Forms & Resources
Required 72 hours before starting any well work. Submit online with a SAW account, or request a paper form at wclo@ecy.wa.gov.
Submit NOI Online ↗Required for every completed well. Due within 30 days.
Download Form ↗All Ecology Forms
- ECY 050-1-20: Water Well Construction Report
- ECY 050-12: Resource Protection Well Report
- ECY 050-1-21B: Trainee License Application
- ECY 050-1-22: Operator License Renewal Application
- ECY 050-1-21A: Operator License Application
- NOI Forms: Water Well, Monitoring Well, Dewatering Well (online or request paper at wclo@ecy.wa.gov)
Licensing Requirements
Washington requires licensed operators to construct or decommission wells per RCW 18.104 and WAC 173-162. Exemptions are narrow. RCW 18.104.180 says no license is required of: "(1) Any individual who personally constructs a well on land which is owned or leased by the individual or in which the individual has a beneficial interest as a contract purchaser and is used by the individual for farm or single-family residential use only. An individual who constructs a well without a license pursuant to this subsection shall comply with all other requirements of this chapter and rules adopted by the department, including but not limited to, well construction standards, payment of well construction fees, and notification of well construction required by RCW 18.104.048. An individual without a license may construct not more than one well every two years pursuant to the provisions of this subsection." and "(2) An individual who performs labor or services for a well contractor in connection with the construction of a well at the direction and under the supervision and control of a licensed operator who is present at the construction site."
License Types & Fees
| License Type | Fee | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Trainee License (Water or Resource) | $75 | 2 years, not renewable; WAC 173-162-075: "A training license cannot be renewed. However, a one-time extension may be granted upon show of good cause by the trainee. The limit of the extension shall be for no longer than twenty-four months." |
| Water Well Operator License | $75 | 2 years |
| Resource Protection Well Operator | $75 | 2 years |
| License Renewal | $75 per license | 2 years |
Path to Operator License
1. Trainee License
- Submit application (ECY 050-1-21B) + $75 fee
- Complete 600 hours drilling under licensed operator
- Complete 6 CEUs
- Pass written exam and Ecology field test
- Maintain daily drill log (signed by supervising driller)
- License is valid for 2 years. WAC 173-162-075: "A training license cannot be renewed. However, a one-time extension may be granted upon show of good cause by the trainee. The limit of the extension shall be for no longer than twenty-four months." The extension fee is $75.
2. Operator License
- New applicants: 5,400 hours experience + 32 CEUs
- From WA trainee: 3,600 hours experience + 14 CEUs
- Out-of-state (3+ years): Proof of license + experience + 32 CEUs
- Pass written exam and possible field competency test
Continuing Education
- Units required: 14 CEUs per 2-year renewal cycle (a core class earns 1 unit per hour; other course groups earn less)
- Mandatory topic: 2 CEUs on Washington well laws/regulations
- Providers: Ecology-approved providers only
- Topics: Drilling technology, safety, groundwater science, HAZMAT, business skills
- Submission: Email certificates to wclo@ecy.wa.gov before renewal; look up your CEU total in the My Driller Portal
A trainee license lasts two years and cannot be renewed. Ecology may grant one extension for good cause, up to 24 months, with a $75 fee and 7 CEUs per year unless waived. Operator licenses renew every two years; an expired operator license has only a 30-day late-renewal window.
For applications received on or after June 1, 2026, Ecology uses a 20-day decision deadline after a renewal is complete, a new license application and all required exams are complete, or a trainee graduation application is complete. If Ecology misses that deadline, the application fee is refunded automatically.
Reporting & Documentation
| Document | Deadline | Submit To |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of Intent (NOI) | 72 hours before start | Ecology WCL System |
| Well Construction Report | 30 days after completion | Ecology (ECY 050-1-20) |
| Decommissioning Report | 30 days after plugging | Ecology |
| License Renewal | Before the 2-year license expires. WAC 173-162-080(4): "If your license has expired, you will have thirty days in which to renew it. The thirty-day extension period is to be used only to submit a late application and fee. It is not to be used to gain continuing education units. You must not engage in any licensed activities during this time." | Ecology Cashiering Office (ECY 050-1-22) |
| CE Certificates | Before renewal (the 30-day late window cannot be used to gain CEUs) | wclo@ecy.wa.gov |
Notice of Intent (NOI) Requirements
Property owner or contractor must notify Ecology at least 72 hours before starting work:
- Owner name and address, and well location (street address, county, quarter-quarter section, township, range, tax parcel number)
- Intended use and start date
- Contractor registration number
- Operator/licensee name and license number
- Company name
NOI Fees by Well Type
| Well Type | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water well (<12″ casing) | $200 | Per well |
| Water well (≥12″ casing) | $300 | Per well |
| Ground-source heat pump (≤4 units) | $40 | Per system |
| Additional GSHP/Grounding (>4) | $10 | Each additional |
| Dewatering well system | $40 | Per 200 ft of system |
| Water well decommissioning | $50 | Each well |
| GSHP/grounding decommission | $20 | Each bore |
Well Construction Report Requirements
Due within 30 days of completion. Must include:
- Owner and operator details, well-tag number
- Location (address and section/township)
- Dates, well purpose, total depth
- Casing depth/material, hole diameter
- Drilling method, seal materials and depths
- Geology log (stratigraphy)
- Yield test data (gpm, drawdown, recovery)
Construction Standards (WAC 173-160)
Casing Materials
- Steel: Corrosion-resistant steel meeting ASTM specifications (see WAC 173-160-201). WAC 173-160-201(2): "The casing shall withstand typical forces which act upon it during and after installation. It shall be resistant to the corrosive effects of the surrounding formations, earth, and water and shall be impervious to any contaminants encountered." New or like-new steel meeting ASTM A-53 A or B or better, with minimum wall thickness by diameter (WAC 173-160-201 Table 1); joined by watertight weld or screw coupling
- Plastic: Meets ANSI/ASTM F 480 and carries the NSF seal for potable water; SDR 21 (Class 200) is the minimum; installed only in an oversized hole at least 4 in. larger than the pipe or coupling, never driven
- Minimum specs vary by depth and pressure
- Casing must extend at least 6 in. above the ground surface, and 2 ft above the 100-year flood level where the site floods (WAC 173-160-291)
- Casing must isolate all aquifers
Annular Seal (Grouting)
- WAC 173-160-231: "The surface seal must extend from land surface to a minimum depth of eighteen feet. Except, when the minimum surface seal requirements for driven, jetted, dewatering and some dug wells are less than eighteen feet." The seal goes in an annular space "a minimum of four inches greater in diameter than the nominal size of the permanent casing".
- "After the permanent casing has been set in final position, the annular space shall be filled to land surface with bentonite or neat cement grout or neat cement. Leaving voids for future installation of equipment such as a pitless adapter is prohibited."
- Use cement or bentonite to preserve natural confining layers
- Seal must prevent cross-contamination between aquifers
- Follow WAC 173-160-231 and -241 specifications
Setback Requirements
| Contamination Source | Minimum Distance |
|---|---|
| Septic tanks, sewer lines, holding tanks | 50 ft |
| Drainfields and contamination sources | 100 ft |
| Permitted solid-waste landfills | 1,000 ft |
| Existing buildings or projections (no wells inside garages, barns, storage buildings or dwellings) | 5 ft |
Disinfection (WAC 173-160-331)
All equipment and materials entering a new well must be free of contaminants. After completion:
- Flush well and pump clean
- Add chlorine to give 50 ppm free chlorine in the standing water
- Leave it in the well at least 24 hours
- After 24 hours at least 1 ppm free chlorine must remain; then flush the well free of chlorine and take a sample
- Let rinse water dissipate before discharging it to surface water
Permits
Water Right Permits
Wells pumping above exempt-use thresholds require a water-right permit from Ecology (RCW 90.44.050):
- Exempt: RCW 90.44.050: "any withdrawal of public groundwaters for stock-watering purposes, or for the watering of a lawn or of a noncommercial garden not exceeding one-half acre in area, or for single or group domestic uses in an amount not exceeding five thousand gallons a day, or as provided in RCW 90.44.052, or for an industrial purpose in an amount not exceeding five thousand gallons a day, is and shall be exempt from the provisions of this section"
- Permit required: Withdrawals outside the statutory exemptions
- Contact Ecology Water Resources program for applications
County/Local Permits
Ecology delegates well construction enforcement to Clark, Grant, Jefferson, Kitsap, Kittitas, Mason, Okanogan, Pierce, San Juan, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom and Yakima counties. King County has its own private-well source-site review but is not Ecology-delegated. Contact local health department before drilling:
- Some counties require their own drilling permits or site approvals
- The Streamflow Restoration Act (chapter 90.94 RCW) adds requirements and fees for new permit-exempt wells in several watersheds
- May mandate connection to public water system in some areas
- Check Ecology's delegated counties list
Special Well Types
- Geothermal/Heat Pump Bores: Regulated as wells (WAC 173-160-453). NOI fees are $40 for first four bores, $10 each additional.
- Monitoring/Remediation Wells: Classified as "resource protection wells." Require licensed operator and Ecology NOI. Fee: $40 per well.
- Public Water Supply Wells: Additional DOH requirements (WAC 246-290).
Drilling Conditions by Region
- Shallow aquifers in glacial-outwash sands/gravels
- Typical depth: 30-150 ft
- Yields: 5-50 gpm (moderate)
- Loose sediments, may encounter perched water
- Casing extends to confining units ~30-50 ft
- Seasonal high water tables in late winter
- Columbia River Basalts and sediments
- Typical depth: 200-600+ ft
- Yields: Very high (100+ gpm)
- Fractured basalt and sand/gravel aquifers
- Multiple screened intervals common
- Artesian pressures possible
- Quality varies (iron, arsenic in some areas)
- Mountainous terrain, bedrock common
- Fractured rock (metamorphic/volcanic)
- Many wells >300 ft (basalt or granite)
- Artesian flows in confined fractures
- Yields vary widely
- Winter snow limits high-elevation work
- Similar glacial geology to Puget Lowland
- Heavy rainfall, high water tables
- Risk of perched flow
- Shallow casing common
- Possible artesian heads from confined layers
Resources & Contacts
WA Ecology Well Construction & Licensing
Technical support, licensing questions
WA Ecology Well Administration
Forms, fees, general admin
WA Ecology CEU & Reporting
Continuing education, report submission
WA L&I Plumbing Certification
Pump installer licenses (PL03/03A)
Regulatory References
- WAC 173-160 – Minimum Standards for Construction and Maintenance of Wells
- WAC 173-162 – Regulation and Licensing of Well Contractors and Operators
- RCW 18.104 – Water Well Construction
- RCW 90.44 – Regulation of Public Groundwaters
Professional Associations
- Washington State Ground Water Association (WSGWA)
Phone: 360-757-1551
Email: info@wsgwa.org
Website: www.wsgwa.org
Training, advocacy, and networking for WA drillers
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Washington well driller license?
What are the CE requirements for Washington drillers?
How soon must I file the Notice of Intent?
What are the setback requirements in Washington?
Looking for Homeowner Information?
Check out our Washington well guide for homeowners covering costs, permits, and water quality.
Washington Homeowner Well Guide →