Forms & Resources
Well Permit Application (DEP-428)
Required before drilling begins. Joint application by owner and driller.
Access e-Permitting ↗Well Record (DEP-502)
Construction log due within 90 days of completion.
Submit Online ↗All NJDEP Forms
- DEP-428: Well Permit Application (e-Permitting system)
- DEP-502: Well Record (Construction Log) – as-built data
- Well Decommissioning Report: Sealing/abandonment documentation
- DEP-565: Well Search Questionnaire (for missing well records)
- License Applications: Initial license and renewal applications
Online Submission
All permit applications, well records, and decommissioning reports must be submitted electronically via NJDEP's e-Permitting portal, except the limited paper fallback in N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.11(f). The licensed driller submits permit applications after both owner and driller sign. To register for portal access, email wellpermitting@dep.nj.gov with subject "Request to Register to Use Electronic Permitting". GPS coordinates must be in NAD83 state plane format.
Licensing Requirements
New Jersey requires licensed drillers and pump installers per N.J.S.A. 58:4A-11. All applicants must pass NGWA certification exams within 2 years of applying.
License Types & Experience Requirements
| License Type | Experience Required | NGWA Exams |
|---|---|---|
| Master Driller | 5 years (2 as Journeyman) | 7 NGWA modules + NJ regs |
| Journeyman | 3 years under supervision | 5 NGWA modules + NJ regs |
| Journeyman Class B | 3 years under supervision | Varies by specialty |
| Environmental/Geotechnical (ERG) | 2 years supervised; 5 wells in prior 5 years | ERG modules + NJ regs |
| Vertical Closed-Loop Geothermal (VCLG) | 2 years supervised; 5 wells in prior 5 years | VCLG modules + NJ regs |
| Dewatering Well Driller | 2 years supervised; 5 wells in prior 5 years | See N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.8 Table 1 |
| Elevator Borehole Well Driller | 2 years drilling elevator boreholes under a Master, Journeyman, Class B or Elevator Borehole driller | See N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.8 Table 1 |
| Pump Installer | 2 years under supervision | Pump modules + NJ regs |
License Fees
| License/Fee Type | Fee | Term/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All Well Driller classes | $300 | 3 years |
| Pump Installer | $150 | 3 years |
| Late Renewal Surcharge | +$50 | Within 6 months |
| Late CE Administration | +$500 | Missed CE deadline |
Continuing Education
- Hours required: 21 hours per 3-year renewal cycle (increased from 7 hrs as of April 1, 2023)
- Evidence deadline: By April 1 preceding the June 30 renewal date
- Providers: DEP pre-approved courses only (submitted ≥90 days before course)
- Record retention: Keep certificates for 1 year after course date
- Content: Must be related to well drilling/pump installation (no sales-focused courses)
CE Increase
As of April 1, 2023, CE requirements increased from 7 hours to 21 hours per 3-year cycle. Late CE administration fee is $500 if missed.
NGWA Exam Requirements
Examples for common license types:
- Master Well Driller: General Drilling, Augering & Monitoring, two rotary methods, both Water Systems modules, and NJ Master Driller regulations
- Journeyman: General Drilling, Augering, one rotary method, Water Systems, and NJ Journeyman regulations
Reporting & Documentation
| Document | Deadline | Submit To |
|---|---|---|
| Well Record (Construction Log) | 90 days after completion | NJDEP e-Permitting |
| Well Decommissioning Report | 90 days after completion | NJDEP e-Permitting |
| License Renewal | By June 30 (every 3 years) | NJDEP online |
| Continuing Education (CE) | By April 1 (before renewal) | Evidence on file with DEP |
Well Record Requirements (DEP-502)
The well record must include:
- Location (GPS coordinates in NAD83 state plane)
- Drilling dates and completion date
- Total depth and borehole diameter
- Lithology (formation descriptions by depth)
- Casing sizes, materials, and depths
- Well screen specifications (if used)
- Grouting/sealing information (materials, volumes, methods)
- Static water level and well yield
- Pump test data (if conducted)
- Driller\'s name and license number
Amended Records
If a pump ≥70 gpm is installed after the initial well record submission, file an amended log within 90 days showing pump capacity and installer information.
Well Permit Requirements
| Permit Type | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Well (pump <70 gpm) | $130 | Most domestic wells |
| High-Capacity Well (pump ≥70 gpm) | $250 | Large pumps, irrigation, public supply |
| Site-Wide Permit (10+ wells) | $1,300 | Single permit for multiple wells |
Valid period: Standard permits valid 1 year; domestic use permits valid 2 years. Must be kept on-site during drilling and available for inspection.
Pre-Drill Requirement
A valid NJDEP well permit is required before drilling begins. The owner and driller sign; the licensed driller submits the application. For emergencies, contact NJDEP the same day (next working day if after hours) and submit the application electronically before drilling. If electronic submission is unavailable, fax before drilling; signed paper forms and fees follow within five business days of the emergency permit number (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.12).
Construction Standards (N.J.A.C. 7:9D)
General Requirements (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.2)
- Licensed driller must be on-site at all times during drilling
- All construction water must be potable quality
- All equipment must be clean to prevent contamination
- Hazardous drilling wastes must be handled per N.J.A.C. 7:26G
- Suspended/delayed boreholes must be abandoned as interim wells
Casing Requirements (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.3)
- Category 1 potable wells (rock): Minimum 6 inches inner diameter
- Category 1 potable wells (unconsolidated): Casing at least 4 inches inner diameter and 50 ft deep, screen at least 2 inches, and 50 ft of grout seal above the gravel pack or screen
- Casing height: Minimum 12 inches above grade
- Cap/vent: Down-facing screened vents at least 12" above grade
- Seal: Pitless adapter or watertight sanitary seal required
- Joints: Watertight (welded, threaded, or gasketed per WSC Pas-97)
- Materials: Corrosion-resistant steel or cement-lined as appropriate
Annular Sealing (Grouting)
Timing: All annuli must be grouted within 24 hours after casing is set
Approved materials (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.9):
- Neat Portland cement
- Cement-bentonite mixes
- Bentonite slurries (ASTM D5084 permeability ≤1×10⁻⁷ cm/s)
- Cementitious geothermal grouts (for closed-loop wells)
- Sodium-bentonite chips/pellets (gravity fill to 50 ft depth only)
Methods (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.10): Tremie-pipe or displacement methods required. Casing must remain suspended and vibrated to allow grout flow.
Setback Requirements (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.7)
The sewage-component distances are for Category 1 wells; Category 2 also has the 5-ft building and 25-ft fuel-tank rules. The Department may reduce the 150-ft seepage-pit distance as a permit condition with casing sealed into a confining layer or additional casing; greater distances may be required for contamination or threatening geology (7:9D-2.7).
| Contamination Source | Minimum Distance |
|---|---|
| Building sewers | 25 ft |
| Septic tanks, distribution boxes and dry wells | 50 ft |
| Drain fields (leach fields) | 100 ft |
| Seepage pits | 150 ft |
| Cesspools | 150 ft |
| Fuel storage tanks (Category 1 and 2) | 25 ft |
| Buildings other than pump houses (Category 1 and 2) | 5 ft horizontally; Category 1: 20 ft from wood frame buildings |
| Category 1 water service lines: building sewer / cesspool / other listed sewage components | 5 ft / 25 ft / 10 ft |
Increased Setbacks
DEP may increase setback requirements in fractured rock areas or zones of known contamination to protect water supplies. Always verify site-specific requirements.
Disinfection
All potable supply wells (Category 1) must be disinfected after installation, redevelopment, repair, or pump work per N.J.A.C. 7:10-11 (Safe Drinking Water rules). Common practice: shock chlorination with documented results.
Permits & Special Cases
High-Capacity / Public-Supply Wells
Wells producing ≈100,000 gpd (about 70 gpm) or intended for public supply/injection require detailed DEP review and approval. Applicants must include hydrogeologic data. DEP issues Certificates of Approval per N.J.S.A. 58:4A-18.
General Permit-by-Rule (No DEP Permit)
A licensed driller may do these activities without an individual permit, and no well record or decommissioning report is required for them (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.11(g), (h)); the work must still meet the construction and decommissioning standards:
- Well repair/redevelopment
- Pitless adapter installations (including by pump installers)
- In-kind well screen replacements
- Soil borings and Category 4 wells 50 ft or less deep and 8.5" or less in diameter
- Cathodic protection wells 50 ft or less deep and 6" or less in diameter
- Dewatering wells and wellpoints 25 ft or less deep and 6" or less in diameter
- Elevator jackholes with proper casing
Note
N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.11(h) expressly exempts permit-by-rule activities from well records and decommissioning reports. Work requiring an individual permit remains subject to the reporting requirements of N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.15. Decommissioning any other well requires a decommissioning report within 90 days (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.15(c)), and some wells (no well record, saltwater intrusion, multiple casings) need DEP approval of a decommissioning plan first (N.J.A.C. 7:9D-3.1).
Site-Wide Permits
A single permit covering 10 or more wells of the same use on one property (e.g., monitoring or dewatering wells) is available for $1,300. After drilling, submit one combined Well Record form listing all wells.
Geothermal & Remediation Wells
Closed-loop geothermal (Category 5) and environmental/monitoring wells (Category 3/4) follow the same permitting process with specific N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2 standards. Deep injection wells for remediation require separate approvals from DEP's Ground Water Remediation program.
Drilling Conditions by Region
Northern NJ (Highlands/Piedmont)
- Fractured crystalline (granite/gneiss) and Triassic basin rocks
- Hard-rock drilling (slow, may need cable tool)
- Yields vary; limestone fractures can produce >100 gpm
- Watch for arsenic in Piedmont lacustrine sediments
- Karst conditions possible in limestone valleys
Central NJ (Highlands Border)
- Hard metamorphics with moderate yields (10–50 gpm)
- Best yields in weathered zones
- Limestone valleys (Sussex, Warren) yield very well
- Potential for cavity collapse in karst areas
- Seasonal water table variations
Coastal Plain (South of Fall Line)
- Thick sands and gravels (high-yield confined aquifers)
- Fast drilling (air rotary common)
- Typical depths: 500–2,000 ft
- Artesian conditions possible in deep confined units
- Brackish water common at depth
- Boreholes may require dewatering or drilling fluids
Pine Barrens
- Sand aquifer with shallow water table
- Very soft, acidic water (pH 3.8–5.2)
- Brown color common (high iron)
- Fast drilling in sand formations
- Watch for borehole collapse in loose sands
Seasonal Considerations
- Winter: Frozen ground (1–3 ft depth) can impede shallow drilling
- Spring: High water table from rains; potential site flooding and mud
- Summer: Drought can lower yields; easier site access
- Fall: Optimal drilling conditions in many regions
Aquifer Maps
Reference the USGS NJ Aquifer Maps for detailed geology and typical drilling conditions by region.
Resources & Contacts
NJDEP Well Permitting Section
Well permit applications and questions
NJDEP Licensing Unit
Driller and pump installer licensing, CE questions
National Ground Water Association (NGWA)
Certification exams, training, industry standards
Online Tools & Resources
- NJDEP e-Permitting Portal – Well permit applications, well records, decommissioning reports
- Well Search Questionnaire (DEP-565): Used to locate missing well records
- Lost/Destroyed Well Guidance: DEP guidance for handling irretrievable wells
- DataMiner/GIS: NJDEP database for existing well logs/permits by map search
Regulatory References
- N.J.A.C. 7:9D – Well Construction and Maintenance; Sealing of Abandoned Wells
- N.J.S.A. 58:4A (Chapter 4A) – Licensing and CE requirements
- N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.2 – General construction requirements
- N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.3 – Casing and completion requirements
- N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.7 – Minimum distance requirements (setbacks)
- N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.9 – Grouting materials
- N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.10 – Grouting procedures
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I renew my New Jersey driller license?
Renew online through NJDEP before June 30 of your expiration year. Fee is $300 for drillers or $150 for pump installers. You must complete 21 hours of CE (increased from 7 hrs as of April 2023) before renewal, with evidence on file by April 1.
What are the CE requirements for New Jersey drillers?
21 hours every 3 years (increased from 7 hrs as of April 1, 2023). Courses must be related to well drilling/pump installation and pre-approved by DEP. Providers submit course outlines ≥90 days before the course. Keep certificates for 1 year after course date for audit purposes.
How soon must I file the well record?
Within 90 days after well completion. Submit electronically via NJDEP e-Permitting system with GPS coordinates in NAD83 state plane. Include depth, lithology, casing/screen details, grouting, water levels, and yield data.
What are the setback requirements in New Jersey?
Category 1 (potable) wells: 50 ft from septic tanks, 100 ft from drain fields, 150 ft from seepage pits and cesspools. DEP may increase setbacks in fractured rock or areas of contamination. See N.J.A.C. 7:9D-2.7 for complete requirements.
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