What is an excavation permit and when is it required?

An excavation permit is a formal authorisation document that confirms all safety controls are in place before digging begins. It is required whenever excavation work is planned, including trenches, shafts, tunnels and open cuts. The permit covers soil classification, underground services verification, protective systems, access and egress, edge protection and emergency response. Under Australian WHS Regulations and international standards such as OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, PCBUs and employers must manage the risks of excavation work, and a permit system is a recognised method for doing so.

How do I verify underground services before excavation?

Before any excavation, you must obtain current plans from the relevant authority (Dial Before You Dig / DBYD in Australia, 811 in the US). On site, use non-destructive locating methods such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR) or electromagnetic cable locators to confirm service locations. Where services are identified within the excavation zone, hand-dig (pot-holing) is required to expose and verify the service before mechanical excavation continues. Record the DBYD reference number, locating method and results on the excavation permit.

How often should an excavation permit be renewed?

An excavation permit should be renewed whenever conditions change, including after heavy rain, changes in soil conditions, discovery of uncharted services, changes in excavation dimensions or at the start of each new work shift. The permit is valid only for the specific scope, location and duration described. If the excavation is left unattended overnight, the competent person must re-inspect and revalidate or reissue the permit before work resumes.

What is the difference between an excavation permit and a trenching checklist?

An excavation permit is a broader authorisation document that covers all types of excavation, including trenches, shafts, tunnels and open cuts. It addresses site assessment, soil classification, services location, protective systems and formal sign-off. A trenching checklist, such as the OSHA trenching and excavation checklist, focuses specifically on the safety requirements for trench work, including sloping, shoring or shielding requirements for trenches above certain depths. The excavation permit is typically required in addition to any specific trenching safety checks.

Free excavation permit template

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Free excavation permit template (PDF-ready). Covers site assessment, soil classification, shoring, services location and sign-off. Download free.

Last updated: 2026-04-27

Jarrod Milford

Commercial Director

Updated 27 April 2026

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What is a excavation permit template?

An excavation permit template is a formal authorisation document used to confirm that all safety controls are in place before excavation work begins on a site. Excavation work carries significant risks including trench collapse, underground services strikes (gas, water, electricity, telecommunications), flooding, hazardous atmospheres and falls into open excavations. The permit documents the site assessment, soil classification, planned excavation dimensions, protective systems (shoring, battering, benching or trench shields), underground services location and verification, edge protection, access and egress provisions, atmospheric monitoring requirements, traffic management and emergency response arrangements. It also records the competent persons responsible for the assessment and the workers authorised to perform the excavation. In Australia, the WHS Regulations require a PCBU to manage risks associated with excavation work, including identification of underground services using Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) plans and on-site service locating. Internationally, similar permit systems are used under OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P (US), the CDM Regulations (UK) and local jurisdictional requirements. This permit provides a single document that captures all critical controls, ensuring nothing is missed before digging begins, and creates a verifiable record for safety audits, regulatory inspections and incident investigations.

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Benefits of using this excavation permit template

Systematic risk control: the permit ensures every critical control, from soil classification to underground services verification, is confirmed before excavation begins.
Underground services protection: the permit prompts mandatory DBYD checks, on-site service locating and hand-dig requirements near services, reducing strike risk.
Trench collapse prevention: documenting the protective system (shoring, battering, benching or trench shields) ensures the chosen method matches the soil conditions and excavation depth.
Regulatory compliance: a completed permit demonstrates due diligence under WHS Regulations, OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P and equivalent international standards.
Accountability: the permit records who assessed the site, who authorised the excavation and who is performing the work, creating clear lines of responsibility.
Audit trail: completed permits provide documented evidence for safety audits, regulatory inspections and incident investigations.

Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack

When you digitise excavation equipment permits in MapTrack, you get:

Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
Ability to share forms digitally.
Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
Electronic signatures.
Edit forms later without reprinting.
Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
Escalate critical hazards instantly to safety managers via push notification.
Maintain an auditable safety register that satisfies WHS regulator requests.
Correlate incident trends across sites with built-in safety analytics.

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What to include in a excavation permit template

This excavation permit template covers 12 key areas:

Permit details: permit number, date, valid from/to, site location, project name.
Excavation details: type of excavation (trench, shaft, tunnel, open cut), planned dimensions (length, width, depth), purpose of excavation.
Soil classification: soil type (rock, Type A/B/C cohesive, granular, mixed), method of classification, assessment by competent person.
Underground services: DBYD plan reference number, services identified (gas, water, electricity, telecommunications, sewer, stormwater), on-site service locating method (GPR, cable locator, potholing), hand-dig zone marked.
Protective system: method selected (shoring, battering, benching, trench shield, open cut with battered sides), design reference, competent person approval.
Access and egress: ladder or ramp locations, spacing (within 7.5 m of any worker in a trench), condition.
Edge protection: barricades, flagging, covers over openings, setback distance for spoil and plant.
Atmospheric monitoring: gas testing requirements (if applicable), results, continuous monitoring.
Traffic management: traffic management plan reference, signage, barriers, spotter requirements.
Emergency response: rescue plan, first aid, communication, emergency contacts.
Authorisation: site supervisor, safety officer and competent person sign-off.
Permit close-out: excavation backfilled or secured, barricades in place, permit cancelled, signed off.

How to use this excavation permit template

Complete the permit details, including permit number, date, validity period, site location and excavation description.: Record the unique permit number, date of issue, expiry date, project name and the precise location of the excavation. Include the planned dimensions (length, width and depth) and the purpose of the excavation so that reviewers can assess the scope.
Classify the soil and record the assessment method. Confirm the planned protective system matches the soil conditions and excavation depth.: A competent person inspects the excavation face and uses visual and manual tests to classify the soil as rock, Type A, B or C. Record the method used, such as thumb penetration or pocket penetrometer, and confirm the selected protective system (shoring, battering, benching or trench shields) is appropriate for the classification and depth.
Verify underground services, confirm the DBYD plan is current, on-site locating has been completed and hand-dig zones are marked.: Obtain the Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) plan reference number and confirm the plan covers the excavation footprint. Use non-destructive locating methods such as ground-penetrating radar or electromagnetic cable locators to verify service positions. Mark hand-dig zones clearly with paint or stakes and record results on the permit.
Work through the remaining pre-excavation checklist: access and egress, edge protection, atmospheric monitoring, traffic management and emergency response. Mark each item as complete, not required or requires action.: Confirm ladders or ramps are in place within 7.5 m of any worker, spoil is stockpiled at least 1 m from the edge, barricades and signage are erected, gas testing has been completed if required, the traffic management plan is active and the rescue plan and first aid arrangements are confirmed.
The competent person, site supervisor and safety officer sign to authorise the excavation.: Each signatory reviews the completed checklist, confirms all controls are in place and signs with their name, position and date. If any critical item fails, the permit must not be authorised until the deficiency is corrected. File the signed permit on site and upload to MapTrack for digital record-keeping.
When the excavation is complete or at the end of each shift, close out the permit. Confirm the excavation is backfilled or secured, barricades are in place and sign off.: Walk the excavation boundary and verify the trench is either fully backfilled or secured with barriers and covers. Remove temporary shoring only after backfill is complete. Cancel the permit by signing the close-out section with the date and time, then archive the record for audits and regulatory inspections.

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How often should you complete this permit?

A new excavation permit must be issued before each new excavation or when conditions change significantly, for example after heavy rain, changes in soil conditions, discovery of uncharted services or changes in excavation depth or dimensions. The permit is valid only for the scope, location and duration described. At the start of each shift, the competent person should re-inspect the excavation and confirm the permit conditions still hold. If the excavation is left unattended overnight, re-inspection is required before work resumes. In MapTrack, you can schedule excavation permits per project, set expiry reminders and maintain a digital archive of all completed permits.

Frequently asked questions

What is an excavation permit and when is it required?: An excavation permit is a formal authorisation document that confirms all safety controls are in place before digging begins. It is required whenever excavation work is planned, including trenches, shafts, tunnels and open cuts. The permit covers soil classification, underground services verification, protective systems, access and egress, edge protection and emergency response. Under Australian WHS Regulations and international standards such as OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, PCBUs and employers must manage the risks of excavation work, and a permit system is a recognised method for doing so.
How do I verify underground services before excavation?: Before any excavation, you must obtain current plans from the relevant authority (Dial Before You Dig / DBYD in Australia, 811 in the US). On site, use non-destructive locating methods such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR) or electromagnetic cable locators to confirm service locations. Where services are identified within the excavation zone, hand-dig (pot-holing) is required to expose and verify the service before mechanical excavation continues. Record the DBYD reference number, locating method and results on the excavation permit.
How often should an excavation permit be renewed?: An excavation permit should be renewed whenever conditions change, including after heavy rain, changes in soil conditions, discovery of uncharted services, changes in excavation dimensions or at the start of each new work shift. The permit is valid only for the specific scope, location and duration described. If the excavation is left unattended overnight, the competent person must re-inspect and revalidate or reissue the permit before work resumes.
What is the difference between an excavation permit and a trenching checklist?: An excavation permit is a broader authorisation document that covers all types of excavation, including trenches, shafts, tunnels and open cuts. It addresses site assessment, soil classification, services location, protective systems and formal sign-off. A trenching checklist, such as the OSHA trenching and excavation checklist, focuses specifically on the safety requirements for trench work, including sloping, shoring or shielding requirements for trenches above certain depths. The excavation permit is typically required in addition to any specific trenching safety checks.

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