State rules
Michigan
Michigan registers well drilling contractors and pump installers at the state level and requires a local permit before a well is drilled. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says Michigan law requires a certificate of registration before a person engages in the business of water well drilling or repair, or pump installation or servicing. Registration is renewed annually. EGLE's guide for new businesses says every Michigan county has an ordinance requiring a well permit from the local health department, or notice to that department, before the well is drilled. The state well code sets minimum construction standards. Local ordinances can be stricter. The contractor must be sure a permit exists before drilling.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Licensing or permitting agency
- Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, with local health department well permits
- Who must hold a credential
- Registered water well drilling contractor and registered pump installer, called a certificate of registration by EGLE
- Official permit or license page
- Official page →
EGLE's consumer guide says the state registers drilling contractors and pump installers, and that minimum experience and an examination are used so that registered people know the code. It says some counties have ordinances stricter than the state code and that all counties require a permit before drilling or major repairs. Permits are required by state law for most wells that serve the public or private citizens. The guide tells owners to check with the county health department. It also says registration can be verified in EGLE's directory of registered contractors. This record does not copy that directory.
The business guide says the well code applies whether the work is done by a registered contractor or by the property owner. If the owner obtained the permit, the driller should see it before starting, because the permit can set the location relative to contamination sources, a minimum depth, a minimum capacity, and other conditions. Failure to follow permit conditions can mean redrilling or loss of the certificate of registration. The guide says ordinances differ by county, so the contractor checks the local health department before treating another county's permit as the rule.
A homeowner should ask whether the contractor will obtain the health department permit or whether that is the owner's job. The consumer guide lists that question among the things to settle before hiring. Complaints about the well code can be filed in writing with the county or district health department. The health department does not mediate every business dispute. Registration is the state credential. The permit is the local authorization to put the well in a particular place. Both appear in EGLE's public guidance. No fee is copied into the fee field of this record.
Official resources in Michigan
State registration requirement and the county permit expectation.
Registration, local permits, and how to raise a code complaint.
Federal context for private well households.
Key facts for Michigan
- EGLE requires a certificate of registration for the business of well drilling or pump installation.
- Registration is renewed annually.
- EGLE says every county requires a local health department well permit or notice before drilling.
- The state well code is a minimum, and counties may be stricter.
- The code applies to contractor work and to work a property owner does.
- Permit conditions can include location, depth, and capacity.
- Code complaints go to the local health department.
What to do next
- Ask for the EGLE certificate of registration and check the state's contractor directory.
- Ask who will get the county health department permit.
- Read the permit for location and depth conditions before drilling starts.
- Keep the well and pump record the contractor submits to the health department.
Looking for your city or county in Michigan?
We haven't found official program-level pages for Michigan 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 Michigan, 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.Michigan
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Michigan 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
- When you need a well permit
- Licensed driller versus pump installer
- How to check a well driller license
- Private well water testing after drilling