Utility Excavations

A utility excavation permit shall be required for any excavation within the right-of-way inside the City limits of Winston-Salem. Per the City’s code of ordinances Sec. 74-143 “It shall be unlawful for any person to make any excavation, or do any other work in or on any street, alley, sidewalk, public way or public place in the city, for the purpose of any utility construction, unless a written permit therefor shall have first been obtained from the assistant city manager/public works or some other officer of the city vested with authority to grant the permit.”

In order to obtain a permit, drawings meeting the “Guidelines for Utility Permit Plan Submittals and Construction” shall be uploaded to IDT Plans Submittal.  A permit will be automatically generated once the plans have been uploaded. The permit generated will only cover work shown on the plans submitted. Any deviations from the plan will require an amendment to the issued permit which can be obtained by contacting Charlesh@cityofws.org. A stop order may be issued by the City to any person or persons doing or causing any work performed within the limits of the permit that is not shown on the submitted drawings, outside the limits of the permit, or without the issuance of a permit.