Well drilling permits by state: permits, drillers and septic setbacks
Whether a new household well needs a permit or a notice, who issues it and the fee, who may drill it, and how far it must be from the septic tank and drain field — checked against official sources in all 50 states.
Last updated · Sources: state statutes, regulations and agency pages · Not legal advice
The short answer
20 states require a permit for every new household well and 11 require a notice or start card — usually with a fee — instead. 8 leave it to counties or towns, and 11 have neither. The most common minimum is 50 ft from the septic tank and 100 ft from the drain field (23 states), and 28 states let owners drill their own well.
Well drilling permit rules by state
Dark blue states require a permit for every new household well; light blue ones require a notice of intent or start card, usually with a fee, instead of a site-reviewed permit; amber ones leave it to counties, towns or districts; grey ones have no state permit or pre-drilling notice. Hover or tap a state for its rule and septic distances.
Tap a legend entry to show only those states. Small eastern states also have a labelled box on the right. A state colour is the state rule — your county or town can add its own permit.
What the rules add up to
- 31 states require something before drilling starts. 20 require a permit (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming). 11 require a notice of intent, start card or notification instead — a filing plus a fee in most, not a site-reviewed permit (Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin).
- 19 states require nothing statewide before drilling. In 8 of them counties, towns or groundwater districts set the rule (Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas); 11 have no state permit or pre-drilling notice at all (Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota), though several require the well to be registered or reported afterwards. For Louisiana and Maine the “no” is inferred from the rules — no official source says it outright.
- Licensed contractors are the norm; owner drilling is common. 49 states require the well to be drilled by a licensed or certified contractor, yet 28 let an owner drill their own well — usually on land they own and live on, sometimes with a permit or bond of their own. 18 don’t, and the rules read were unclear in Alabama, Indiana, Rhode Island and Virginia.
- Septic tank distances run from 25 to 100 ft; drain field distances from 50 to 150 ft. Tank: 25 ft in 1 state, 50 ft in 35 states, 60 ft in 1 state, 75 ft in 6 states, 100 ft in 6 states. Drain field: 50 ft in 11 states, 70 ft in 1 state, 75 ft in 5 states, 100 ft in 31 states, 150 ft in 1 state. Hawaii sets no statewide number for private wells.
- The number often depends on the site. 26 states attach conditions — well depth in North Dakota (50 ft; 100 ft if the well is under 100 ft deep), slope in Vermont (drain field 100 ft; if the leachfield is level with or below the well; 200 ft if upslope), soil in Illinois, Oklahoma and Rhode Island, aquifer type or depth in Maryland and South Dakota, how the well is sealed or grouted in Nevada, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
- The well log is due within 10 to 90 days of completion where a deadline is stated — 30 days in 24 states. The driller files it in most states.
Permits, drillers and well logs, state by state
Select a state to open its card above with the fee, the full rule wording and the source text.
| State | Permit before drilling | Licensed contractor | Owner may drill | Well log |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Notice of intent (no permit)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Unclear | 30 days |
| Alaska | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | No | Yes | 45 days |
| Arizona | Notice of intention to drill + fee ($150 or $100)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Arkansas | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 90 days |
| California | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | No | 60 days |
| Colorado | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 60 days |
| Connecticut | Yes — permit ($5 + local fee)Permit required statewide | Yes | No | 60 days |
| Delaware | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | No | 30 days |
| Florida | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Georgia | Notice of intent (no permit)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Yes | Copy to the owner within 30 days; no state filing |
| Hawaii | Yes — permit ($300 (2018 form))Permit required statewide | Yes | No | 60 days |
| Idaho | Yes — permit ($75)Permit required statewide | Yes | No | 30 days |
| Illinois | Yes — permit (up to $100)Permit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Indiana | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | Yes | Unclear | 30 days |
| Iowa | Yes — permit ($125)Permit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Kansas | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Kentucky | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | No | 60 days |
| Louisiana | No (inferred from the rules — no official statement)No state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | No | 30 days |
| Maine | No (inferred from the rules — no official statement)No state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Maryland | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | No | 45 days |
| Massachusetts | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | Yes | No | No deadline stated |
| Michigan | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 60 days |
| Minnesota | Notification + fee ($325)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Yes | 60 days |
| Mississippi | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Missouri | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 60 days |
| Montana | Water-right notice of intent + fee ($400)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Yes | 60 days |
| Nebraska | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 60 days |
| Nevada | Notice of intent (needs approval) + fee (amount not recorded)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | No | 30 days |
| New Hampshire | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 90 days |
| New Jersey | Yes — permit ($130)Permit required statewide | Yes | No | 90 days |
| New Mexico | Yes — permit ($125)Permit required statewide | Yes | No | 20 days (domestic well) |
| New York | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | Yes | No | No deadline stated |
| North Carolina | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| North Dakota | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Ohio | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Oklahoma | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | 60 days for licensed drillers |
| Oregon | Start card + fee ($490)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Pennsylvania | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | Yes | Yes | No deadline stated |
| Rhode Island | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | Yes | Unclear | 10 days |
| South Carolina | Notice of intent (general permit) + fee ($70)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | No | 30 days |
| South Dakota | NoNo state permit or pre-drilling notice | Yes | Yes | No deadline stated |
| Tennessee | Notice of intent + fee ($75)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | No | 60 days |
| Texas | Varies — no state permit; set locallyNo state permit; set locally | Yes | Yes | 60 days |
| Utah | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | No | 30 days |
| Vermont | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | No | 90 days |
| Virginia | Yes — permit ($300)Permit required statewide | Yes | Unclear | 30 days |
| Washington | Notice of intent (start card) + fee ($200)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| West Virginia | Yes — permitPermit required statewide | Yes | No | 30 days |
| Wisconsin | Notification + fee ($50.50)Notice or start card before drilling | Yes | Yes | 30 days |
| Wyoming | Yes — permit ($50)Permit required statewide | Yes | Yes | 30 days, filed by the owner (U.W. 6) |
How far a well must be from a septic system
The minimum horizontal distance from a household well to the septic tank and to the drain field (leach field, absorption area), as each state’s rule states it. Where the rule changes the number for depth, soil, slope or how the well is built, the condition is shown with the figure. Your county can require more.
| State | To septic tank | To drain field |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 50 ft | 100 ft100 ft; 50 ft for some older lots (established before Mar 18, 1982) |
| Alaska | 100 ft | 100 ft |
| Arizona | 100 ft | 100 ft |
| Arkansas | 100 ft100 ft; more in pervious formations (doubled in highly pervious gravel) | 100 ft100 ft; more in pervious formations (doubled in highly pervious gravel) |
| California | 100 ft | 100 ft |
| Colorado | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Connecticut | 75 ft75 ft; for a well under 10 gpm (150 ft for 10–50 gpm) | 75 ft75 ft; for a well under 10 gpm (150 ft for 10–50 gpm) |
| Delaware | 50 ft | 100 ft100 ft; can be 50 ft for a pressure-grouted well in a confined aquifer |
| Florida | 75 ft | 75 ft |
| Georgia | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Hawaii | —No statewide number for private wells | —No statewide number for private wells |
| Idaho | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Illinois | 50 ft50 ft; clay and loam soils only; set case by case in sand and other soils | 75 ft75 ft; clay and loam soils only; set case by case in sand and other soils |
| Indiana | 50 ft | 50 ft50 ft; doubled where a shallow soil layer has a high loading rate |
| Iowa | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Kansas | 50 ft50 ft; legal minimum (KDHE recommends more than 100 ft) | 50 ft50 ft; legal minimum (KDHE recommends more than 400 ft) |
| Kentucky | 50 ft50 ft; doubled where the soil above rock is under 20 ft of mostly sand or gravel | 70 ft70 ft; from the side of a lateral trench or bed; doubled where the soil above rock is under 20 ft of mostly sand or gravel |
| Louisiana | 50 ft | 50 ft50 ft; the general rule is 100 ft, which may be reduced to 50 ft for household wells |
| Maine | 60 ft | 100 ft100 ft; bedrock wells may reduce it by casing depth, to no less than 60 ft |
| Maryland | 100 ft100 ft; 50 ft if the well draws from a confined aquifer (the 100 ft is for an unconfined aquifer) | 100 ft100 ft; 50 ft if the well draws from a confined aquifer (the 100 ft is for an unconfined aquifer) |
| Massachusetts | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Michigan | 50 ft | 50 ft |
| Minnesota | 50 ft | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft for a 'sensitive' (shallow-cased) well |
| Mississippi | 50 ft | 100 ftThe statute is set to be repealed July 1, 2028 unless it is reenacted again. |
| Missouri | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Montana | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Nebraska | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Nevada | 100 ft | 100 ft100 ft; 150 ft if the well is not sealed to 50 ft |
| New Hampshire | 75 ft75 ft; a protective radius — can be 50 ft with a watertight tank and SDR 26 pipe | 75 ft75 ft; a protective radius, for flows up to 750 gpd |
| New Jersey | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| New Mexico | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| New York | 50 ft50 ft; increased by 50% if water enters the well less than 50 ft down | 100 ft100 ft; increased by 50% if water enters the well less than 50 ft down |
| North Carolina | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft if the septic system is in saprolite (well rule; the septic rule says 50 ft) | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft if the septic system is in saprolite (well rule; the septic rule says 50 ft) |
| North Dakota | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft if the well is under 100 ft deep | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft if the well is under 100 ft deep |
| Ohio | 50 ft | 50 ft |
| Oklahoma | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft in fast-draining or Group 1 soils; an OWRB rule also asks 75 ft (level) to 100 ft (down-gradient) — the two rules conflict | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft in fast-draining or Group 1 soils; an OWRB rule also asks 75 ft (level) to 100 ft (down-gradient) — the two rules conflict |
| Oregon | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| Pennsylvania | 50 ft50 ft; septic-siting rule; Pennsylvania has no state well-siting rule | 100 ft100 ft; septic-siting rule; Pennsylvania has no state well-siting rule |
| Rhode Island | 75 ft | 100 ft100 ft; 150 ft for a system designed for Category 1 soils |
| South Carolina | 75 ft | 75 ft |
| South Dakota | 75 ft75 ft; aquifer top under 100 ft deep; 50 ft for a deeper aquifer | 150 ft150 ft; aquifer top under 100 ft deep; 100 ft for a deeper aquifer |
| Tennessee | 50 ft | 50 ft |
| Texas | 50 ft | 100 ft100 ft; 50 ft if the well is cemented to at least 100 ft, except in the Edwards Aquifer |
| Utah | 50 ft | 100 ft100 ft; 200 ft for an ungrouted well or spring |
| Vermont | 50 ft | 100 ft100 ft; if the leachfield is level with or below the well; 200 ft if upslope |
| Virginia | 50 ft | 100 ft100 ft; for most wells (Class IIIC); 50 ft for Class IIIA/IIIB wells cased and grouted deeper |
| Washington | 50 ft | 100 ft |
| West Virginia | 50 ft50 ft; 100 ft if the well is lower than the tank | 100 ft |
| Wisconsin | 25 ft | 50 ft |
| Wyoming | 50 ft | 100 ft |
Some of these come from the septic-siting rule rather than a well rule — in Pennsylvania there is no state well-siting rule at all — and a few states have two rules that disagree; the card for each state says which rule the figure comes from and quotes both. Siting a well is also where the cost of drilling starts: a lot that can’t meet the distances may need a deeper, grouted well or a variance.
Methodology and limits
Official sources only. Every value comes from a state statute, a state regulation or a state agency’s own page. Each is backed by verbatim quotes from its source, shown under “View the rule text” in the state card.
Independently verified. A second pass re-fetched every cited source and matched each quote against the live text on September 26, 2026. It changed answers: a statute that exempts owners where an agency page said everyone needs a licence (Arkansas, Georgia), a missing registration fee filled in from the statute (Nebraska), rules found to have been readopted and renumbered (New Hampshire), and a wrong setback exemption removed (Virginia).
Permit versus notice. We call something a permit only when the state issues one. A notice of intent, start card or notification that you file with a fee is labelled that way, even where the state’s own shorthand calls it a permit. Where the verified answer is inferred from the rules rather than stated, the card says so.
Limits. County, town and district rules were not surveyed exhaustively — many counties add a permit, a fee or larger setbacks. Where a fee or rule is dated, the card shows the date; fees change. This is a research summary, not legal advice: the permitting authority’s word is final, so confirm with it before you drill.
Download or cite the data
The full table — permit type and label, issuer, fee, contractor and owner rules, setbacks with their conditions, well-log filing and source URLs for every state — is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit Well Water Fixes with a link to this page. Testing rules and free programs are on well water testing by state.
Cite this data
Well Water Fixes (2026). Private well drilling rules by state: permits, fees, drillers and septic setbacks, verified against official sources September 26, 2026. https://www.wellwaterfixes.com/well-drilling-permit-by-state
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit to drill a well?
- In 20 states, yes — a permit is required statewide. In 11 more you file a notice of intent or start card, usually with a fee, instead. 8 states leave it to counties, towns or groundwater districts, and 11 have no state permit or pre-drilling notice, though counties can add their own. Pick your state above for who issues it and the fee.
- How far does a well have to be from a septic tank?
- It depends on the state: from 25 ft (Wisconsin) to 100 ft (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Maryland and Nevada), and 50 ft in most. Drain fields need more — usually 100 ft, and up to 150 ft in South Dakota. Many states change the number for well depth, soil or slope, and counties can require more.
- Can I drill my own well?
- In 28 states, yes — the licensing law exempts owners, usually for a well on land they own and live on. Some add conditions: Oregon requires a landowner permit and bond, Montana a permit from its contractors' board, Florida limits it to wells 2 inches or smaller. 18 states require a licensed driller for every well. Owner-drilled wells still need any permit, construction standards and setbacks.
- How much does a well drilling permit cost?
- Where the state sets it: Wyoming charges $50 for a domestic well, Idaho $75, New Mexico $125, New Jersey $130 and Virginia $300; Minnesota's notification is $325 and Oregon's start card $490. Many states leave the fee to the county. The state card gives the fee with its date and source.
- Who files the well log after drilling?
- Usually the driller, with the state agency, within 10 to 90 days — 30 days is the most common deadline. In Wyoming the owner files the completion statement, and in Georgia the contractor gives the owner a copy with no state filing.