Arkansas: State rules

Arkansas requires two credentials before someone drills a water well or installs a water well pump. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Water Well Construction Committee explains that the person must hold an Arkansas Water Well Contractor's License and an Arkansas Certificate of Registration in water well drilling or pump installation. Someone who will do both jobs needs both certificates. The committee advises the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. Experience is either two years as an apprentice under an Arkansas registered supervisor employed by a licensed contractor, or two or more years holding a similar license in another state while in good standing. The contractor license is tied to a bond of $20,000.

Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.

The committee's public page says any individual drilling a water well or installing a water well pump must possess both the contractor license and the matching certificate of registration. The commission reviews applications at regular meetings and approves who may sit for the registration test. Testing is conducted in Little Rock about three weeks after those meetings. Registration is issued after the test is passed and fees are paid. Arkansas-licensed geologists and engineers who file a completed application and fees are not required to take the test. A registration that has lapsed for a year or less can be renewed without a new test.

The page explains the bond in consumer terms. The holder of the contractor license maintains a $20,000 bond and promises that the business will follow well-construction and pump-installation rules. A customer who is damaged because the contractor or an employee failed to follow those rules can demand payment from the bond company. The contractor is also responsible for making sure employees who drill or install pumps hold a certificate of registration and complete continuing education. The page says every contractor must obtain 6 continuing education units per licensing year, plus two more for each additional driller or pump installer employed.

Only 3 of those units may come from online classes. The other three must come from seminars or classrooms. The committee publishes contractor licensing, driller registration, pump installer registration, apprenticeship, and abandonment forms, and it offers a way to find a licensed contractor by county or by name. This record does not repeat those names. The Natural Resources Division contact printed on the page is 1 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205, with the department phone (501) 225-1598. A geology supervisor line, (501) 850-5549, is also printed for the well program.

Official resources in Arkansas

Water Well Construction Committee

License and registration requirements, bond explanation, continuing education, and forms.

Contractor bond rule, 17 CAR 11-307

Administrative rule text on the water well contractor bond.

EPA private drinking water wells

Federal context for private well owners.

Key facts for Arkansas

Drilling or pump installation requires a contractor license and a certificate of registration.
Both certificates are required if one person will drill and install pumps.
Experience paths include a two-year Arkansas apprenticeship or a similar out-of-state license held two years.
The contractor maintains a $20,000 bond.
Contractors need 6 continuing education units a year, plus two per additional registered employee.
At most 3 of those units may be online.
Licensed Arkansas geologists and engineers with a complete application and fees are not required to take the registration test.

What to do next

Ask for both the contractor license and the driller or pump-installer registration.
Use the department's find-a-contractor tool instead of a copied name list.
Ask who will be the registered person on site.
Ask for the abandonment form path if an old well is being closed.

Looking for your city or county in Arkansas?

We haven't found official program-level pages for Arkansas we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:

General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Arkansas, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.
Arkansas
Website →
Phone: (501) 225-1598
Your city or county office: Local governments →
Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Arkansas page on USA.gov can point you to the right office.
Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.

Helpful guides

Well permit planner →

Do you serve Arkansas? Get a featured listing for $30/month, clearly labeled as a paid placement.