Do I need a licensed well driller in Regulations?

Yes. Regulations requires water wells to be constructed by a contractor holding a current state well-driller license. Always verify the driller holds active licensing — and ideally NGWA membership — before hiring.

What well-construction standards apply in Regulations?

Wells in Regulations must meet state well-construction standards covering casing depth, grouting, setbacks from septic systems and contamination sources, and well-cap requirements. Your driller files a well-construction record with the state once the well is complete.

Do I need a permit to drill a well in Regulations?

Most Regulations jurisdictions require a well-construction permit before drilling begins. Your licensed driller typically obtains the permit and submits the completed well log. Check your state well program for specific requirements.

How should I test my well water in Regulations?

Test new wells before first use and existing wells at least annually for bacteria, nitrates, and any contaminants of local concern. Use a state-certified laboratory and keep your results with your well records.

Well Driller Finder Find Drillers

2026 Regulatory Guide

Well Driller Licensing & Regulations

How water wells are regulated across the US and Canada — federal groundwater law, state driller licensing, construction standards, and water-testing rules, explained in plain English.

Federal + state sourcedUS + CanadaUpdated June 2026

The Federal Baseline

What Washington does — and doesn’t — cover.

Private wells aren’t federally regulated. The Safe Drinking Water Act covers public utilities — your well’s rules come from your state, and its water is yours to test. (US EPA) See the Water Testing Guide →

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), enacted in 1974, is the backbone of US drinking-water law — but it protects public water systems, the utilities that serve communities. Private household wells are not covered by the SDWA. The EPA’s rules do not apply to them, which means the owner is responsible for the well’s safety, testing, and treatment.

Underneath the SDWA sits the Underground Injection Control (UIC) program. It protects underground sources of drinking water by regulating how injection wells are constructed, operated, and closed — relevant to geothermal-loop injection, the sealing of abandoned wells, and groundwater protection generally.

The EPA sets minimum UIC requirements, but states, territories, and tribes adopt and enforce them under what’s called state primacy. Well construction standards and driller licensing work the same way: they are run by your state, not by the federal government. That’s why the rules that actually govern your well come from your state — and why this guide always points you back to your state board.

Safe Drinking Water Act

1974

The Safe Drinking Water Act — it protects public water systems, not private wells. (US EPA)

Federal Testing Mandate

Federal cost to require private-well testing — there is no federal rule; the owner is responsible.

Underground Protection

UIC

The federal program that protects underground drinking-water sources by regulating injection wells. (US EPA)

State Primacy

States each run their own driller licensing & well-construction rules under state primacy. (US EPA)

What Applies Almost Everywhere

Five baselines you’ll see in most states.

The specifics are set by your state, and they genuinely vary — but these five requirements show up across most of the US and Canada. Treat them as the shape of what to expect, then confirm the details with your state water or licensing board.

Most states — it varies

A licensed driller

Most states license or register well drillers, with requirements like supervised experience, an exam, a bond, and continuing education. Those requirements vary widely from one state to the next — always confirm with your state board.

State or county

A well-construction permit before drilling

Most states require a well-construction permit before any drilling begins, usually issued by the state or county. Some areas also have local groundwater districts that add their own permit on top.

ANSI/NGWA-01 + state code

Sound construction: casing, grout & an annular seal

A properly built well has a cased borehole with a watertight, grouted annular seal — the standard barrier that keeps surface contamination out of the aquifer, required in unstable ground. The model standard is ANSI/NGWA-01, which your state construction code typically references.

Typically 50–100 ft

Setbacks from septic & contamination sources

A minimum distance between the well and septic systems or other contamination sources. The figure is set by state code and typically falls between 50 and 100 feet — never assume one national number; confirm your state’s setback.

UIC-aligned

Proper abandonment of unused wells

When a well is taken out of service it must be sealed, not just left open. An unsealed well is a direct path for contamination into the aquifer — this is aligned with the federal UIC program’s goal of protecting underground drinking-water sources.

Examples, Not the Whole Map

Selected state programs.

Driller licensing is run state by state, and it really does vary — from multi-year experience requirements and bonding to annual renewals and continuing education. Below are a few examples that show the range. For the full set of state and provincial pages we cover, jump to the directory below.

State / Program	Driller Licensing	Licensing Authority	Notes
Texas	License required	Texas Dept of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR)	Roughly 2 years of supervised experience plus an exam; continuing education to renew.
Washington	License required	WA Dept of Ecology	A written exam plus continuing education to construct or decommission wells.
Nevada	License required	NV Division of Water Resources	An annual driller license is required before any well work begins.
California	License required	Contractors State License Board (C-57)	The C-57 Water Well Drilling license, plus county well-construction permits.
It varies by state	Requirements differ	Confirm with your state water/licensing board	Requirements range widely — from multi-year experience, exams, and bonding to annual renewals and continuing education. Always confirm a contractor’s current license with your own state’s board before work begins.

These are examples chosen to show the range — not a complete or authoritative list. Always confirm a current license with your state’s water or licensing board.

Take Action

Find your state’s rules & verify a license.

Find your state water-resources or licensing board

Search “[your state] well construction permit” or “[your state] water well driller licensing”. The state’s water-resources agency or licensing board is where the permit rules, construction code, and driller-license lookup live.

Confirm the contractor’s license is current

Where your state licenses drillers, look the contractor up on the board’s license-verification page and confirm the license is active and unexpired. If your state doesn’t license drillers, ask what other credential or registration applies.

Ask for the state well log / completion report

Most states require drillers to file a well log (completion report) recording depth, casing, grouting, and the seal. Ask for your copy — it’s both a permit record and the construction history of your well.

Check for NGWA membership

Membership in the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) is a useful extra signal of a professional contractor — not a substitute for a state license, but a sign the driller follows industry standards like ANSI/NGWA-01.

Your Water Is Yours to Test

CDC guidance for private-well owners.

No federal agency tests a private well for you — so the CDC sets out what every well owner should do. Test on a schedule, test after any change, and use a certified lab.

Test at least once a year

The CDC recommends testing private-well water annually for total coliform bacteria, nitrate, total dissolved solids, and pH.

Test again after any change

Also test after a new child or pregnancy in the home, any change in taste, odor, or appearance, well repairs or replacement, flooding, or a known area problem.

Use a state-certified lab

Have the sample analyzed by a state-certified laboratory; your county or state health department can help you interpret the results.

A few states test at drilling or sale

Some states — California is one example — require testing at drilling or property transfer. That’s a state rule, not a uniform federal one; confirm what your state requires.

Open the Water-Quality Testing Guide →

FAQ

Common questions about well regulation.

Usually, yes. Most states require a well-construction permit before any drilling begins, issued by the state or county — and in some areas a local groundwater district adds its own permit on top. The exact rules vary, so confirm with your state water-resources agency or county before you break ground.

Most states require well drillers to be licensed or registered — but the specific requirements (experience, exams, bonding, continuing education) differ widely from state to state. Check your state’s water or licensing board and confirm any contractor’s license is current.

No federal agency does. The Safe Drinking Water Act covers public water systems, not private household wells, so the EPA’s rules don’t apply to your well — you’re responsible for its safety, testing, and treatment. The CDC recommends testing at least once a year for total coliform bacteria, nitrate, total dissolved solids, and pH.

That distance — the setback — is set by your state’s code and is not a single national number. It typically falls between 50 and 100 feet from a septic system or other contamination source. Always confirm the figure that applies where you live.

Your state’s well-construction code governs the build, and it’s commonly aligned with the model standard ANSI/NGWA-01. In practice that means proper casing, grouting, and a watertight annular seal — the barrier that keeps surface contamination from reaching the aquifer.

Browse by Jurisdiction

Well regulations by state & province.

Pick your state or province for its driller-licensing board, well-construction and permit rules, setback requirements, and links to verified local well drillers. Coverage spans the US and Canada.

United States — Northeast

Maine New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland

United States — Southeast

Virginia West Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Alabama Arkansas Tennessee

United States — Midwest

Ohio Michigan Indiana Illinois Wisconsin Iowa Nebraska Kansas North Dakota

United States — Southwest

Texas Oklahoma New Mexico Arizona

United States — West

California Oregon Washington Nevada Utah Colorado Idaho Montana Wyoming Alaska Hawaii

Canada

Ontario British Columbia Alberta Quebec Saskatchewan Manitoba Nova Scotia New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Prince Edward Island

Free Tools

Look up licensing & permits by state.

Free tools to check what your state requires before you hire a driller or break ground — no signup required.

Tool

State Well Licensing Lookup

Check whether your state licenses or registers well drillers, and which board issues and verifies the credential.

Tool

Well Permits by State

See what well-construction permit your state or county requires before any drilling begins.

Guide

Water-Quality Testing Guide

What to test for, how often, and how to use a state-certified lab to keep your private well safe.

Explore all tools → · Regulations by state →

Find a licensed well driller in your state.

Find a well driller for your state — direct contact, no referral fees. Always confirm a current license with your state’s water or licensing board.

0+ verified well drillers · US + Canada · No signup required

Get Free Quotes from Licensed Well Drillers Near You

Tell us about your needs and we'll connect you with a licensed well driller in your area. Free, no obligation.

I agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. My contact information may be shared with a contractor.

We'll match your request with verified local contractors. No lead fees.