State rules
Oklahoma
Oklahoma licenses well drillers and pump installers through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. The application page says the board licenses these professionals so well construction protects groundwater. Activities that must be licensed include drilling and plugging of the well types the page lists, and installing or repairing water well pumps and equipment, including windmills and solar installations. A firm needs a licensed responsible person. An operator's certification alone does not authorize the firm to contract for work that requires a license. The board's wells page says minimum standards cover location relative to pollution sources, seals, disinfection, and materials. The published office is 3800 North Classen Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73118, and the phone on that page is 405-530-8800.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Licensing or permitting agency
- Oklahoma Water Resources Board
- Who must hold a credential
- Licensed well driller and licensed pump installer, with certified operators working for a licensed firm
- Official permit or license page
- Official page →
Applications are filed online. The firm's responsible person needs at least two years of qualifying experience and two letters verifying it. One letter may be from a supplier. Education may replace up to one year of that experience. An additional operator needs one year of experience in each category, with education able to replace six months. The applicant must have been an Oklahoma resident for at least 90 days unless reciprocity for nonresidents applies. The applicant lists employed operators, provides a Social Security number, and submits a citizenship affidavit. Each category test requires a score of 70 percent. Fees and the verification letters are submitted before testing.
A non-domestic groundwater well needs an intent-to-drill authorization before drilling, and the board will not authorize a location that lacks an active groundwater use permit. The wells page says intent-to-drill authorizations are required for public water supply, industrial use, medical marijuana grow operations, poultry operations, irrigation of more than three acres, oil and gas recovery, and other commercial uses. They are not required for domestic wells used for household purposes, livestock up to the land's grazing capacity, and irrigation of less than three acres. The page points to the administrative code for the full definitions. A domestic household well and a commercial well are not the same filing.
The forms page names program staff and repeats the Classen Boulevard address and the phone 405-530-8800. A completion report and a plugging report are among the driller forms. A customer should ask for the firm license and the operator certification of the person on site, and should ask whether this well needs an intent-to-drill authorization. The board publishes a way to find a driller or pump installer. This record does not copy names from that list. No fee amount is copied into the fee field. The application page is where the current fee is stated.
Official resources in Oklahoma
Experience, residency, testing, and the operator-versus-firm distinction.
Construction standards and when an intent-to-drill authorization is required.
Official lookup. Do not copy individual names into another site.
Completion reports, plugging reports, and the board's phone and address.
Key facts for Oklahoma
- OWRB licenses well drilling and pump installation firms and certifies operators.
- An operator certification alone does not authorize contracting.
- The responsible person needs two years of experience and two verification letters.
- Each category test requires 70 percent.
- A 90-day Oklahoma residency applies unless reciprocity covers a nonresident.
- Commercial and other non-domestic wells need an intent-to-drill authorization.
- The forms page prints 405-530-8800.
What to do next
- Ask for the firm license and the operator certification of the person on site.
- Ask whether the well is domestic or needs an intent-to-drill authorization.
- Use the board's find-a-driller page instead of a copied roster.
- Ask for the completion report and, if a well is closed, the plugging report.
Looking for your city or county in Oklahoma?
We haven't found official program-level pages for Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma, 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.Oklahoma
Website →Phone: (405) 530-8800Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Oklahoma 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