NC · wells & permits

Water wells in North Carolina

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

The permit, in plain language

Paper / PDF filingverified landing

NC DEQ DWR (post-drill GW-1); county EH issues pre-drill permits

NCGS 87-97; 15A NCAC 02C

Instrument: well construction permit
Fee: Call to confirm
Who files: Driller or owner may file
Timeline: 30-day statutory decision (NCGS 87-97)

County-set; exclusive issuer is county health dept

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 well construction permit with NC DEQ DWR (post-drill GW-1); county EH issues pre-drill permits (PDF/email/mail — WellMap prepares the packet; lawful submitter files).
Provide site plan: proposed well, septic, property lines, structures.
Schedule site evaluation / sanitary survey if required.
Do not drill until authorization is issued (or notification accepted, per regime).

After drilling: GW-1 Well Construction Record within 30 days → NC DEQ DWR + county health department copy · filing link ↗

Forms: GW-1 Well Construction Record

Permit record lookup

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. Post-drill GW-1 goes to NC DEQ DWR with a county copy (NCGS 87-97; 15A NCAC 02C). Verified 2026-07-14.

Top drillers on record

Contractor	Wells	Median depth
David Simmons	18	30 ft
Thomas Whitehead	14	17 ft
David Register	13	207 ft
L. Martin Shaver	12	28 ft
LEONARD DORN JR	10	55 ft
Ronald Cannady	8	102 ft
Mark Creel	7	10 ft
Clyde Russell	6	365 ft
Donald Cummings	6	100 ft
L DORN JR	5	53 ft

Get a depth estimate anywhere in North Carolina

County by county

Depth statistics across North Carolina

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
Wake	8,018	7,917	260 ft	145–505 ft
Watauga	930	892	325 ft	125–725 ft
Orange	666	657	185 ft	80–380 ft
Avery	664	616	245 ft	110–600 ft
New Hanover	648	498	80 ft	30–180 ft
Guilford	591	541	110 ft	42–265 ft
Craven	480	381	58 ft	12–250 ft
Onslow	456	395	186 ft	22–606 ft
Martin	419	308	97 ft	16–139 ft
Wilson	400	389	80 ft	24–210 ft
Brunswick	387	358	65 ft	19–255 ft
Catawba	351	347	144 ft	80–347 ft
Mecklenburg	347	333	88 ft	20–203 ft
Lee	327	316	225 ft	89–360 ft
Beaufort	326	256	194 ft	23–378 ft
Gaston	313	308	120 ft	43–300 ft
Wayne	293	258	75 ft	13–200 ft
Cumberland	289	250	43 ft	17–100 ft
Chowan	281	132	40 ft	11–332 ft
Lincoln	268	252	83 ft	35–224 ft
Robeson	266	225	155 ft	40–330 ft
Chatham	258	257	96 ft	42–214 ft
Iredell	252	251	140 ft	32–400 ft
Stanly	252	247	97 ft	43–186 ft
Moore	242	212	100 ft	34–203 ft
Rockingham	236	233	105 ft	50–258 ft
Pitt	217	158	70 ft	14–490 ft
Alamance	206	206	93 ft	50–372 ft
Bladen	188	165	195 ft	65–412 ft
Greene	185	135	23 ft	6–241 ft
Forsyth	182	182	150 ft	40–405 ft
Johnston	180	168	110 ft	22–277 ft
Nash	179	177	103 ft	51–186 ft
Randolph	177	175	83 ft	38–185 ft
Anson	172	170	96 ft	39–210 ft
Sampson	165	126	82 ft	16–326 ft
Cabarrus	164	164	125 ft	55–300 ft
Franklin	164	164	120 ft	55–275 ft
Granville	162	162	85 ft	52–185 ft
Buncombe	160	159	165 ft	25–505 ft
Lenoir	157	116	313 ft	41–486 ft
Pender	145	124	122 ft	44–247 ft
Union	145	144	120 ft	65–254 ft
Rowan	144	142	165 ft	93–425 ft
Dare	140	110	64 ft	24–210 ft
Cleveland	137	137	139 ft	43–313 ft
Wilkes	137	134	185 ft	92–390 ft
Warren	135	135	109 ft	65–198 ft
Hyde	130	123	111 ft	20–293 ft
Pamlico	126	116	185 ft	6–362 ft
Yadkin	125	124	186 ft	101–388 ft
Davidson	123	123	133 ft	37–350 ft
Person	121	121	86 ft	49–158 ft
Surry	121	119	138 ft	68–320 ft
Caswell	120	119	95 ft	49–182 ft
Pasquotank	120	64	70 ft	11–628 ft
Tyrrell	120	118	12 ft	4–147 ft
Duplin	117	103	136 ft	6–364 ft
Hoke	117	109	101 ft	50–140 ft
Ashe	107	106	125 ft	70–281 ft