Forms & Resources
Required for every completed well. Due within 30 days.
Download Form ↗Required when abandoning/plugging a well. Due within 30 days.
Download Form ↗All OSE Forms
- Well Completion Report (Well Log): Required within 30 days of completion or repair
- Plugging Report: Required within 30 days after plugging
- License Application: For new driller license (includes bond, insurance proof, exam scores)
- License Renewal Form: Submit ≥10 days before expiration
- Plan of Operations (Artesian): Required before drilling any artesian (flowing) well
- Deep Non-Potable Well Plan: For drilling into deep, non-potable aquifers
Licensing Requirements
New Mexico requires an OSE-issued Well Driller's License for all well drilling (except driven wells ≤2⅜ inches diameter).
License Fees
License Requirements
- Surety Bond: $5,000
- Liability Insurance: $300,000
- Exams: NGWA General + Specialty + NM Code (70% minimum)
- Application Fee: $50
- Renewal Fee: $50 every 2 years
Exam Requirements
The New Mexico Code exam has no fee and is self-administered by appointment with OSE. Applicants must pass with 70% minimum score.
Drill Rig Supervisor Registration
Drill rig operators must register as Drill Rig Supervisors under a licensed driller. Requirements:
- ≥2 years on-site experience under a licensed driller
- Listed on driller's license renewal form
- Must complete 8 hours CE every 2 years (same as drillers)
- Renew via driller's renewal form (attach CE proof)
- No separate exam or fee
Continuing Education
- Hours required: 8 hours per 2-year renewal cycle
- Mandatory topic: 2 hours on New Mexico well statutes and regulations
- Providers: OSE-approved courses only (see OSE CE page for current course list)
- Record retention: Keep certificates; submit copies with renewal
Reporting & Documentation
Well Completion Report Requirements
- Driller name, license number, drill rig supervisor(s)
- GPS location (latitude/longitude)
- Drilling dates and total depth
- Final casing details (sizes, materials, depths)
- Water-bearing zones encountered
- Casing and sealant materials (annular seal details)
- Lithology (formation descriptions/cutting logs)
- Static/gauge water levels
- Yield estimates (measured by bailer, pumping test, etc.)
- Grouting/annulus placement details
Plugging Report Requirements
When abandoning a well, file a Plugging Record with OSE and the permit holder within 30 days. Report must include:
- Owner name and well location (GPS)
- Driller and rig supervisor info
- Date when plugging began
- Date when plugging completed
- Well depths and casing details
- Intervals and types of plug material used
- Quantities of cement/bentonite
Record Retention
By statute, drillers in artesian basins must keep a complete record and log. In practice, all drillers should retain copies of all logs, lithologic samples, CE certificates, and report copies for at least several years.
Construction Standards (NMAC 19.27.4)
Primary regulations: NMAC 19.27.4 – Rules and Regulations Governing Well Driller Licensing; Construction, Repair and Plugging of Wells. Statutory basis: NMSA 72-12-12 through 72-12-17.
Casing Materials & Installation
- Material: Steel (ASTM/API), adequate wall thickness to withstand formation pressure
- Centralization: Casings must be centralized with float-shoe/joint designed for even grouting
- NSF Certification: All materials for potable wells must be NSF/ANSI Standard 60 certified
Annular Seal (Grouting)
- Minimum depth: Annular seal from surface to at least 20 ft depth (or to bottom of casing if shallower)
- Aquifer isolation: Seal each aquifer to prevent cross-contamination/cross-flow
- Surface casing: If used, seal between surface and production casing
Wellhead Completion
- Height: Casing must extend ≥18 inches above grade (or vault floor)
- Cap: Secured, vermin-proof, vented cap required
- Traffic areas: Monitoring wells in traffic areas require flush-mount vaults with sealed, lockable lids
Setback Requirements
Wells must be sited away from contamination sources per applicable state/local requirements. Specific setback distances for septic systems, lagoons, etc. vary by locality.
Permits
Domestic vs. High-Capacity Wells
Single household and livestock (up to 3 acre-ft/year under NMSA 72-12-3).
- Well construction permit required (OSE)
- No water-rights permit needed
- Driller typically handles application
Irrigation, industrial, commercial, municipal use.
- Water-rights permit required BEFORE drilling
- Application via OSE NMWRRS system
- Filing fee: ~$150–$200
- Legal notice publication required
- Process: several weeks to months
Special Permits
- Artesian (flowing) wells: A Plan of Operations must be submitted before drilling. Describes how uncontrolled flow will be managed and ensures prior land-owner approval.
- Deep Non-Potable Wells: Drilling into deep, non-potable aquifers requires a Deep Non-Potable Well Plan of Operations (OSE form).
- Geothermal Wells: Regulated under NM Geothermal Act (NMAC 19.11.4). Requires permit from NM Energy, Minerals & Natural Resources Dept (not OSE driller license).
- Monitoring/Injection Wells: May require NMED permits (e.g. Underground Injection Control). Not covered by driller-license rules.
Drilling Conditions by Region
Key Hydrogeologic Units
- Santa Fe and Albuquerque Basins
- Unconsolidated Santa Fe Group sands/gravel
- Typical depths: 50–700 ft in valleys
- Watch for borehole collapse in soft sediments
- Lost circulation possible
- Arsenic common in Albuquerque Basin
- Ogallala Formation (Tertiary alluvium)
- Eastern panhandle: sand/gravel
- Typical depths: 50–200 ft
- Water tables can drop significantly in drought
- Nitrates elevated in agricultural zones
- Mancos Shale, Dakota Sandstone, Mesaverde, basalt flows
- Often deep drilling (>1000 ft)
- Artesian zones common in deep aquifers
- Blowout prevention equipment critical
- Permian red beds and carbonates
- Typical depths: 500–2000 ft (Artesia, Roswell)
- Hard limestone/dolomite formations
- Salt/clay layers can swell or block wells
- Tertiary volcanics and Mesozoic rocks
- Hard rock drilling (basalt, granite, limestone)
- Slows drilling; accelerates tool wear
- Shallow perched aquifers common
- Arsenic often elevated in Tertiary volcanics
- Fractured basalts and tuffs
- Water from cracks and fractures
- Arsenic common in volcanic areas
- Lost circulation in voids
Common Challenges
Hard Rock
Northern and mountainous regions encounter rock (basalt, granite, limestone). Requires cable-tool or strong bits. Slows drilling and accelerates tool wear.
Soft Sediments
Rio Grande valleys and alluvial plains: unconsolidated sands/gravels can collapse without proper casing/centralizers. Lost circulation possible.
Artesian/Flowing Wells
San Juan Basin and deep aquifers (High Plains). Control blowout risk using blowout preventers or temporary caps.
Chemically Aggressive Waters
Some areas have corrosive or silty water. May require stainless steel for well parts or aggressive drill-fluid management.
Seasonal Considerations
- Freeze depth: Northern/cold areas (Raton, Taos) – ground may freeze 1–3 ft deep; winterize drilling rigs. Southern deserts have virtually no frost.
- Rain & flooding: Late-spring snowmelt and summer monsoon rains raise water tables rapidly; seal completed wells quickly to prevent surface contamination.
- Water table swings: Seasonal recharge (monsoon) can raise static levels many feet vs. dry season. Monitor during development.
- Access: Rains can wash out roads in washes. Schedule drilling when access is reliable.
Typical Well Depths by Use
- Domestic wells: 100–500 ft (varies widely by region)
- Irrigation/Agricultural: 200–2000 ft (varies by basin)
- High Plains/San Juan municipal: Can exceed 1500–3000 ft
- Santa Fe/Albuquerque area: 500–1200 ft typical
- Mountainous areas: Often <300 ft (perched groundwater or small alluvial fills)
Special Requirements & Advisories
Arsenic Advisory Areas
Naturally high arsenic levels occur in NM – especially in volcanic/shale regions (Jemez Mountains, Albuquerque Basin, parts of Gila and White Sands areas). Drillers should be aware that new wells in these areas may produce water above the 10 ppb MCL. Advise water testing and treatment (RO or other). No special casing requirements in code for arsenic, but notification to well owners is essential.
Other Contaminants
- Nitrate/nitrite: Often high in agricultural areas (eastern NM farmland)
- Uranium: Can exceed 30 µg/L in northwest wells (Grants-Cibola uranium belt)
- Fuel/oil spills or mining: Locally can contaminate zones
No additional drilling technique legally mandated for these contaminants (beyond general sealing standards), but well-drillers should notify well owners of any known regional contamination and strongly recommend water-quality testing.
Resources & Contacts
OSE District Offices
District offices process water-rights permits and maintain well records:
- District 1 – Albuquerque: 505-383-4000 (Central NM)
- District 2 – Roswell: 575-622-6521 (SE NM/Pecos Valley)
- District 3 – Deming: 575-546-2851 (SW NM)
- District 4 – Las Cruces: 575-524-6161 (S. Central NM)
- District 5 – Aztec: 505-383-4571 (NW NM)
- District 6 – Santa Fe: 505-827-6120 (NC NM including Espanola)
- District 7 – Cimarron: 575-376-2918 (NE NM including Raton)
Professional Associations
- New Mexico Ground Water Association (NMGWA): www.nmgwa.org – Industry news, conferences, training
- National Ground Water Association (NGWA): www.ngwa.org – Exams, technical resources
- American Ground Water Trust: Technical publications and advocacy
Regulatory References
- NMAC 19.27.4 – Well Driller Licensing; Construction, Repair and Plugging of Wells (Sections 19.27.4.12–.31)
- NMSA 72-13-5 – Artesian well drilling records and logs
- NMSA 3-53-1.1 – Municipal well restrictions
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for Homeowner Information?
Check out our New Mexico well guide for homeowners covering costs, permits, and water quality.
New Mexico Homeowner Well Guide →Sources & References
- NMAC 19.27.4 - Rules Governing Well Driller Licensing; Construction, Repair and Plugging of Wells
- NMSA 72-13-5 - Artesian well drilling records
- NMSA 3-53-1.1 - Municipal well restrictions
- NMAC 19.11.4 - Geothermal Resources Act
- ContractorExam - NM ES-10J Pump Installer Exam
- NMOSE - Well Drillers Licensing Program
- NMOSE - Well Driller Forms
- NMOSE - Well Driller Continuing Education
- NMED - Ground Water Quality Bureau
- New Mexico Tech - Geologic Hazards: Arsenic