DE · wells & permits
Water wells in Delaware
Real drilling records, county depth medians, active contractors, and exactly what it takes to pull a well permit in Delaware.
The permit, in plain language
Files onlineverified landing
DNREC Division of Water
HB 175 fee schedule
- Instrument
- permit
- Fee
- $250 (eff. 2025-12-21)
- Who files
- Licensed driller must file
- Timeline
- 1–2 weeks typical
Domestic potable $250 (HB 175)
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 online via the authority portal (deep-link below).
- Do not drill until authorization is issued (or notification accepted, per regime).
After drilling: Completion report to DNREC within 30 days → DNREC Division of Water
Forms: DE well application
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aquatech Water Specialties, LLC | 12,722 | 70 ft |
| Lifetime Well Drilling Co | 9,984 | 80 ft |
| John's Well Drilling Inc | 8,313 | 50 ft |
| White Drilling Corporation | 6,424 | 70 ft |
| A C Schultes Of Delaware | 5,484 | 80 ft |
| Walter E Welldriler | 5,164 | 50 ft |
| Walton Corporation | 4,997 | 30 ft |
| Wooten's Well Drilling | 4,976 | 60 ft |
| Weber's Well Drilling Inc | 4,592 | 75 ft |
| Atlantic Well Drilling Inc | 4,493 | 60 ft |
County by county
Depth statistics across Delaware
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex | 94,182 | 83,359 | 63 ft | 26–115 ft |
| Kent | 47,640 | 41,403 | 46 ft | 23–220 ft |
| New Castle | 31,679 | 25,113 | 35 ft | 14–205 ft |