Alaska Well Driller Compliance & Drilling Guide (2026)

Licensing Requirements

No Specific Well Driller License

Alaska has no specific state license for water well drillers or pump installers. Contractors need a state Construction Contractor registration (general or specialty) under 12 AAC 21.

License Fees

License Type	Fee	Term	Exam
General Contractor	$250	2 years	No exam
Specialty Contractor	$250	2 years	No exam
Residential Endorsement	+$250	2 years	Residential exam (PSI)

Application & Exam

Application fee: $100 (nonrefundable); License: $250 for first 2-yr period
General Contractor: no exam; $25,000 surety bond and Specialty Contractor: no exam; $10,000 surety bond
Residential Endorsement: official PSI exam result required with the application
Liability insurance for every registration: at least $20,000 property damage, $50,000 injury to one person and $100,000 injury to more than one person
Required: business entity, insurance and bond

Continuing Education

General contractors: No CE required

Residential Endorsement: 16 contact hours per renewal, no more than 8 of them in business topics

Renewal

Cycle: Every 2 years (odd/even years per DOB)
Fee: $250 for renewal
Portal: MyLicense portal (professionallicense.alaska.gov/MYLICENSE)

Anchorage Special Requirement

In Anchorage, only drillers certified by the city may drill wells. A certified well driller holds a valid state contractor license, an Anchorage business license and a current well driller certificate from the city. Wells must meet Anchorage Municipal Code Title 15.55 standards.

Reporting & Documentation

Alaska well documentation deadlines
Document	Deadline	Submit To
Well Log (Construction Report)	45 days after completion	DNR WELTS
Public Water Supply Well Log	30 days after construction	ADEC (18 AAC 80.210(h))
Abandonment/Plugging Report	Report to DNR	11 AAC 93.140(g)
License Renewal	Before expiration date	CBPL MyLicense portal

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

Public Water Supply Wells

For public water supply wells, submit a copy to ADEC within 30 days per 18 AAC 80.210.

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

Contamination Source	Minimum Distance	Code Reference
Animal and agricultural waste, sewer lines, other sources (public water systems)	200 ft	18 AAC 80.020
Septic systems, sewer lines, animal and agricultural waste, other sources (private wells)	100 ft	18 AAC 72.100
Fuel storage tanks and lines (private wells)	25 ft	18 AAC 72.100
Petroleum lines and storage tanks (public water systems)	100 ft	18 AAC 80.020 Table A

Department Flexibility

The department may require larger setbacks in special cases to protect water quality.

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

Anchorage

City well-driller license and drilling permit required
Setbacks per AMC Table 15.55.060
Well pits prohibited

North Pole

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 of 500 gpd or less (or 1,500 gpd or less for a single-family residence or duplex) are exempt from the $50 annual administrative service fee
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

Typical well depths across Alaska regions
Region	Typical Depth	Aquifer Type
Coastal Plain/North Slope	10–50 ft	Shallow caisson wells, suprapermafrost gravel
Interior (Fairbanks area)	150–300 ft	Alluvium; bedrock rarely used
Cook Inlet/Mat-Su	50–200 ft	Gravel or valley sediments; deep wells 400+ ft
Anchorage	100–400 ft	Fractured bedrock (basement rock)
Southeast	<100 ft	Springs/fractured rock intakes

Common Challenges

Hard Rock

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.

Permafrost/Freezing

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.

Artesian/High Water Tables

Coastal plains (North Slope) and some interior aquifers produce flowing artesian wells. Use mud rotary with mud cuttings; proper anchoring and headworks (valves) needed.

Mining Contaminants

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

AK Division of Occupational Licensing (Commerce)

General contractor licensing, renewals

907-465-2550 (Juneau)license@alaska.gov Visit Website

ADEC Drinking Water Program

Well standards, plan review, approvals

907-269-7656 / 1-866-956-7656 Anchorage.dw.engineering@alaska.gov Visit Website

DNR Division of Mining, Land & Water

Well log filing (WELTS), water rights

907-269-8400 (Anchorage)dnr.water.reports@alaska.gov Visit Website

Alaska Ground Water Association (AWWA)

Industry association, training, contractor network

907-279-0426 Visit Website

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

What license do I need to drill wells in Alaska?

Alaska has no specific well driller license. You need a state Construction Contractor registration (general or specialty) under 12 AAC 21. In Anchorage, the driller must also hold a current well driller certificate from the city.

How soon must I file the well log?

Within 45 days after completion, submit to DNR's Well Log Tracking System (WELTS). For public water supply wells, also submit to ADEC within 30 days per 18 AAC 80.210.

What are the setback requirements in Alaska?

Private wells: 100 ft from septic systems, sewer lines, and animal or agricultural waste, and 25 ft from fuel storage tanks and lines (18 AAC 72.100). Public water systems: 200 ft from sewer and wastewater sources and other potential sources of contamination, and 100 ft from petroleum lines and storage tanks (18 AAC 80.020). The department can require more distance.

What are the construction standards for grouting?

Minimum 10 ft continuous grout in the top 20 ft of bore (cement or bentonite). Sanitary well seal on casing with ≥1 ft of casing above grade. No well pits allowed (except existing adequately sealed pits). See 18 AAC 80.015.

Sources & References

Primary Sources

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