Well drillers must submit well reports to the state within 90 days of completing, deepening, hydrofracturing, or abandoning a well. The Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division (DWGPD) maintains a database of wells drilled in Vermont, including information on location, construction, and well logs. Members of the public can access the Well Completion Reports Searchable Database to find more information about a well.
Rules
- Well Driller Licensing Rule: Outlines the responsibilities of well drillers PDF MSWord
- Isolation and Construction Standards for Wells
(see Water Supply Rule, April 12, 2019, Appendix A Part 11 and 12)
IMPORTANT: Well Driller Licensing has been transferred to the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR).
Current Licensed Well Drillers are found through OPR's Find a Professional lookup tool. DWGPD also updates annually a list of Residential & Commercial Well Drilling Companies that have a driller licensed in Vermont.
Questions regarding well driller licensing may be directed by email to SOS.OPRlicensing3@vermont.gov or by phone to (802) 828-5434.
Well Reporting
NOTE: All well reports must be submitted online. Paper well reports are no longer accepted.
Well reports must be submitted online within 90 days of completing, deepening, hydrofracturing, or abandoning a well. A well is considered completed when the drill rig has completed drilling, deepening, or hydrofracturing, not when a well pump is installed, as the State has no jurisdiction over pump installation. Reports must include all applicable well construction and well information, provide accurate GPS coordinates (decimal degrees format), and meet all well construction standards.
Timely well report submittal is essential because data are used for characterizing groundwater conditions and flow, understanding the bedrock and the unconsolidated materials over them, effectively remediating contaminated sites, interpreting aquifers, educating homeowners, and ensuring permit compliance. The state is now more actively enforcing the well reporting requirements. If you have any questions, please call DWGPD at 802-261-5749.
ONLINE SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS: Please see these instructions on how to access and use the online form options for submitting information to the Division.
Report Forms
Well Completion Report – Report the drilling (and hydrofracturing if appropriate) of a new well
Well Deepening and Hydrofracturing Report – Report subsequent expansion of an existing well
Well Closure Report – Report the closure/abandonment of a well
Well Improvements - Document changes to an existing well record
Fact Sheets & Exemption Forms
VDH FACT SHEET: Testing Drinking Water from Private Water Supplies-Required to be supplied to property owner by well driller upon well completion
For construction of a replacement/supplemental well or connection to a Public Water System serving only one single family residence on its own individual lot:
Online Report Submission Resources
- Online Submittal Instructions - Instructions on how to access and use the online well reporting forms
- Well Completion Report Field Sheet - A template document that can be completed in the field to allow for improved transfer of information between the field, office, and online form. All well reports must still be submitted to the state online.
- Renaming Well Reports - Guidance on creating an alias for a well report submission to improve submission tracking and management
- Opening Well Report Forms in a New Tab - Guidance on how to open well report forms in new web browser tabs for easier submission of multiple reports
Well Tags
Please contact Chase Novello for resupply of well tags.
Water Well Advisory Committee
The Vermont Water Well Advisory Committee (WWAC) was established by the General Assembly to advise and assist Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (VT ANR) personnel in the formulation of policy, including recommended statutory and regulatory changes, regarding the proper installation and maintenance of water wells, licensing of well drillers, and groundwater issues impacted by well-drilling activities. The Governor signed Bill H.8 in 2018 merging the members of the WWAC into the existing Groundwater Coordinating Committee which has a broad mandate to advise the Secretary on groundwater related issues, including well construction and drilling practices. For information on the GWCC and past meeting minutes visit Groundwater Protection, Management and Coordination.
Resources
- Public Community Water Systems Groundwater Interference Project
- Water Quality Testing for Potable Water Supply Wells
- National Ground Water Association
Search Tools