The Danish Register of Underground Cable Owners (LER) was launched to prevent accidental damages to underground utility cables, to lower administration costs in the contracting sector and to increase supply security.

LER contains information on all companies and associations who own underground cables in Denmark. Between 1st of March and 1st of September 2005 all owners of cables registered their areas of interest in the register. An area of interest is the geographical area in which an owner of cables own cables. The exact location of cables is thus not registered. Since 1st of September 2005, all companies performing underground construction activities have been legally obliged to enquire in the register before the beginning of the activities.

LER works like a Phone Book
LER basically works like a phone book ensuring contact between owners of cables and contractors. When a contractor enquires in relation to a specific construction site, the contractor receives contact details on all owners of underground cables on the site. Based on this information the contractor can easily contact the correct cable owners and receive detailed information on the specific location of cables. Private citizens are not obliged to register their cables in LER. In addition, they are not obliged to enquire in the register when they perform construction activities on their own property, although they can choose to do so.

Access solely via the Internet
The register is web-based and access is given through the use of the state-authorised electronic signature on www.ler.dk. Smaller companies, who cannot or do not wish to use the Internet, can receive assistance on a commercial basis from private consultants. This set-up ensures that all users are able to use the register, while the costs are kept low. This set-up means that the register is based on access solely through a digital channel – for the first time in Denmark.

LER draws upon a number of existing Danish e-government solutions. The use of electronic signatures means that the main contact details of users are transferred digitally from the national registers of persons and companies. In addition, the digital maps are transferred from the electronic archives of the Danish National Survey and Cadastre.

International relations
LER is one of the oldest systems of its kind and serves as a point of reference for other countries aiming to build similar systems.

As of 2010 we have had inspiring talks with people in Sweden, Estonia, the Netherlands and France who are in the middle of the proces of building a system or have an operational system! If you have questions about LER, you are welcome to contact us.

LER is managed by the Agency for Data Supply and Infrastructure.