Well Driller List

State rules

District of Columbia

The District of Columbia does not describe its own well-driller certificate. It requires a permit and a driller licensed elsewhere. The Department of Energy and Environment reviews well construction under 21 DCMR chapter 18. Its well permits page says private-property projects start with a soil boring permit from the Department of Buildings, which issues a soil boring number. That number is then used in DOEE's Surface and Groundwater System for the detailed well application. Public-space projects start with DDOT. The well regulations define a licensed well driller as a person licensed by a state or federal district to be responsible for on-site drilling, construction, maintenance, abandonment, or pump work. Section 1808 says construction, maintenance, or abandonment must be done by such a driller who also holds a current District business license, with narrow exceptions.

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

Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
Licensing or permitting agency
District Department of Energy and Environment, with the Department of Buildings for the soil boring permit
Who must hold a credential
A well driller licensed by a state or federal district, plus a District business license; the District rule does not create a separate DC well-driller certificate
Official permit or license page
Official page →

The DOEE page says wells include soil borings. The Surface and Groundwater System application asks for a work plan, a site plan, and an environmental questionnaire. The department's application guide says the driller is added to the permit and, if the driller is not already in the system, registers by emailing well.permits@dc.gov. A well construction permit is not issued by a health department in the way many states do it. The path is Buildings for the soil boring number, then DOEE for the well review. The regulations say the well construction building permit is issued subject to the department's approval of the work plan.

Section 1808.3 says a licensed driller is not required for a well made only with hand tools such as augers or shovels. Section 1808.4 excepts some maintenance that does not use chemicals, does not service a pump, and does not change the permitted design. A drilled water well is the work assigned to a licensed driller who also holds a District business license. The definition uses a license from a state or a federal district, so the work plan can require a copy of that license without a separate DC driller card.

Abandonment is part of the same chapter. The forms and the regulations address abandonment work plans. The DOEE page also notes that construction of an open-loop ground source heat pump is prohibited under the cited section. A property owner should ask which state license the driller holds, ask for the District business license, and ask for the soil boring number and the DOEE permit before work starts. This record does not list drillers. No fee is copied into the fee field. The Department of Buildings soil boring page prints (202) 671-3500 and 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024.

Official resources in District of Columbia

DOEE well and boring permits

How private-property wells move from a Buildings soil boring number to DOEE review.

Department of Buildings soil boring permit

First permit for private-property borings, with DOEE review.

21 DCMR chapter 18 well regulations

Defines a licensed well driller and requires that person, plus a District business license, for construction.

EPA private drinking water wells

Federal context for private well households.

Key facts for District of Columbia

What to do next

  1. Ask which state or district issued the driller's license.
  2. Ask for the District business license as well.
  3. Get the soil boring number before the DOEE well application.
  4. Ask for the abandonment work plan if an old well will be closed.

Looking for your city or county in District of Columbia?

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

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

Helpful guides

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