What is Before You Dig Australia (BYDA)?
Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) — formerly known as Dial Before You Dig — is a free national referral service that helps you identify the location of underground utilities before any excavation or digging work begins on your site.
You’ll submit an online enquiry for your property and receive site-specific plans from utility providers (e.g. Telstra, Ausgrid, Sydney Water) showing the location of underground gas, electricity, water, and communication assets.
Why You Need It
This report is a legal and safety requirement before any kind of trenching, slab preparation, fencing, or service installation begins.
It protects your site and trades from:
- Damaging live underground services
- Costly repair bills or legal liabilities
- Serious safety incidents (especially with gas and electricity)
Even if you're not the one doing the digging, you're still responsible as the site manager or owner builder.
How to Lodge a BYDA Enquiry
1. Go to https://www.byda.com.au/
2. Click the red ‘Get Plans & Portal Login’ button
3. Log in or Sign up
4. Select ‘Residential’, then click ‘Next’
5. Choose your state and enter your mobile number
6. On the landing page, go to Home > Lodge an Enquiry
7. Sign in again using your email and password
8. Optionally, click the ‘Video Guide’ for help
9. Enter your address in the search bar, located at the top right of the screen
10. Once you have located your site, select ‘Use address as job site’
11. If you are not able to locate your site, select the ‘line’ to outline your site
12. Select which Workplace location this is: Road, Nature Strip, Footpath, Private Property then Continue
13. Select your Start and end dates and select either ‘design’ or ‘excavation’ and relevant activity then continue
14. From the dropdown menu select ‘Working on behalf of’ and add your reference and notes (optional)
15. Lastly, enter your phone number to finalise the process. Should be expected to receive a response up to 5 business days
Once Enquired
Once you've enquired the BYDA, click the
orange “Mark Complete” button to move to the next step in your construction workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need this even if I’m not doing the digging myself?
Yes — as the owner or site manager, it’s your responsibility to ensure the site is cleared for excavation.
Is this required in all states?
Yes — BYDA is the national platform for underground service enquiries in Australia.
