Hire a well driller: 5 credential checks for homeowners

Key takeaways

• Get the licensed driller's name and license number.
• Ask who will run the rig and how supervision will work.
• Distinguish NGWA membership from certification.
• Resolve mismatched names and get promises in writing before signing.

Why check credentials before you sign

A well is one of the few parts of a property you cannot easily inspect. Once the crew has drilled, moving or redoing the work is expensive, and it can be hard to tell whether the job was done well. That makes the time before you sign the contract the most useful time to ask questions. The contract is often the only written record of who will do the work, what was promised, and how problems will be handled.

Credentials do not guarantee good work. A licensed driller can still make mistakes, and a newer contractor can be careful and honest. What credentials do give you is something concrete to check before the rig arrives. They show whether the people on the job have passed tests, met experience rules, and appear in a list you can search. They also give you names to compare against the paperwork.

This post walks through five checks. The first three are about the people and their qualifications: the state driller license, the rig operator registration, and NGWA certification. The fourth is a directory check, and the fifth is a review of the paperwork. Most of the state rules come from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), so the examples lean toward Wisconsin. The NGWA information is national, but local rules may add requirements, so check those too. For related background, read about private and public well water standards.

Check 1: Confirm the state driller license

Start with the state. The DNR's licenses and registrations page covers licensing and registration for drillers in Wisconsin. Read it before you call any contractor. It uses several terms that sound alike, such as applicant, licensed driller, and rig operator, and each one means something different. Knowing the difference makes the rest of your questions sharper.

A few basic requirements on that page are worth knowing. An applicant must be at least 18 years old to apply. To pass the license exam, an applicant must score 75% or higher. Exam results are not immediate, either. The DNR says results will be available within 2 to 4 weeks of exam completion. That timeline matters if a contractor says they just passed and are ready to run their own jobs. Ask when they took the exam and whether the result has come back.

Ask every contractor for the full name of the licensed driller responsible for your job and that person's license number. Write both into the contract. A company name painted on a truck does not tell you who holds the license. If the person who signs your contract is not the licensed driller, ask how that person fits into the work and what authority they have to make decisions on your property.

If you cannot get a straight answer, treat that as information. A legitimate contractor should be able to name the licensed driller without hesitation. A contractor who becomes defensive when you ask a basic question about who holds the license is showing you how the rest of the job may go.

Check 2: Ask about rig operator registration

The second check is about the crew, not only the owner. The DNR page says that driller applicants "must obtain rig operator registration and work under the supervision of a licensed driller before drilling experience accrues and is applicable towards NR 146.04 experience requirements." That quote is a mouthful, but the idea is simple. Someone learning to run a drill rig needs a rig operator registration, and the experience they gain under a licensed driller's supervision is what counts toward the DNR's experience requirements.

In plain terms, a trainee is someone who is still building the experience needed for a license. Trainees are a normal part of the trade. That is why the license holder matters so much on a job like this.

The DNR page also directs readers to NR 146.04(8)(a-f) for the specific drilling rig operator registration requirements. Use that reference if you want the details. You do not need to memorize the rule to ask good questions. Ask the contractor:

• Who will run the rig on my property?
• Is that person a registered rig operator, and can you show me the registration?
• Which licensed driller is supervising the job, and how will that supervision work on my site?
• Who should I call if something goes wrong during the drilling?

Hearing that a trainee will run the rig is not automatically a problem. Ask how the licensed driller will supervise the trainee on your property. If the answer is vague, or if the licensed driller never appears in the conversation, ask again before you sign.

Check 3: Look for NGWA certification

The third check is national. The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) runs a certification program, and the Wellowner page explains it this way: "The NGWA Well Construction and Pump Installation Certification Program, which started in 1970, is the only national certification program for contractors and pump installers in the ground water industry." The page is a useful place to learn what the certification means before you talk to a contractor about it. You can read it at Wellowner's certified ground water contractors page.

Certification requires more than paperwork. The same page says: "To achieve NGWA certification, contractors must pass exams testing their technical knowledge, and they must have at least twenty-four consecutive months of full-time ground water contracting experience." Twenty-four consecutive months of full-time work is a meaningful amount of hands-on time, and the word "consecutive" matters. A contractor who worked part-time or in gaps may not meet that standard, even with several years in the business.

When you ask about NGWA certification, ask for proof and check that the name on the certificate matches the name in your contract. Then ask whether the certification covers the person who will be on your site. The state license and the NGWA certificate answer different questions. The first tells you about the state license. The second tells you whether the contractor has passed a national certification program. Neither one replaces the other, and a contractor may have one, both, or neither.

Check 4: Search the NGWA contractor lookup

The fourth check is quick. The Wellowner page states: "All NGWA Certified and NGWA Member contractors are listed in the Contractor Lookup." Use that lookup to confirm that the company appears under the name on your contract. Search for the company name, then try the owner's name and the city. Compare what you find with the address and phone number the contractor gave you. A listing for the company you are about to hire is the goal. A listing for a similar name in another town is not.

Read the result carefully. The lookup covers two groups: NGWA Certified contractors and NGWA Member contractors. Being listed as a member is not the same as holding certification. Confirm which group the company falls under. If certification is the reason you are hiring this company, ask the contractor to show you proof as well, so you are not relying on the listing alone.

If the company does not appear, do not assume the worst, but do ask. The contractor may use a different business name, may be listed under a different spelling, or may not participate in NGWA at all. Any of those explanations can be reasonable. What matters is that you know the answer before you sign, and that you decide what it means for your choice.

Check 5: Match the paperwork to the people

The fifth check ties the others together. Gather the names from every source: the contract, the state license, the NGWA certificate, the lookup listing, and the company name on its vehicles, website, and business card. Write them on one page. If the names do not match, ask why. Sometimes a company uses a business name that differs from the legal owner's name. That can be normal, but you should know it before the rig arrives, not after.

Then look at the contract itself. A clear contract usually names the company, the licensed driller, the work to be done, the materials, the price, and the schedule. It should also say how the work will be documented and who will handle any paperwork the job requires. Ask for a copy of everything you sign, including any drawings, notes, or change orders. If the contractor will not put these answers in writing, that is a warning sign.

Think about how you will handle changes. Wells sometimes require decisions in the middle of the job, such as a different depth or a different casing choice. The contract should explain how a change is priced and how you will approve it. Ask for that process in writing before work begins.

Compare bids on credentials, not only price

When you collect more than one estimate, it is tempting to pick the lowest number and move on. Price matters, but a low bid from a contractor you cannot verify is not a bargain if the work has to be redone. Put the five checks into a simple table for each bid. Note whether the licensed driller is named, whether the rig operator is identified, whether NGWA certification is shown, whether the lookup listing is confirmed, and whether the paperwork plan is in writing. A bid that fails several of these checks may still be honest, but it has given you less to rely on.

Also compare the scope in each bid. Two estimates for the same well can differ because one includes more of the work than the other. Ask each contractor to describe the same steps in the same order, so that you are comparing like with like. If one bid leaves out details that another includes, ask why before you decide.

Illustrative example: Resolve a name mismatch

You compare 2 bids. In one, the company name on the estimate differs from the name on the license. Ask the contractor to explain the connection in writing and identify the licensed driller for your job. Keep that explanation with the estimate before deciding.

Today, call a contractor with the questions below and write down the answers before scheduling a visit.

Related guides: Minnesota well driller experience: 4 definitions · Find old well records: 6 checks for your search · Flooded private well: 7 mistakes to avoid before drinking.

Questions to ask on the first phone call

A short phone call can save you time before you schedule a site visit. Have these questions ready:

What is your Wisconsin driller license number, and who is the licensed driller on this job?

Ask for both the license number and the licensed driller's full name.

Are you NGWA certified, an NGWA member, or neither? Can you send proof?

Ask for proof of the credential the contractor claims.

Who will operate the rig at my property, and are they registered as a rig operator?

Ask for the operator's name and registration before signing.

How will the licensed driller supervise the work?

Ask the contractor to describe how supervision will work on your site.

Can I see your listing in the NGWA Contractor Lookup?

Compare the listing with the company name, address, and phone number.

How will you document the work, and who will handle any paperwork the job requires?

Get the documentation plan and the person handling it in writing.

Will I receive a written contract that names everyone involved?

Ask for a written contract identifying the company and licensed driller.

Write down the answers while you are on the phone, along with the date and the name of the person who answered. If the answers are clear and match what you find in the checks, you are in a good position to schedule a visit. If they are vague or contradictory, you have learned something useful at no cost. A contractor who is confident in their credentials usually welcomes these questions because they make the job easier to explain.

Red flags to watch for

Some warning signs are not proof of bad work, but each one is a reason to slow down and ask again:

• The contractor cannot or will not give a license number or the name of the licensed driller.
• The person who comes to bid is not the person who will run the rig, and no one will say who that is.
• You are pressed to sign the same day or to pay a large amount before any schedule is in writing.
• Important promises are made out loud but do not appear in the contract.
• The business name does not match the name on the license, certificate, or lookup listing, and no one can explain why.
• Answers about supervision are vague, or the contractor suggests that a trainee needs no supervision at all.

None of these means a contractor is dishonest. Busy businesses sometimes answer questions badly, and a good contractor will usually fix the problem once it is pointed out. The point is to notice the pattern. If several flags appear together, treat the whole picture seriously.

What to do if a check fails

Failing one check does not always mean you should walk away. Sometimes the cause is simple. A company may use a trade name that does not match its legal name. A lookup may not show a company that is new or that is listed under a different spelling. Write down what you found, ask the contractor to explain it in writing, and give them a fair chance to respond.

Some failures are harder to explain away. If the licensed driller is not named, if no one can show you a rig operator registration for the person running the rig, or if the contractor refuses to put their answers in writing, you have a clear reason to stop. You can also contact the DNR directly with questions about licensing that you cannot resolve on your own.

Keep copies of your notes, emails, and the signed contract. If the work later raises a problem, a clear written record will be far more useful than memory. Use the guide to private well records to keep to organize your file.

Common mistakes homeowners make

Most credential problems do not come from bad intent. They come from busy homeowners who skip a step. A few mistakes come up often.

The first is trusting a company name. A sign on a truck or a polished website can look official, but it does not show who holds the license or who will be on your land. Ask for names, and check them against the state and national sources described above.

The second is treating a verbal promise as if it were a contract term. If the crew lead says the site will be cleaned up, or that a particular material will be used, write it into the contract. Verbal promises are easy to forget and hard to prove once the rig has left.

The third is signing before the checks are done. Give yourself a day or two to verify what you have been told. A contractor who needs you to sign on the spot is asking you to skip the very steps that protect you.