Forms & Resources
Required before drilling starts per ECL §15-1525.
Access nForm ↗Required upon completion; DEC guidance asks for filing within 30 days. Email or mail to NYSDEC + copy to owner.
Get Completion Report ↗All Required Forms
- Preliminary Notice: File before drilling (well location, driller info, start date)
- Water Well Completion Report: Well log (depth, lithology, casing, yield, water chemistry)
- Abandonment & Decommissioning Report: When permanently sealing a well
- Water Well Contractor Registration: Annual renewal by March 31 ($10 fee)
Registration & Certification
New York requires NYSDEC registration for all water well contractors per Environmental Conservation Law §15-1525. No separate driller vs pump license - all must register as Water Well Contractors.
Required NGWA Exams
Pass NGWA exams: General Drilling + one specialty for drillers; Water Systems General + one pump exam for pump installers.
| Exam | Purpose | Fee | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Drilling | Required for all drillers | $75 | NGWA |
| One Specialty Drilling Exam | Water wells, monitoring, etc. | $75 | NGWA |
| Water Systems General | Required for pump installers | $75 | NGWA |
| One Pump Exam | Turbine, submersible, etc. | $75 | NGWA |
Registration Fees
| Registration Type | Annual Fee | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Water Well Contractor | $10 | Annual (expires March 31) |
| Combined (Driller + Pump) | $10 | Annual (expires March 31) |
Supervision Requirement
Continuing Education
No CE hours officially mandated. New York has no state CE requirement. Industry courses from NGWA or Empire State Drillers Assoc. are encouraged but not required.
Reporting & Documentation
| Document | Deadline | Submit To |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Notice | Before drilling starts | NYSDEC (nForm or paper) |
| Water Well Completion Report | Within 30 days (DEC guidance) | NYSDEC (email/mail) + copy to owner |
| Abandonment/Decommissioning Report | Upon sealing well | NYSDEC Bureau of Water Resources |
| Registration Renewal | March 31 annually | NYSDEC ($10 fee) |
Email completion and decommissioning reports to nyswaterwells@dec.ny.gov or mail them to DEC. nForm supports preliminary notices and contractor registration, not these reports. DEC guidance asks for completion reports within 30 days, with a copy to the owner. Capping, abandonment and decommissioning follow Appendix 5-A under Appendix 5-B.6(a).
Completion Report Requirements
The Water Well Completion Report must document:
- Depth and lithology (detailed formation descriptions)
- Water-bearing zones encountered
- Casing sizes, materials, and depths
- Grouting information (type, volume, method)
- Static water level and yield data
Construction Standards (10 NYCRR Appendix 5-B)
NYS Sanitary Code Appendix 5-B sets minimum construction standards for all private wells unless a formal variance is granted.
Casing & Grouting (Table 2)
- Casing ≥19 ft depth
- ≥5 ft below pump intake
- NO grout required (formation self-sealing)
- Casing to pump level
- Annulus must be pressure-grouted
- Bentonite or cement grout
- Casing firmly seated in rock
- ≥6″ diameter (larger for Appalachian big wells)
- Annulus grouted to surface
Setback Requirements (Table 1)
| Contamination Source | Minimum Distance |
|---|---|
| Septic tank or privy vault | 50 ft |
| Septic leach field, absorption bed, sanitary privy pit, barnyard, cemetery | 100 ft |
| Unlined fuel/chemical tank or seepage pit | 150 ft |
| Cesspools; manure storage (Note 4 allows 100 ft for controlled temporary piles ≤30 days or regulation-managed piles preventing contamination) | 200 ft; manure exception 100 ft |
Disinfection
Appendix 5-B requires chlorination of all new or altered wells. Use calcium hypochlorite with ~65–75% available chlorine, achieving 100–200 mg/L free Cl₂. Circulate and pump out until clear. Household bleach is often too weak.
Permits
County Well Permits
Homeowners obtain county well permits under NYS Public Health Law Appendix 5-B. The driller typically assists but the homeowner is responsible for securing the permit before drilling begins.
High-Capacity Wells (≥100,000 gpd)
Wells capable of ≥100,000 gallons/day (30-day average) require a DEC Water Withdrawal Permit under ECL Art. 15 Title 15. Ag facilities have higher thresholds and simplified registration. Annual withdrawal reports due by March 31.
Special Permits
- Geothermal (closed-loop ≤500 ft): Unregulated (Building Code only)
- Geothermal (open-loop/standing column >500 ft): Require DEC Mineral Resources permit (6 NYCRR 550-559). Closed-loop wells deeper than 500 ft are not currently subject to the same Mineral Resources requirements; DEC rulemaking is underway
- Monitoring wells: No special permit beyond driller license, but follow DEC guidance
- NYC wells: Require DOHMH well permit (NYC Health Code Art.141.17)
Drilling Conditions by Region
New York's geology is highly varied. Typical conditions by region:
- Precambrian/Ordovician bedrock (gneiss, granite, slate)
- Very hard crystalline/metamorphic rock - bits wear quickly
- Low yields (<5-10 gpm) unless fracturing hits
- Wells often >100 ft deep to reach fractures
- Annular grouting with bentonite critical through till
- Cambrian sandstone & shale - fairly hard, good fracturing
- Typical depths 100-300 ft
- Moderate yields (10-50 gpm) in clean sandstone
- Artesian pressure possible in valley floor
- Always grout casing across shallow sand seams
- Devonian shale/sandstone/limestone - interbedded layers
- Requires heavy bits (diamond or drag)
- Yields vary (10-50 gpm typical)
- Water often requires iron treatment
- Casing 2-4″ depending on yield, with grout
- Thick glacial sand/gravel aquifers - "blue/green zones"
- Primary aquifers yield 50-200+ gpm
- Wells in drift 50-150 ft; bedrock 100-400 ft
- Cavability issues require drill mud or casing
- Hard black Devonian shale/dolomite (Marcellus)
- Diamond core often needed for hardness
- Flows often low (<20 gpm) unless fractures
- Well depths 150-350 ft to find water
- Multi-layer aquifer system - very deep wells
- 500-1,200 ft through sand/gravel/clay layers
- Multiple casings (drive shoe through surface clay)
- Slotted screens in target aquifer
- Elaborate grout sequences to seal perched zones
- Flows can exceed 1000 gpm in municipal wells
Seasonal Considerations
Frozen Ground (Winter)
Upstate winters freeze ground 2-4 ft deep (deeper in Adirondacks). Cold slows drilling and pump tests. Mud up rig water or use antifreeze agents. Protect exposed hoses/pipes from freezing overnight.
Spring Flooding
Snowmelt and spring rains swamp sites and allow surface contaminants into shallow wells. Very high water tables in early spring. Ensure temporary casing/flushing to prevent turbidity. Cap/vent flood-prone sites.
Water-Table Fluctuations
Groundwater peaks late spring, lowest late summer/early fall. Dry wells most common at end of droughty summers. Design pumps conservatively with dry-well protection. Finish pump tests in summer/fall to determine true yield.
Mud/Dewater
In seasonally wet clay soils, expect slow mud settling and acid-swelling clay. Drilling in freezing rain or thawing ground yields sticky cuttings. Plan extra time/testing in shoulder seasons.
Resources & Contacts
NYSDEC Bureau of Water Resources Management
Registration, forms, reporting, general questions
PSI Services (Exam Scheduling)
Contractor exam administration; NGWA provides study materials and accommodations
Professional Associations
- Empire State Water Well Drillers Assoc. (ESWWDA): nywelldriller.org - Resources, training, member directory
- National Ground Water Association (NGWA): ngwa.org - Certification exams, technical info
Regulatory References
- 10 NYCRR Appendix 5-B – Standards for Water Wells
- NY ECL §15-1525 – Water well contractor registration
- 10 NYCRR App 5-B Table 2 – Casing, grouting, diameter standards
- 10 NYCRR App 5-B Table 1 – Required minimum separation distances
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I become a registered water well contractor in New York?
What exams are required for New York?
What reports must I file with NYSDEC?
What are the setback requirements?
Are there continuing education requirements?
Looking for Homeowner Information?
Check out our New York well guide for homeowners covering costs, permits, and water quality.
New York Homeowner Well Guide →Sources & References
All information sourced from official New York State agencies:
- NYSDEC - Water Well Contractor Program
- Cornell LII - 10 NYCRR Appendix 5-B
- Cornell LII - Appendix 5-B Table 2 (Casing & Grouting)
- Justia - Appendix 5-B Table 1 (Setbacks)
- FindLaw - NY ECL §15-1525
- NYSDEC - Water Well Decommissioning
- NYSDEC - Water Withdrawal Permits
- NYSDEC - Geothermal Wells Deeper Than 500 Feet
- NYSDEC - Groundwater Resources (Aquifer Maps)
- NGWA - Contractor State Licensing & Exams
- NYC Business - Well Water Permit