private wells
Find well driller rules by state
See who licenses water-well drillers in your state, where construction permits are handled, and how to check a license. We do not publish a private roster of drillers.
EPA's private-well pages explain that owners of individual wells are responsible for testing and maintaining their water.
U.S. EPAA statewide driller credential and a local construction permit are often two different approvals. The state page says which one we could verify.
U.S. EPAEPA recommends testing private well water regularly. A drilling license does not report whether the water is safe to drink.
U.S. EPAState rules
Well driller licensing by state
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Before You Hire a Driller
What to confirm with the state lookup and the permit office before you hire a well driller.
- The license type this state requires
- Whether a local permit comes first
- Who files the well log and when you test the water
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Why it matters
Check the license before the deposit
Well work is expensive and it touches groundwater that neighbors share. States license the trade so there is a record of who drilled and how the well was built.
The driller report, sometimes called a well log, is part of that record. The guides explain what it is and where it is filed.
After the rig leaves, test the water. The state license and the lab report answer different questions.
Guides
Plain answers, sourced
When you need a well permit
How a driller license differs from the permit for a well on a particular property, using official state and federal pages.
Read →Licensed driller versus pump installer
Why many states license well construction and pump installation as separate credentials, and how to ask which one covers the job.
Read →How to check a well driller license
How to confirm a driller or pump installer credential on the state lookup, including class, expiration, and the type of well.
Read →Private well water testing after drilling
Why a finished well still needs a laboratory test, and which offices decide what to sample.
Read →Setbacks and why well location matters
Why the place a well is drilled is a permit decision, and which official pages actually publish a distance.
Read →Abandoned wells
Why an unused well is regulated, who may close it, and which reports prove it was sealed.
Read →Featured partners