Forms & Resources
Required for every completed well. Due within 90 days (RSA 482-B:10, We 800).
Open Online Form ↗Required when sealing/abandoning a well. Submit within 90 days (recommended).
View Forms ↗All NHDES Forms
- NHDES-W-03-173: Well Completion Report (required for all wells)
- Well Abandonment Report: Required for sealed/abandoned wells
- WWB License Application: New license or renewal application
- High-Capacity Well Forms: For wells withdrawing >20,000 gal/day
Licensing Requirements
New Hampshire requires licensed contractors for all well work per RSA 482-B. Qualifications include 3 years' experience and passing a board exam.
License Fees (Annual)
Additional Fees
Continuing Education
- Pump Installers: 2 hours annually from board-approved providers
- Well Drillers: No mandatory CE (Board may require remedial CE if disciplined)
- Approved Topics: Water wells, pumps, treatment, safety, management, hydrogeology
- Providers: NHDES, state agencies, trade associations, accredited colleges, vendors
- Record Retention: Keep certificates for 1 year after course date
Reporting & Documentation
Well Completion Report Requirements
The completion report (NHDES-W-03-173) must include:
- Owner name and property GPS coordinates (NAD 83/WGS 84 datum)
- Completion date, well use, and total depth
- Casing material, sizes, depths, and seal method
- Yield test results (GPM) and static water level
- Geologic deposits encountered (lithology)
- Pump details (type, HP, depth) if installed
- Bacteriological sample collected (yes/no flag)
Well Abandonment Procedures
Abandoned wells must be sealed per We 604.05:
- Dug wells: Sand/gravel fill with top 2 ft clay
- Drilled bedrock wells: Alternating crushed stone and 4 ft bentonite layers from bottom
- Drilled overburden wells: Sand/gravel to 15 ft below grade, 4 ft bentonite, then grout
Submit the Well Abandonment Report within 90 days (recommended).
Construction Standards (We 600)
Casing & Grouting (We 602)
- Annular seal: Minimum 6 ft below grade (We 302.26)
- Bedrock wells: Grout from bottom of borehole to surface
- Overburden wells: Contractor-specified depth (adequate protection)
- Casing height: ≥18 inches above grade (outside flood zones)
- Flood zones: ≥3 ft above base-flood or known flood elevation
Setback Requirements (We 602.07–.10)
Disinfection (We 602.03)
All new wells must be chlorinated before use. Shock-chlorinate and flush until 50 ppm residual chlorine is achieved. Collect a bacteriological sample after disinfection and include results flag in completion report.
Pump Installation (We 602)
- No new wells inside enclosed pump houses (We 373.18)
- Casings rising ≥1 ft above finished floor if in building
- Tight sanitary seal around entry ports required
- Licensed pump installer required for all pump work
Permits
State Permits
NH does not issue a pre-drilling permit for private domestic wells. The Well Completion Report (within 90 days) fulfills the state notification requirement.
High-Capacity Wells
Wells withdrawing >20,000 gal/day (or 57,600 gal/day annually) require water use permitting from NHDES (RSA 485-A). The permit process requires:
- Hydrogeologic assessment and yield testing
- Water budget analysis
- Public notice and review
- Annual registration with NHDES
Local Permits
No county-level well permits exist in NH. However, check with the local town for building permits, road-opening permits, or occupancy requirements.
Special Well Types
- Closed-loop geothermal (We 602.37): Standard drilling license required. No special permit beyond contractor license.
- Open-loop geothermal (We 602.38): May require drinking water or injection well permit. Contact NHDES Groundwater Bureau.
- Monitoring wells: Licensed technical driller required (RSA 482-B). Discharging/reinjecting purge water may require UIC permit.
Drilling Conditions by Region
- Granite and schist bedrock (hard drilling)
- Low yields (few GPM typical)
- Diamond core bits or heavy-duty rotary required
- Locating fracture zones critical for adequate yield
- Radon common in granite formations
- Metamorphic gneiss/limestone bedrock
- Moderate yields in fracture zones
- Some glacial outwash in valleys
- Typical depths 100–250 ft
- Hardness common (calcium/magnesium)
- High arsenic risk zone (~19% wells >10 ppb)
- Bedrock fractures in granite/gneiss
- Limited gravel aquifers in coastal terraces
- Depths 100–300 ft typical
- Recommend arsenic testing for all wells
- Glacial outwash in Merrimack River valley
- Bedrock wells in upland areas
- Nitrate risk near agricultural areas
- Arsenic elevated in some bedrock zones
- Depths 100–200 ft common
Drilling Challenges
Hard Rock
Nearly all drillers encounter very hard, abrasive bedrock. Diamond core bits or heavy-duty rotary drills are essential. Expect slow drilling in granite/gneiss.
Low Yields
Fractured-bedrock wells often yield only a few GPM. Locating fracture zones (via geologic clues or air-hammer drilling) is critical. Some wells "go dry" seasonally.
Seasonal Recharge
Water tables peak in spring (thaw/heavy rains). Winter frost rarely penetrates below 3 ft. Track seasonal recharge patterns when siting wells.
Resources & Contacts
Regulatory References
- NH RSA 482-B – Water Well Board licensing and requirements
- NH Admin. Code We 600 – Well construction standards and reporting
- We 602.07 – Well location setbacks from septic systems
- We 604.05 – Well abandonment sealing procedures
Technical Resources
- USGS Fact Sheet 030-99 – NH bedrock aquifer characteristics
- USGS Fact Sheet 051-03 – Arsenic concentrations in SE NH bedrock wells
- Be Well Informed Guide – NHDES water quality interpretation tool
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for Homeowner Information?
Check out our New Hampshire well guide for homeowners covering costs, permits, and water quality.
New Hampshire Homeowner Well Guide →