ME · wells & permits
Water wells in Maine
Real drilling records, county depth medians, active contractors, and exactly what it takes to pull a well permit in Maine.
The permit, in plain language
No pre-drill permitgeneric
Maine Geological Survey
Water Well Information Law 1987
- 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 report to MGS within 30 days → Maine Geological Survey
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 |
|---|---|---|
| GOODWIN WELL & WATER INC | 6,823 | 300 ft |
| AFFORDABLE WELL DRILLING INC | 5,949 | 330 ft |
| LAWRENCE LORD & SONS INC | 4,242 | 260 ft |
| HANSEN'S WELL DRILLING INC | 3,034 | 280 ft |
| HATCH WELL DRILLERS | 2,907 | 220 ft |
| WEEKS & SONS WELL DRILLING | 2,899 | 240 ft |
| SUNCO PUMP & WELL DRILLING INC | 2,884 | 380 ft |
| P.L. JONES & SON, INC. | 2,358 | 220 ft |
| TED MCLEOD, INC. | 2,052 | 240 ft |
| HANSCOM WELL DRILLING | 1,871 | 265 ft |
County by county
Depth statistics across Maine
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland | 13,505 | 13,367 | 277 ft | 105–515 ft |
| York | 12,368 | 12,279 | 290 ft | 125–500 ft |
| Hancock | 9,325 | 9,280 | 220 ft | 100–405 ft |
| Penobscot | 7,582 | 7,556 | 200 ft | 97–403 ft |
| Androscoggin | 6,608 | 6,574 | 280 ft | 100–510 ft |
| Kennebec | 6,455 | 6,429 | 240 ft | 120–420 ft |
| Oxford | 5,854 | 5,786 | 340 ft | 155–600 ft |
| Lincoln | 5,689 | 5,646 | 220 ft | 105–388 ft |
| Washington | 4,974 | 4,956 | 220 ft | 98–420 ft |
| Waldo | 3,916 | 3,906 | 205 ft | 107–400 ft |
| Sagadahoc | 3,693 | 3,662 | 222 ft | 90–438 ft |
| Knox | 3,617 | 3,567 | 200 ft | 85–360 ft |
| Aroostook | 3,424 | 3,381 | 150 ft | 65–280 ft |
| Franklin | 3,277 | 3,268 | 260 ft | 125–430 ft |
| Somerset | 2,864 | 2,843 | 245 ft | 120–420 ft |
| Piscataquis | 1,650 | 1,647 | 200 ft | 99–340 ft |