CA · wells & permits

Water wells in California

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

The permit, in plain language

Paper / PDF filinggeneric

Local Enforcing Agency + DWR OSWCR

Water Code §13801; Bulletin 74

Instrument: permit
Fee: Call to confirm
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.
File permit with Local Enforcing Agency + DWR OSWCR (PDF/email/mail — WellMap prepares the packet; lawful submitter files).
Do not drill until authorization is issued (or notification accepted, per regime).

After drilling: DWR Well Completion Report (OSWCR) within 30 days → Local Enforcing Agency + DWR OSWCR · filing link ↗

Forms: CA well application · DWR Well Completion Report (OSWCR)

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
MEL MEYER	107,662	148 ft
GREGG DRILLING & TESTING INC	15,277	30 ft
WEEKS DRILLING AND PUMP CO	14,978	153 ft
PETERS DRILLING AND PUMP SERVICE	13,258	275 ft
GARY C TANKO WELL DRILLING INC	12,674	225 ft
CASCADE DRILLING INC - CALIFORNIA	11,333	40 ft
JOHNSON DRILLING CO	11,184	230 ft
J & H DRILLING CO INC	9,798	40 ft
CASCADE DRILLING L P	9,790	39 ft
W D C EXPLORATION & WELLS	7,420	64 ft

Get a depth estimate anywhere in California

County by county

Depth statistics across California

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
Santa Clara	80,837	48,144	38 ft	18–250 ft
Los Angeles	69,462	40,946	90 ft	30–535 ft
Fresno	52,402	41,253	200 ft	96–543 ft
Sonoma	49,615	33,486	157 ft	25–400 ft
Riverside	37,388	26,484	264 ft	50–694 ft
Alameda	36,721	22,264	30 ft	15–212 ft
San Diego	36,530	24,023	205 ft	22–805 ft
Sacramento	35,320	22,209	120 ft	27–334 ft
Tulare	33,511	23,406	240 ft	95–600 ft
San Bernardino	31,780	23,620	230 ft	70–521 ft
San Joaquin	30,021	20,632	200 ft	40–397 ft
Orange	27,322	14,636	46 ft	20–413 ft
Nevada	26,988	22,479	220 ft	92–525 ft
Kern	25,469	17,854	369 ft	110–912 ft
Contra Costa	25,297	13,696	42 ft	15–250 ft
San Luis Obispo	24,684	6,879	280 ft	34–640 ft
Placer	23,686	17,897	200 ft	70–500 ft
El Dorado	20,696	16,410	250 ft	80–600 ft
Madera	20,667	17,012	375 ft	182–740 ft
Butte	20,444	19,016	158 ft	60–500 ft
Stanislaus	18,770	13,734	185 ft	84–385 ft
Mendocino	18,563	12,905	121 ft	25–260 ft
Merced	18,239	14,010	200 ft	62–480 ft
San Mateo	16,334	9,259	40 ft	14–280 ft
Tehama	15,831	15,197	161 ft	70–388 ft
Yolo	15,749	10,994	199 ft	34–523 ft
Shasta	15,683	14,555	150 ft	34–320 ft
Santa Barbara	15,465	9,050	237 ft	25–720 ft
Solano	14,465	9,471	110 ft	19–382 ft
Monterey	14,084	10,518	260 ft	40–630 ft
Ventura	13,411	8,363	218 ft	27–780 ft
Napa	12,147	8,525	295 ft	35–600 ft
Yuba	10,693	8,430	173 ft	47–475 ft
Siskiyou	10,650	10,040	138 ft	36–335 ft
Plumas	10,197	7,463	145 ft	60–340 ft
Santa Cruz	9,708	7,470	200 ft	20–470 ft
Kings	9,182	7,374	270 ft	58–780 ft
Sutter	8,980	7,026	107 ft	42–315 ft
Calaveras	8,275	6,417	300 ft	125–580 ft
Amador	7,959	6,557	262 ft	105–500 ft
Mariposa	7,433	6,292	225 ft	100–550 ft
Tuolumne	7,339	5,786	325 ft	83–750 ft
Lake	7,083	6,575	115 ft	37–300 ft
Glenn	7,056	6,684	154 ft	50–431 ft
Marin	7,050	3,507	46 ft	12–300 ft
San Francisco	6,902	3,199	27 ft	10–82 ft
Humboldt	6,684	5,710	60 ft	15–220 ft
Lassen	5,727	5,466	150 ft	50–460 ft
Colusa	4,081	3,862	220 ft	23–710 ft
Trinity	3,274	3,075	160 ft	44–320 ft
Modoc	2,930	2,800	225 ft	80–600 ft
San Benito	2,887	2,183	220 ft	56–535 ft
Inyo	2,661	1,964	140 ft	21–445 ft
Del Norte	2,387	2,165	40 ft	20–80 ft
Mono	1,789	1,465	200 ft	46–463 ft
Imperial	1,393	953	67 ft	16–454 ft
Sierra	966	726	160 ft	55–438 ft
Alpine	640	372	145 ft	21–400 ft