Well construction & licensing

The Washington state well report (log) viewer allows you to search for and view detailed records of the construction and subsurface characteristics of individual wells. Well reports also contain information about location, owner name, driller name, and the quantity of water a well produces.

Prior to filing a Notice of Intent (NOI) with us, check with your local permitting agency to ensure you are drilling in compliance with new requirements. Some areas may require additional fees or connection to a public water supplier.

• For more information on the new regulations, see streamflow restoration.

A notice of intent is not a permit, certificate, claim, or application for a water right. Filing a notice of intent does not represent approval or permission to use water from a well. Once a well is drilled, water may only be withdrawn if it is legally available. The water also needs to be put to beneficial use to establish a water right.

Before drilling a well, you may need to:

• Submit a notice of intent — You must submit a notice of intent (NOI) to us 72 hours before a well is drilled. Property owners: The required notification process is typically taken care of by a licensed driller.
  • Submit a NOI
  • Search for a submitted NOI
• Search for
  • Licensed well drillers
  • Drilling companies
• Check water availability in your area — You can determine whether the area where you intend to drill your well is open to withdrawals by reading about water availability in your watershed.
• Determine if you need a water right — If you plan to use more than 5,000 gallons per day or irrigate more than 1/2 acre of land, you need to apply for a water right before you drill.
  
  Also, the Water Rights Search is a good tool for anyone researching water rights or water right claims.

In addition to the resources listed above, we provide information to property owners who are considering drilling a well, maintaining a well, or permanently closing (decommissioning) an old well.

• Important Information for Private Well Owners
  Well water testing — Find out how to test your well water.
  Well construction guide — Learn about the steps to legally drill a well on your property.Decommissioning wells — Property owners need to work with licensed drillers to properly decommission (close up) abandoned wells. This is particularly important if the well is an environmental, safety, or public health hazard.

We license and regulate well drillers and provide continuing education resources.

• The information for well drillers page has more information.
• Look up driller Continuing Education Units (CEU's)

Some county health agencies are authorized to inspect well sealing, well identification tagging, and decommissioning work.

• Our annual report about these delegated activities and a list of county contacts can be found on our delegation reports and contacts page.

Our well construction and licensing work is governed by the following laws and rules:

• Chapter 18.104 RCW — Washington Well Construction Act
• Chapter 90.36 RCW — Artesian Wells
• Chapter 90.44 RCW — Regulation of Public Groundwaters
• Chapter 173-160 WAC — Minimum Standards for Construction and Maintenance of Wells
• Chapter 173-162 WAC — Regulation and Licensing of Well Contractors and Operators

Our statutes and regulations are developed and revised by the Well Construction Technical Advisory Group (TAG). This is a group of representatives from regulatory agencies and private industries with interests in well construction. Meetings are open to the public.

• You can learn more or apply to join at the Well Construction Technical Advisory Group page.