The process, step by step
Have an approved water right
Nothing happens without this. You must hold an approved water right — or an approved change application moving an existing right to your well — before construction can begin. In an area open to new appropriation you file an Application to Appropriate; in a closed or restricted area you acquire an existing right and file a change application. Both run through the State Engineer and take time. The water-rights guide covers which path applies to your parcel.
Get the Start Card
A favorable decision on your application comes with a Start Card — the document that authorizes well construction. The Start Card is yours as the well owner; you'll hand it to the driller you hire.
Hire a licensed well driller
Utah-regulated wells must be built by a currently licensed well driller. Utah Code 73-3-25 requires a license from the State Engineer for anyone who drills, constructs, deepens, repairs, renovates, replaces, cleans, develops, or abandons a regulated well, or installs or repairs its pump. A licensed shallow water well constructor can handle wells 30 feet deep or less; anything deeper needs a licensed well driller. Verify a driller's current license before you sign — the Division of Water Rights maintains the licensing records.
The driller files the Start Card
Before construction begins, your driller files the Start Card with the Division of Water Rights. That filing is what triggers the Division to send out the blank well-log form the driller will complete when the work is done.
Construct the well to R655-4 standards
The actual drilling and casing follow the construction standards in administrative rule R655-4 — the rule that governs Utah water wells, written around protecting public health and the groundwater resource. This covers casing, the sanitary surface seal, and how the well is finished. It's the driller's responsibility, but it's worth knowing the standard exists and why your well is built the way it is.
The driller files the completion log
Within 30 days of completing regulated work, the driller files the official well driller's report — the well log — with the State Engineer. It records the finished depth, casing, static water level, and yield. Those logs become permanent public records — and they're exactly the data this site's calculator reads to estimate depth and cost for nearby properties.
Rush letters: drilling before the full decision
In some cases the Division can issue provisional drilling authority — a "rush letter" — so a driller can start before the final decision on the water right is issued. One thing to be crystal clear on: a rush letter authorizes drilling, not use of the water. The water right still has to be approved before you can legally put the well to use.
Every water well is regulated now
Since 2022, House Bill 177 brought all water wells under State Engineer regulation regardless of depth. The old exemption that let very shallow wells skip the process is gone — if it's a water well, it needs the water right, the licensed driller, and the filed log.
How long does it take?
The pacing is set almost entirely by the water-right step. The application is advertised for public notice and a protest period, then reviewed by the State Engineer — allow several months from filing to decision. Once you have an approved right and a Start Card, the drilling itself is typically a matter of days, and the log is filed within 30 days after. Plan your timeline around the water right, not the rig.
Permit-process checklist
- An approved water right — or approved change application — in hand.
- The Start Card issued with that approval.
- A currently licensed well driller (or shallow water well constructor for wells 30 ft or less), license verified.
- Start Card filed with the Division of Water Rights before construction.
- Well constructed to R655-4 standards.
- Well completion log filed by the driller within 30 days — keep a copy.
- If a rush letter was used, confirm the underlying water right still comes through.
Every Utah well log becomes public record. Our calculator reads the logs near any Utah address and estimates the likely depth, cost range, yield, and water quality — useful for planning before the rig shows up.
Run my addressFrequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Utah?
Effectively two: an approved water right (permission to use the water) and a Start Card (authorization to construct the well). The well must be built by a licensed driller, and since 2022 every water well is regulated regardless of depth.
What is a Start Card?
It's the authorization to construct a well, issued with a favorable decision on your water-right application. The driller files it with the Division before construction, which triggers the Division to send the blank well-log form.
Can I drill my own well?
No. Utah Code 73-3-25 requires a State Engineer license for anyone doing regulated well work. A licensed shallow water well constructor can build wells 30 feet deep or less; deeper wells need a licensed well driller.
What's a rush letter?
Provisional drilling authority the Division can issue so a driller can start before the full decision. It authorizes drilling only — not use of the water. The water right still has to be approved.
What happens to the well log?
The driller files it with the State Engineer within 30 days of completing the work. It records depth, casing, water level, and yield, and becomes a permanent public record.
How long does the whole process take?
Mostly driven by the water right — allow several months from filing to a decision, including public notice. Once you have the approval and Start Card, drilling is usually quick and the log is filed within 30 days.
Sources & further reading: This guide is based on the Utah Division of Water Rights' Water Well Drilling Information and well driller licensing pages, administrative rule R655-4, and Utah Code 73-3-25. Procedures change — for a specific project, confirm details with the regional Division of Water Rights office. Nothing here is legal advice.