AK · wells & permits

Water wells in Alaska

Real drilling records, county depth medians, active contractors, and exactly what it takes to pull a well permit in Alaska.

The permit, in plain language

No pre-drill permitgeneric

AK DNR WELTS

AS 41.08.020

Pre-drill gate: None — report after drilling
Fee: —
Who files: Driller or owner may file
Timeline: Varies

Confirm current fee with authority

Before the rig arrives

Confirm parcel allows a private well (vs required public water connection).
Select a licensed well contractor; obtain owner authorization as required.
No statewide pre-drill permit for typical domestic wells — confirm local/district overlays.
Still complete post-drill filing (registration / well log) on the deadline below.

After drilling: Well log via WELTS within 45 days → AK DNR WELTS · filing link ↗

Forms: AK well application · Well log via WELTS

Open the filing portal ↗

WellMap prepares estimate-backed quote packets and dual-party approvals. It does not issue permits and never auto-submits to government systems. The licensed driller (and/or owner where required by law) is the submitter of record. Verified 2026-07-14.

Top drillers on record

Contractor	Wells	Median depth
E AND D WATER WELLS	3,381	111 ft
M-W DRILLING INC	3,139	82 ft
M-W DRILLING	2,522	150 ft
KRAXBERGER DRILLING	2,396	71 ft
AURORA DRILLING CO.	1,543	150 ft
ALPINE DRILLING	1,490	173 ft
ACE WATER WELL DRILLING	1,097	118 ft
SWAN DRILLING	1,022	205 ft
HEFTY DRILLING	841	118 ft
SULLIVAN WATER WELLS	712	165 ft

Get a depth estimate anywhere in Alaska

County by county

Depth statistics across Alaska

Medians from wells with verified total depth. Click a county for its permit authority, fee and filing channel.

County	Wells	With depth	Median	p10–p90
Matanuska-Susitna Borough	14,593	14,451	100 ft	50–213 ft
Municipality of Anchorage	8,982	8,879	155 ft	58–343 ft
Kenai Peninsula Borough	8,575	8,159	68 ft	31–173 ft
Fairbanks North Star Borough	4,303	4,083	158 ft	40–360 ft
City & Borough of Juneau	577	564	85 ft	30–264 ft
Copper River REAA	357	351	87 ft	35–240 ft
Denali Borough	341	335	160 ft	57–350 ft
Haines Borough	266	266	126 ft	49–302 ft
Southwest Region REAA	229	219	50 ft	30–120 ft
Kodiak Island Borough	208	203	186 ft	24–275 ft
Lake & Peninsula Borough	197	188	130 ft	50–270 ft
Yukon-Koyukuk REAA	152	146	65 ft	43–227 ft
Delta-Greely REAA	144	141	114 ft	40–240 ft
Pribilof Islands REAA	121	121	48 ft	19–113 ft
Lower Kuskokwim REAA	112	112	118 ft	42–375 ft
Southeast Fairbanks	112	108	120 ft	53–300 ft
Chugach REAA	102	100	80 ft	40–287 ft
Bristol Bay Borough	88	85	110 ft	60–244 ft
Alaska Gateway REAA	88	88	80 ft	18–263 ft
Copper River	88	87	78 ft	38–239 ft
Southeast Island REAA	76	70	151 ft	61–275 ft
Yukon-Koyukuk	72	66	150 ft	37–319 ft
Bethel	67	65	72 ft	29–434 ft
Northwest Arctic Borough	66	66	36 ft	15–217 ft
Kuspuk REAA	66	66	44 ft	41–124 ft
Bering Straits REAA	54	52	97 ft	30–246 ft
Nome	47	47	207 ft	52–344 ft
Yukon Flats REAA	46	42	124 ft	40–302 ft
Matanuska-Susitna	45	41	93 ft	41–173 ft
North Slope Borough	45	37	118 ft	38–3150 ft
Lower Yukon REAA	44	44	195 ft	102–301 ft
Dillingham	39	39	55 ft	36–122 ft
Chatham REAA	38	33	110 ft	35–266 ft
Anchorage	35	33	183 ft	77–388 ft
Aleutians East Borough	34	34	89 ft	60–188 ft
Chugach	29	28	60 ft	37–216 ft
Iditarod REAA	22	22	78 ft	40–129 ft
Kusilvak	17	16	149 ft	91–189 ft
Kenai Peninsula	16	14	82 ft	43–179 ft
Municipality of Skagway	13	12	164 ft	76–365 ft
City & Borough of Yakutat	10	9	67 ft	52–162 ft
Ketchikan Gateway Borough	10	10	100 ft	9–256 ft
Yupiit REAA	10	10	190 ft	46–280 ft
City & Borough of Sitka	10	7	15 ft	3–57 ft
Aleutian Region REAA	9	9	67 ft	44–113 ft
Denali	8	8	89 ft	39–273 ft
Hoonah-Angoon	6	6	18 ft	17–110 ft
Bristol Bay	5	1	108 ft	108–108 ft
Kashunamiut REAA	3	3	187 ft	170–212 ft
Prince of Wales-Hyder	3	3	300 ft	224–348 ft
Fairbanks North Star	1	1	60 ft	60–60 ft
Aleutians West	1	1	50 ft	50–50 ft
Skagway	1	1	80 ft	80–80 ft
Lake and Peninsula	1	1	283 ft	283–283 ft
City & Borough of Wrangell	1	1	325 ft	325–325 ft