Well Driller List

State rules

Washington

Washington licenses the people who construct or decommission water wells and resource protection wells. The Department of Ecology's page for drillers says a license is required, with two exceptions the page mentions without spelling them out in the summary text, and that applicants meet stated requirements and pass a written exam. Continuing education is required. New operators train for more than two years under experienced licensees. The operator license application states a $75 fee for a water well license and a $75 fee for a resource protection well license. A new applicant needs 5,400 hours of drilling experience under a Washington licensed driller and 32 approved continuing education units. The department's well construction system can be searched for notices of intent, licensed drillers, and companies. This record does not copy names.

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
Washington State Department of Ecology
Who must hold a credential
Licensed water well operator and licensed resource protection well operator, including trainees
Official permit or license page
Official page →

Washington Administrative Code 173-162-060 says a person qualifies for a water well or resource protection well operator license by showing the required hours under a licensed operator, and it allows trainee hours to count. An additional license for the other well type can require 600 more hours and proof such as being operator of record on at least 15 wells. Out-of-state applicants are addressed in the rule and on the application, which asks for three years of licensure elsewhere plus continuing education. The application is mailed to the department's cashiering office at PO Box 47611, Olympia, WA 98504-7611. The well construction and licensing page prints the coordinator phone 360-407-6648.

Before drilling, the driller page says to check with the local permitting agency, because some areas require additional fees or a connection to a public water supplier. A notice of intent must be submitted at least 72 hours before drilling begins. That notice is not the same document as the operator license. A property owner should ask for the Ecology operator license and should ask whether the notice of intent has been filed for the parcel. Resource protection wells and water wells are different license types on the application, so the license should match the hole.

The department says it does not provide recommendations for drillers. Its public search is the way to see who is licensed. Decommissioning is covered by the same licensing statement as construction. Ask who will be the licensed operator for a well that is being closed, not only for a new well. The $75 application fees are printed on the department's form and are not stored in the fee field of this record. The driller information page is the public summary, and WAC 173-162-060 is the qualification rule.

Official resources in Washington

Information for well drillers

License requirement, notice of intent, and local permitting check.

WAC 173-162-060 operator qualifications

Hours of experience required for a well operator license.

Well construction and licensing system

Search for notices of intent, licensed drillers, and companies.

EPA private drinking water wells

Federal context for private well households.

Key facts for Washington

What to do next

  1. Ask whether the license is for water wells or resource protection wells.
  2. Ask for the notice of intent for this parcel.
  3. Check with the county or city about a local permit or a required public-water connection.
  4. Use Ecology's driller search rather than a copied roster.

Looking for your city or county in Washington?

We haven't found official program-level pages for Washington 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 Washington, 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.
    Washington
    Website →
    Your city or county office: MRSC Washington city and town profiles →
    Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Washington 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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