. After the wait, confirm every utility on your ticket has replied marked or clear. Never dig before the ticket start date and time, and never dig while a response is still missing (JULIE excavator FAQs).
- Honor the 18-inch tolerance zone. Within 18 inches on either side of a marked line, the law requires extra care such as hand digging or vacuum excavation (JULIE excavator FAQs; similar duty in 220 ILCS 50/4).
- Private lines stay unmarked. Utilities only mark what they own. Sprinklers, septic lines, private lighting, sewer laterals on the customer side, and secondary electric to a detached garage or pool are the owner’s responsibility to protect (JULIE excavator FAQs).
- Faded marks? Request a refresh through JULIE (REV online or 811) if marks wash out; refresh requests apply to jobs started within 10 calendar days of the initial locate (JULIE excavator FAQs).
Joliet yards, gas and power
Will County ranches and split-levels often hide gas service, ComEd laterals, cable and irrigation under the same strip where an ash or maple stump sits. Hitting a line can cut service, injure people and leave you on the hook for repairs. Calling 811 first is free. Skipping it is not a shortcut. For the removal itself, see tree removal in Joliet; for what happens after the trunk is gone, see stump grinding.
Bottom line: every stump grind is a dig. Call 811, wait, check Positive Response, then grind carefully inside the marks.
Sources
Checked Nov. 5, 2026. If a City rule has changed since, the City’s page wins.