Well Driller List

State rules

Missouri

Missouri uses permits, not a separately named occupational license, for people who work on wells and pumps. The Department of Natural Resources says a permit is required for anyone working on water wells, monitoring wells, pumps, heat pumps, or test holes. A restricted permit covers contracting and on-site supervision of work regulated by the well construction rules. A non-restricted permit is required to drill, construct, repair, reconstruct, plug, or install pumps. Non-restricted applicants complete an apprenticeship, then a closed-book test. The Well Installation Section in Rolla runs the program. Its published phone is 573-368-2165, and the email is welldrillers@dnr.mo.gov.

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
Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Geological Survey, Well Installation Section
Who must hold a credential
Permitted well and pump installation contractor, restricted or non-restricted
Official permit or license page
Official page →

The permitting page says a restricted-permit applicant registers in the Well Information Management System through the Missouri Gateway for Environmental Management, takes an open-book test online, and must score at least 70 percent. The page states a testing fee of $50 for the tests combined and a $150 permit fee for each permit. Permits expire and are renewed annually at $150 for each permit. A non-restricted applicant finishes the apprenticeship, then schedules a closed-book test at 111 Fairgrounds Road in Rolla. Each of those tests costs $50 on the page, and the passing score is again 70 percent. Those dollar amounts stay out of the fee field of this record.

The department says that since June 15, 2026, WIMS users need an OKTA account to apply for permits or submit records. The public can search well records and contractors in WIMS. This record does not copy contractor names from that search. The non-restricted permit page says the apprenticeship is two years with the required number of installations. The restricted permit is for the person who contracts or is the primary or on-site drilling supervisor. A customer should ask which permit type the driller holds and whether the pump installer holds a separate permit.

The Well Installation Section address printed on the permit pages is Missouri Geological Survey, P.O. Box 250, Rolla, MO 65402. A toll-free number, 800-361-4827, is also printed. A homeowner should confirm the permit is current for the year and should ask for the report the contractor files after the well is finished. The department's permitting page is the public summary of the restricted and non-restricted paths. Start there before relying on an old paper form.

Official resources in Missouri

Well and pump installation contractor permitting

Restricted and non-restricted permits, tests, and annual renewal.

Well Information Management System

OKTA login, permit applications, and public well-record search.

EPA private drinking water wells

Federal context for private well households.

Key facts for Missouri

What to do next

  1. Ask whether the permit is restricted or non-restricted.
  2. Ask for the pump permit separately if a different person will set the pump.
  3. Use WIMS to confirm the contractor instead of a copied list.
  4. Ask for the well certification report after construction.

Looking for your city or county in Missouri?

We haven't found official program-level pages for Missouri 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 Missouri, 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.
    Missouri
    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 Missouri 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

Well permit planner →

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