Property transfer well inspections: 2 dates to check

Key takeaways

• Confirm the inspector's license before the visit.
• Check the June 1, 2008 and October 1, 2014 dates when reviewing older advice.
• Read every entry on DNR Form #3300-221.
• Plan water testing and an unused well search separately.

This post is general information, not legal advice. For the official rules, read the Wisconsin DNR page on buying or selling a home or property with a private well. The rules described below come from that page. The contractor advice near the end is general practice, and the link there points to a separate directory.

Two dates to check

Check them first when you read an older checklist, when a contractor describes "the usual process," or when someone hands you a report from an earlier sale.

The first date is June 1, 2008. The DNR page says state law has provided since that date that if a well inspection is conducted, it must be done by a licensed well driller or licensed pump installer. That is the rule about who may do the inspection, and it applies to the inspection itself.

The second date is October 1, 2014. The DNR page says it summarizes the regulations that apply to property transfer well and pressure system inspections effective October 1, 2014, and answers some common questions. Read the page as a description of the rules that took effect on that date. If a checklist or description predates them, treat it with caution.

Both dates are well in the past, and that does not make the rules old news. When you talk with a seller, a buyer, an agent, or a contractor, ask which rules they are following. If the answer does not mention a licensed well professional or the DNR inspection form, take a second look before you rely on it.

It also helps to remember what each date does and does not cover. The 2008 date tells you who may conduct the inspection. The 2014 date tells you which set of regulations the DNR page describes. Neither date tells you whether a particular well is safe to drink from, and neither one replaces a water test.

Who may inspect the well

The DNR page calls the person who does the inspection a licensed well professional. Under the June 1, 2008 requirement, an inspection done under state law must be carried out by a licensed well driller or a licensed pump installer. Those are the two license types named in the guidance, so they are the ones to ask about.

Before anyone comes to the property, ask for the license number and confirm that it is current. A licensed professional should be able to give you that information without trouble. Ask, too, whether they have done property transfer inspections before and which form they will use. The answers tell you a lot about how the visit will go. For help with those questions, see well driller credential checks.

Be careful about the difference between a general look at the well and the inspection described on the DNR page. A visit from a neighbor, a handyman, or a relative may be useful for other questions, such as how the pump sounds or whether the water looks clear. But the inspection that goes on the DNR form must be done by someone holding one of the two licenses named above. If a visit is meant to serve as that inspection, confirm the person's license first, and keep a note of the license number, the date you checked it, and the company name.

Is an inspection required?

The DNR page is careful about this point. It says that when you are buying or selling a property with a private well, you may be interested to know the condition of the well, the quality of the drinking water, and whether there are any unused wells on the property.

It then says that if you are interested, you can choose to have the well and pressure system inspected, have the water tested for common contaminants, and have the property searched for unused wells. The inspection, the water test, and the unused well search are presented as options you can select, not as a single package every sale must include.

That framing matters for planning. Because the inspection is your choice, decide early whether you want one, and say so to your agent or attorney. Your purchase agreement or your agent may still have specific terms, so check those before you assume anything about timing or about who will arrange the work and pay for it.

If you choose the inspection, the DNR wording makes clear that the inspection itself carries the licensing requirement. If you choose only a water test or a search for unused wells, those are separate steps with separate questions.

What the inspector looks at

The DNR page explains that the licensed well professional will conduct a visual inspection of the well and pressure system. The inspector looks for specific features that do not comply with the state's well regulations in NR 812, Wisconsin Administrative Code.

Two things follow from that wording. First, the inspection is visual. It is a look at the well and pressure system measured against NR 812. It is not a water test, and it does not tell you what is in the water. Water quality is a separate question, which is why the DNR lists water testing as its own option.

Second, the inspection is about compliance with NR 812, not a general verdict on whether the well is good or bad. A well can work well day to day and still have a feature the form flags. A well can also raise questions about water quality even when its features are in order. Read the form's wording carefully rather than assuming a single answer about the whole system.

At the inspection, ask what the inspector checked, what they could not see, and whether anything needs a closer look. A good inspector should be able to explain observations in plain terms and point to the specific features behind each entry on the form. If the explanation is vague, ask for more detail before you accept the result.

Reading the inspection form

The inspector records their observations on a required inspection form, DNR Form #3300-221. Treat that form as the main document from the inspection. Ask for a copy, and read it all the way through, including the parts that look routine.

The DNR page says the form will identify whether the well and pressure system comply with NR 812 or do not comply with NR 812, and whether more research is needed. In practice, that gives you three kinds of answer to look for:

• Complies with NR 812. The inspector found the well and pressure system in line with the rules.
• Does not comply with NR 812. The inspector found one or more features that do not meet the rules.
• More research is needed. The form indicates that further review is needed. Ask the inspector what that research involves and who would do it.

When the form reports a feature that does not comply, the DNR publication Understanding Your Property Transfer Well Inspection Results, Pub. #DG-092, gives detailed explanations of noncomplying features and possible corrective actions. The DNR page points to that publication, so read it before you decide what to do.

Use the form as a starting point for questions rather than as a final verdict on the property. A few habits make it easier to use:

• Read every entry that says the feature does not comply or that more research is needed, not only the summary at the top.
• Write your questions down and bring them to the inspector or your agent.
• Note which items you want corrected, which you want researched further, and which you want to accept as they are.

Water testing and unused wells

The DNR page names three things buyers and sellers may care about: the condition of the well, the quality of the drinking water, and whether there are any unused wells on the property. The inspection addresses the first. The other two need their own steps.

Water testing. The DNR says you can choose to have the water tested for common contaminants. Because the inspection is visual, the form does not answer questions about drinking water. If water quality matters to you, plan the test as a separate step. Ask who will collect the sample, which contaminants will be tested, and when you will receive the results.

Unused wells. The DNR also says you can have the property searched for unused wells. Ask whether a search has been done and, if so, what it covered. A clear answer about the search is as useful as a clean inspection form, because each one answers a different question about the property.

When you talk with your agent, the seller, or a contractor, name the specific option you mean so nobody assumes one step covers another. A clean inspection form does not answer water quality questions, and a water test does not tell you whether the well complies with NR 812.

If you are buying

Buyers face the most decisions in a short period, so a simple order of steps helps. The following checklist is based on the DNR guidance quoted above.

1. Decide early which options you want. Choose among the inspection, a water test, and a search for unused wells. The DNR presents each one as a choice.
2. Verify the professional. If you choose the inspection, confirm that the person doing it is a licensed well driller or licensed pump installer, and ask for the license number.
3. Ask about the form and the timing. Ask when you will receive the inspection form and whether you can read it before you make final decisions about the purchase.
4. Talk with your agent or attorney. Discuss how any results will fit into your purchase agreement. Terms vary, so do not rely on what a friend or neighbor did in their own sale.
5. Plan for entries that need attention. If the form says a feature does not comply or that more research is needed, ask the inspector for corrective options, read DG-092, and ask for an explanation of the next steps before you decide.

If you are selling

Sellers have the same choices as buyers. The DNR page says that when you are selling property with a private well, you can choose to have the well and pressure system inspected, have the water tested for common contaminants, and have the property searched for unused wells.

Some sellers prefer to learn the results before they list the property. That way the form is in hand before a buyer asks about the well, and you have time to decide what to do about any entries that say the well does not comply or that more research is needed. Whether to do that is your choice, and the DNR guidance presents it that way.

If the form does flag something, talk with a licensed professional about the next step before you respond to a buyer's questions. The DG-092 publication can help you understand the entry, and the professional can explain what would be needed to address it. Answering a buyer with a clear plan is usually easier than answering with a guess.

Keep the form and any notes about corrective steps together in one folder, along with copies of any water test results and any search for unused wells. If a buyer or agent later asks about the well, a complete file lets you answer quickly and accurately. See private well records to keep for help organizing that folder.

Choosing a contractor

If you need a water well contractor for an inspection, a repair, or a follow-up, a contractor directory is a practical place to start. Its Contractor Lookup page says: "If you are looking for a water well contractor, please visit our Contractor Lookup page and contact them directly." You can find the directory on the Find a Contractor page.

The directory adds a caution: "It's important to note that NGWA neither endorses nor guarantees the work of any company listed." A listing is a starting point for your search.

When you contact a company, confirm its license status, ask for the proposed work in writing, and compare what each company offers to do. If the inspection itself is part of the job, make sure the person who will perform it holds one of the two licenses named in the DNR guidance. Ask any company to explain how it will handle a form entry that says the well does not comply.

Illustrative example: following up on a report

Suppose a report has 2 entries marked as needing more research. Write a question beside each entry, ask the inspector what further review involves, and keep the answers with the form. Arrange any water test separately rather than treating those answers as drinking water results.

Check the official wording before you rely on any summary, including this one. The Wisconsin DNR page on property transfer well inspections is the place to confirm the rules and find the form and publication.

Today, write down which options you want and ask your agent who will arrange each step before you schedule the work.

Common questions

What should I ask before scheduling?

Ask for the inspector's license number, the form they will use, and when you will receive it. Keep those answers with your purchase or sale notes.

What should I do with an unclear form entry?

Ask the inspector to explain the observation and the next step. Write down what needs further review before discussing the result with your agent or attorney.