Licensing Requirements
License Fees
Exam & Application
- Application fee: $100 (nonrefundable); License: $250 for first 2-yr period
- Business & Law exam (PSI) + trade exam (PSI)
- Required: business entity, insurance/bond
Continuing Education
General contractors: No CE required
Residential Endorsement: 16 hours every 2 years (8 technical + 8 business/ethics)
Renewal
- Cycle: Every 2 years (odd/even years per DOB)
- Fee: $250 for renewal
- Portal: MyLicense portal (professionallicense.alaska.gov/MYLICENSE)
Reporting & Documentation
Well Log Requirements (11 AAC 93.140)
The well constructor must file a well log report within 45 days to DNR's WELTS. Required information includes:
- Drilling method
- Aquifer log (lithology)
- Casing depth/type, grout depth/type
- Total well depth, static water level
- Yield tests, pump set depth
Abandonment/Sealing
File a closure report for any abandoned well (11 AAC 93.140(g)). Wells must be plugged/sealed per DEC/BMP guidance (typically clean fill or cement grout to surface). Notify ADEC if contamination is possible.
Construction Standards (18 AAC 80.015)
Casing & Sealing
- Sanitary well seal: Required on casing with ≥1 ft of casing above grade
- Grouting: Minimum 10 ft continuous cement (or bentonite) grout in top 20 ft of bore
- Casing material: Durable metal or approved PVC
- Flood protection: Well must be sited above expected flood levels
- No well pits: Prohibited (existing pits only if adequately sealed)
Setback Requirements
Disinfection
Newly drilled wells must be disinfected with chlorine before use. DEC recommends standard shock-chlorination: pour bleach solution, circulate, let stand ≥2 hr (often overnight), then flush until chlorine-free and retest for bacteria.
Permits
Local Drilling Permits
- City well-driller license and drilling permit required
- Setbacks per AMC Table 15.55.060
- Well pits prohibited
- City permit required (NPMC 13.32)
- Permits expire in 1 year (renewable once)
- Wells restricted in sulfolane-contaminated zone
DNR Water Rights
If withdrawing above certain thresholds, owner needs a water right permit from DNR. Generally, any use exceeding 5,000 gallons per day (or recurring use >500 gpd for >10 days) is "significant" and must be permitted.
- Uses <500 gpd (or <1,500 gpd for residence) exempt from fees
- Public notice required for >5,000 gpd
Special Permits
- Geothermal/Exploration: If drilling geothermal (hot-water) or oil/gas well, AOGCC Permit to Drill required (AS 41.06, 20 AAC 25)
- Monitoring Wells: No separate state drill permit but must be reported like any well
Drilling Conditions by Region
Geology & Aquifers
Alaska is geologically diverse. Glacial deposits and rock type vary widely:
- Yukon/Kuskokwim lowlands: Thick glacial sands/gravel, high-yield aquifers
- Interior basins (Yukon, Tanana): Unconsolidated alluvium hundreds of feet thick, supplying large flows
- Anchorage-Eagle River: Fractured bedrock; most urban wells 100–400 ft into rock
- Southcentral (Cook Inlet): Mix of glacial gravel and buried coal-rich strata (iron/sulfur issues)
- Southeast: Narrow coastal sediment basins underlain by fractured metamorphic rock
Typical Well Depths by Region
Common Challenges
Interior and SE Alaska often require drilling through bedrock (granitic or metamorphic). Slow progress and wear on bits. Anchorage wells typically finish in basement rock.
Northern and interior regions have permafrost (continuous far north, discontinuous inland). Must clear frozen ground (>10 ft in winter), use heavy casing, grout below frost. Casing must extend ≈2 ft above grade to clear snow.
Coastal plains (North Slope) and some interior aquifers produce flowing artesian wells. Use mud rotary with mud cuttings; proper anchoring and headworks (valves) needed.
In areas like North Pole (sulfolane) or Red Devil (metals), extra caution needed for source protection. Follow special siting rules or plug requirements.
Seasonal Considerations
- Frozen Ground: Much of Alaska freezes ~3–6 ft in winter (up to 20 ft in Arctic interior). Drilling in winter may use drilling fluids or caissons. Spring thaw can flood sites.
- Flooding: Spring (May–June) has high melt-off flooding. Wells should be sited "high and dry". Low areas may require raised platforms or longer casing.
- Water Table Fluctuations: Suprapermafrost aquifers may appear in spring drilling. Recharge is summer-dominant.
Special Requirements
Arsenic Advisory Areas
Natural arsenic is widespread in Alaska aquifers, especially in Seward Peninsula through Susitna–Kenai corridor and Interior. No special statewide casing rule, but homeowners should be advised to test well water. In arsenic-prone zones, drillers should flush wells well before development.
North Pole Sulfolane Contamination
Wells are restricted in the city's designated sulfolane plume area. Property owners are advised to cease well use and connect to municipal water. Permit applicants must verify their site's contamination status.
Wellhead Protection Areas
For municipal PWS, DEC delineates source-water protection zones. Within these zones, certain land uses (like fuel storage or large livestock operations) are restricted. Drillers should note any PWS protection zones (e.g. from DEC's GIS maps) when siting.
Resources & Contacts
Key Regulatory References
- 18 AAC 80.015 – Well protection, construction standards
- 18 AAC 80.020 – Minimum separation distances (Table A)
- 18 AAC 72.100 – Private water systems (setbacks)
- 11 AAC 93.140 – Water well reporting requirements
- 12 AAC 02.180 – Construction contractors licensing
Forms & Online Systems
- ADEC Drinking Water Forms – Plan and inventory forms
- DNR WELTS – Online well log submission
- CBPL MyLicense Portal – Contractor licensing and renewals
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
Primary Sources
- NGWA Alaska State Resources
- 12 AAC 02.180 - Construction contractors
- ADEC Drinking Water Regulations (18 AAC 80)
- 18 AAC 72.100 - Private water systems
- 18 AAC 80.015 - Well protection and construction
- 11 AAC 93.140 - Water well reporting
- DNR WELTS (Well Log Tracking System)
- USGS HA 730-N Alaska Regional Summary
Looking for Homeowner Information?
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