Forms & Resources
Required for every completed well. Due within 30 days.
Submit Online (MyWisID) ↗Required when filling and sealing a well or drillhole. Submit within 30 days after the work is completed.
Access Portal ↗Common DNR Forms
- 3300-014I: Driller License Application
- 3300-093: Experience Voucher (for driller exam eligibility)
- 3300-094: Pump Installer Exam Application
- 3300-190: Training Report (for non-approved CE courses)
- 3300-295: High-Capacity Well Approval Application ($500 fee)
- 3300-258: High Capacity Dewatering Well Application
- 3300-255: Geothermal Drilling Approval (if required)
- 3300-321: Application for Treatment to Control Contaminants in a Private Water Supply
- 3300-005: Well / Drillhole / Borehole Filling & Sealing Report
Licensing Requirements
Wisconsin requires licensed drillers and pump installers per Wis. Stat. § 280.15 and NR 146.
License Fees
| License Type | Fee | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Water Well Driller | $50 | Annual (renew by Jan 1) |
| Pump Installer | $25 | Annual (renew by Jan 1) |
| Heat Exchange Driller | $50 | Annual (renew by Jan 1) |
| Drilling Rig Operator (registration) | $25 | Annual (renew by Jan 1) |
| Late Renewal Penalty | +$15 | After Jan 1 |
Exam Requirements
| License | Requirement | Exam Fee | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Well Driller | 2 years as registered rig operator | $50 | 75% |
| Pump Installer | None (direct exam) | $25 | 75% |
| Heat Exchange Driller | 2 years rig operator experience | $50 | 75% |
Experience Requirements
Water Well Driller: Must complete 2 years as a registered drilling rig operator under a licensed driller before applying for driller exam. Submit Form 3300-093 (Experience Voucher) signed by supervising driller.
Pump Installer: No experience requirement. Can take exam directly.
Continuing Education
| CE Category | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Code Compliance (Water Law) | 1 required | Required annually per license |
| License-Specific Topics | 3 required | Water well, pump or heat exchange training for your license |
| Electives | 2 | Approved elective training; total 6 CECs per license |
CE Details:
- Total: 6 hours per calendar year per license; first-time licensees are exempt for their first renewal
- Mandatory: 1 code-compliance hour and 3 hours specific to the license; 2 elective hours
- Providers report attendance automatically to DNR
- Track your CE: DNR CE Portal
- Contact: DNRDGCONTINUINGEDUCATION@wisconsin.gov
Reporting & Documentation
| Document | Deadline | Submit To |
|---|---|---|
| Well Construction Report (WCR) | 30 days after completion | DNR online system (apps.dnr.wi.gov/wcr) |
| Well Filling & Sealing Report | Within 30 days after filling and sealing | DNR online portal (MyWisID required) |
| License Renewal | By Jan 1 annually | DNR online or mail by Jan 1; online required after Mar 2, 2027, unless exempt |
| CE Certificates | Before renewal (6 hrs/yr) | Provider reports automatically |
Well Construction Report Requirements
The WCR must include:
- Depth and lithology (formation descriptions, bore log)
- Water-bearing zones encountered and static water level
- Casing sizes, materials, depths, and joint types
- Grouting/sealing information (material, depth, method)
- Pump test data (if conducted, including yield)
- DNR notification number on the report
- Well owner information and location
Well Abandonment/Sealing
Only licensed drillers/pump installers may abandon wells (since 2008). Wells must be sealed "bottom-up" with approved materials per NR 812.26. Submit Well Filling & Sealing Report electronically (mandatory since July 2016).
Construction Standards (NR 812)
Casing Materials
- Steel: ASTM A53/A106 or API 5CT/5L. Welded joints per AWS D10.12. Drive-shoe welded on bottom (except when deep grouting).
- PVC/ABS: ASTM F480 (SDR 21, 17, or 13.5) and NSF-14 certified. Cannot be driven into bedrock. Not allowed near petroleum sources.
- Fiberglass: Must meet NSF-61/ASTM specifications if approved.
Casing Depths
Minimum casing depths per NR 812 Tables I-IV (varies by well type and geology). Casing must extend at least 12 inches above final ground level (2 ft above flood elevation in floodplains).
Annular Seal (Grouting)
Permitted seal materials per NR 812.20:
- Neat cement grout: Type I/IL Portland cement and water. Required for most potable wells, school wells, high-capacity wells, and shallow bedrock.
- Cement-sand grout: Only where approved by DNR in writing.
- Bentonite: Pellets or slurry in unconsolidated aquifers if neat cement not mandated. Must be 20%+ solids for heat-exchange boreholes.
- Clay slurry: Where permitted (limited use).
Grouting procedure: Place from bottom up via tremie or pump, in one continuous operation if possible. Allow at least 12 hours setting time before continuing drilling.
Setback Requirements
| Contamination Source | Minimum Distance |
|---|---|
| Sewer/drain pipes, cisterns | 8 ft |
| Septic tanks, vault privies, sanitary collector sewers | 25 ft |
| Lake/pond shoreline; river/stream floodway edge | 25 ft |
| Drainfields (200 ft for school wells), pit privies, barns/animal yards | 50 ft |
| Manure storage (liquid-tight / earthen) | 100 / 250 ft |
| Manure stack / loading area | 150 / 50 ft |
| Manure sewer (over 6 inches) | 25 ft (50 ft) |
| Landfill / quarry | 1,200 / 500 ft |
| Liquid-waste land disposal / buried fuel tank or over 1,500 gal | 250 / 100 ft |
All distances measured edge-to-edge per NR 812.08 Table A
Disinfection Requirements
All wells must be disinfected per NR 812.22. Use fresh, clean water with:
- 100 mg/L free chlorine in source water for mixing grout/drilling fluid
- 10 mg/L free chlorine minimum in drilling fluid for low-capacity wells
- Post-construction disinfection: 100 mg/L chlorine residual, then flush
Permits
Well Construction Notification
Required before drilling any private well (Wis. Stat. § 281.34). Owner or driller must obtain Well Construction Notification Number via GoWild or license agents. Fee: $50.50 (non-refundable). Keep notification number for WCR submission.
High-Capacity Wells
Wells or systems with capacity greater than 100,000 gal/day require DNR approval before construction (NR 812.09(4)). Use Form 3300-295 with $500 fee. Also applies to school and wastewater treatment plant wells.
Dewatering Wells
Large construction dewatering projects require Form 3300-258 (Temporary High-Capacity Dewatering Well) and a WPDES general permit. DNR also offers online e-Application with $500 fee.
Geothermal (Closed-Loop) Drilling
Vertical geothermal boreholes >25 ft require heat-exchange driller license and notification. Prior DNR approval (Form 3300-255) required if:
- 10 or more boreholes, or total drillhole depth over 4,000 ft at one site
- Depth >400 ft
- Within 400 ft of a municipal water supply well
- Project in Outagamie or Winnebago Counties
County-Level Permits
Some counties (delegated counties under NR 845) require local well permits. For example, Wood County requires a well location permit for all new wells. Always check with the county health or zoning department before drilling.
Drilling Conditions by Region
- Precambrian igneous/metamorphic bedrock (granite, gneiss)
- Glacial drift overburden, often thin
- Hard rock drilling requires specialty bits
- Typical depths: 100-500 ft to fractured bedrock
- Frost depth: 4-5 ft (winter delays common)
- Paleozoic carbonates (limestone, dolomite)
- Karst features (sinkholes, caves, springs)
- No glacial deposits (unglaciated)
- Artesian pressure possible in confined aquifers
- Watch for karst collapse during drilling
- Silurian-Devonian carbonate formations
- Clay/loess overburden in Fox Valley
- Known for arsenic contamination (Outagamie, Winnebago)
- Special casing requirements in arsenic zones
- High-capacity municipal wells often 300+ ft
- Outwash sand plains (Adams, Portage counties)
- Abundant shallow sand aquifers
- Caving sands require careful casing
- High water tables (flood risk in spring)
- Typical depths: 50-150 ft
Resources & Contacts
DNR Private Water Supply Section
Licensing, exams, notifications, technical guidance
DNR Continuing Education
CE questions, credit tracking, approved courses
Regulatory References
- Wisconsin Admin. Code NR 812 – Well Construction and Pump Installation
- Wisconsin Admin. Code NR 146 – Licensing requirements
- Wis. Stat. § 280.15 – Drilling and pump installing; licensing; fees
- Wis. Stat. § 281.34 – Well notification requirement
Online Tools
- Well Construction Report System – Submit WCRs online
- Continuing Education Portal – Track CE credits
- Wisconsin GoWild – Well notification numbers and fees; DNR online license renewal
- DNR Groundwater Forms – DNR forms and instructions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I renew my Wisconsin driller license?
What are the CE requirements for Wisconsin drillers?
How soon must I file the Well Construction Report?
What are the setback requirements in Wisconsin?
Looking for Homeowner Information?
Check out our Wisconsin well guide for homeowners covering costs, permits, and water quality.
Wisconsin Homeowner Well Guide →