Water well permit requirements change by state, and sometimes by county: who approves a new private well, and what they require, depends on where the property is. This index links each listed state to its official sources and summarizes what those pages say, as checked on October 10, 2026. It is a starting point for your own call to the agency, not a statement of the law.
Where do you start if your state isn't listed?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) keeps a directory of state private well programs and notes that most states have zero or limited regulations for private drinking water wells. EPA: Private Drinking Water Well Programs in Your State Your county health department is usually the fastest way to find out whether a local permit applies. [EPA-STATES source note]
Which states require a water well permit, and from whom?
| State | What the official source says | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| California | Permits come from the local authority, typically county environmental health; wells drilled by a C-57 licensed contractor | California State Water Board: A Guide for Private Domestic Well Owners (2025) |
| Connecticut | Code sets a minimum four-hour yield test for new wells | Connecticut DPH: Private Well Guidance for Determining Well Safe Yield (2009) |
| Michigan | Local health departments handle well construction applications, permits and inspections; contractors submit records through Wellogic | Michigan EGLE: FAQ for Private Well Owners |
| Minnesota | State rules set minimum isolation distances from contamination sources | Minnesota Department of Health: Isolation Distances From a Water-Supply Well |
| Montana | Owner guidance on contracts, maximum depth and licensed abandonment (historical, 2007) | Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) |
| New Hampshire | Homeowner guidance on testing a well's reliable capacity | NH DES: Determining the Reliable Capacity of a Private Water Supply Well (DWGB-1-13) |
| New York | Drilling businesses register annually with DEC; preliminary notice before drilling and completion report after; construction standards set by the Department of Health | NYSDEC: Water Well Contractor Program |
| North Carolina | State rules govern permitting and inspection of private drinking water wells, well construction and well contractors | NC DPH: Private Wells Program Rules and Laws |
| Ohio | Contractors register annually with the Department of Health; permits to construct, alter or seal come from the local health district | Ohio Department of Health: Information for Private Water Systems Contractors |
| Pennsylvania | Drillers must be licensed by DCNR; no statewide construction or siting standards, though some municipalities have their own | Pennsylvania DCNR: Licensed Water Well Drillers |
| Texas | Drillers and pump installers licensed by TDLR; groundwater conservation districts manage groundwater locally | TDLR: Water Well Driller and/or Pump Installer License |
| Washington | Notice of intent to Ecology 72 hours before drilling starts | Washington Ecology: Well construction notice of intent |
| Wisconsin | Well Construction Notification Number before construction; licensed driller unless the owner drills on their own property; report within 30 days | Wisconsin DNR: Well and heat exchange notification |
States not in the table have not been checked yet. Their absence says nothing about whether a permit is required there.
What should you ask the state well permit office?
- Do I need a permit, notice or notification before drilling, and who files it: me or the driller?
- Is there a fee, and how long does approval take?
- Must the driller (and pump installer) be licensed or registered, and how do I check?
- What setbacks and construction standards apply, and does the county add its own?
- Will a well report be filed, and how do I get a copy?
- Are there water-use rules, such as a groundwater district, that apply to household wells?
For how these approvals fit together, read water well drilling licenses and permits. For Texas specifically, see how to find water well reports in Texas.
Patterns across states
Even in the small set of states checked so far, three patterns appear:
- State notice before drilling. Wisconsin and Washington require the well to be registered with a state agency before work starts.
- Local health department permits. Ohio, Michigan and California route well permits through local health departments or districts under state standards.
- Licensing without construction standards. Pennsylvania licenses drillers but has no statewide private well construction or siting standards; some municipalities add their own. Penn State Extension: Private Water Systems FAQs
Whichever pattern your state follows, the driller usually files the paperwork, and a well report is usually filed afterward. For how the pieces fit together, read water well drilling licenses and permits; for where your well can go, see how far a well must be from a septic system.
How this index is maintained
Each row reflects the official page as we read it on the date above. Agencies change rules, fees and web addresses. Our editorial policy explains how sources are dated and how corrections will be handled; a correction channel is not active yet.
Common questions
Why isn't my state listed?
We only list states whose official pages we have checked ourselves, and we are adding states over time. Until yours appears, use EPA's directory of state private well programs and call your county health department.
Who issues well permits: the state or the county?
It depends on the state. In Ohio and Michigan, for example, permits come from local health departments or districts, while Wisconsin and Washington require notice to a state agency. Some states use both.
Does my state require a licensed driller?
Most states require licensing or registration of water well contractors, but not all, and some allow owners to drill on their own property in limited cases. Check with the agency listed for your state.
Where can I find well records for my state?
Many of the agencies below also hold well reports filed by drillers. Our guide to finding water well logs explains how to search them.
Do I need a permit to replace or deepen an existing well?
Often, yes. Many authorities treat deepening, replacing or sealing a well as regulated work that needs a permit or notice, just like a new well. Ohio, for example, permits construction, alteration and sealing. Ask your agency before the work starts.
Sources & claim context
Citations mark where guidance is grounded. They are general resources dated on retrieval, not guarantees for any property, project, price, licensure, permit or yield. No expert, attorney or reviewer signoff is claimed by this site.
EPA: Private Wells · EPA · accessed 2026-10-10
https://www.epa.gov/privatewells
Does not specify local testing/permit rules or guarantee safety
Montana DNRC well-owner guide (revised 2007) · MT-DNRC · accessed 2026-10-10
https://dnrc.mt.gov/_docs/water/waterwelldrillowner.pdf
Historical Montana document; do not nationalize its licensing, bond, permit, yield, pricing or legal clauses; refresh with current local authority
EPA: Private Drinking Water Well Programs in Your State · EPA · accessed 2026-10-10
https://www.epa.gov/privatewells/private-drinking-water-well-programs-your-state
Links point to non-federal sites; confirm current program details with each state
Minnesota Department of Health: Isolation Distances From a Water-Supply Well · Minnesota Department of Health · accessed 2026-10-10
https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/wells/construction/isolate.html
Minnesota example only; other states differ
Connecticut DPH: Private Well Guidance for Determining Well Safe Yield (2009) · Connecticut Department of Public Health · accessed 2026-10-10
Connecticut example; 2009 publication
NH DES: Determining the Reliable Capacity of a Private Water Supply Well (DWGB-1-13) · New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services · accessed 2026-10-10
https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/2020-01/dwgb-1-13.pdf
New Hampshire fact sheet; not a substitute for a contractor yield test
TDLR: Water Well Driller and/or Pump Installer License · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · accessed 2026-10-10
https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/wwd/apply-driller-installer.htm
Licensing details only; not a license lookup
California State Water Board: A Guide for Private Domestic Well Owners (2025) · California State Water Resources Control Board · accessed 2026-10-10
https://waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/gama/docs/wellowner_guide.pdf
California-specific
NYSDEC: Water Well Contractor Program · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation · accessed 2026-10-10
https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quantity/water-well-contractor-program
Program details only; check local health department requirements too
Wisconsin DNR: Well and heat exchange notification · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources · accessed 2026-10-10
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Wells/constructionNotification.html
Fee as listed on access date
Washington Ecology: Well construction notice of intent · Washington State Department of Ecology · accessed 2026-10-10
https://ecology.wa.gov/regulations-permits/reporting-requirements/well-construction-notice-of-intent
Fee amounts not listed on the page
NC DPH: Private Wells Program Rules and Laws · North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services · accessed 2026-10-10
Index page; requirements are in the linked rules
Michigan EGLE: FAQ for Private Well Owners · Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy · accessed 2026-10-10
https://www.michigan.gov/egle/faqs/drinking-water/private-well-owners
FAQ summary
Ohio Department of Health: Information for Private Water Systems Contractors · Ohio Department of Health · accessed 2026-10-10
Lists are PDFs updated as contractors are added
Penn State Extension: Private Water Systems FAQs · Penn State Extension · accessed 2026-10-10
https://extension.psu.edu/private-water-systems-faqs
Updated Oct 13, 2025
Pennsylvania DCNR: Licensed Water Well Drillers · Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources · accessed 2026-10-10
Database is a lookup, not an endorsement
Claims are grounded in the dated source notes above; project-specific price, yield, licensure and permit answers require site-specific and local verification.