Florida Well Drilling: WMD Permits, Floridan Aquifer, Costs

Local Help in Florida, FL

Florida runs well construction through its five regional water management districts. The Department of Environmental Protection has delegated contractor licensing and well permitting to them, so the district (or an agency it delegates to) issues your permit, and a district-issued contractor license is valid statewide.

Most of our Florida counties draw from the Upper Floridan aquifer, a karst limestone aquifer, USGS says. How far down the limestone sits under your lot sets casing length and cost, and the five county pages below show how much that varies.

Florida Service Details

What providers in this area actually see: coverage, common jobs, local pricing factors, and rules worth knowing.

Service Area Notes

County pages on this site: Clay County, Hernando County, Lake County, Marion County and Pasco County. Each names its permitting district, fees and local geology.
Hernando and Pasco, on the Gulf side north of Tampa, are permitted by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Clay County, southwest of Jacksonville, and Lake and Marion counties in central Florida have their own pages with district details.

Common Jobs in Florida

New private wells into the Floridan aquifer, permitted before construction under Rule 62-532.400
Repair, modification and abandonment, which need a permit too
Sulfur-odor, iron and hardness treatment, covered by UF/IFAS guidance on secondary drinking-water standards
Bacteria and nitrate testing after construction, which Florida DOH recommends for private wells

What Drives Pricing Here

Method: our calculator's published $25–$65 per foot, plus about $1,500–$4,500 for pump, tank and hookup, applied to USGS median depths. District permit fees are added on each county page.
Pasco County (USGS Floridan median about 150 ft): about $5,250–$14,250 before the $50 SWFWMD permit.
Hernando County (USGS Floridan median about 174 ft): about $5,850–$15,810 before the $50 SWFWMD permit.
SWFWMD's permit fee is $50 for a non-public-supply well and $100 for potable wells in Chapter 62-524 delineated areas, under Rule 40D-1.607.
Treatment: sulfur odor, iron and hardness are common in Floridan water and fall under secondary (aesthetic) standards, UF/IFAS explains, so budget for testing first and treatment only if results call for it.
Casing: in Lake County USGS reports up to 200 feet or more of surface sand on the ridges, while UF/IFAS describes limestone within about 0–50 ft of the surface in parts of the Ocala area, so casing length varies widely.

Permits & Local Rules

Step 1: Hire a water well contractor licensed under Chapter 62-531, F.A.C. Applicants need two years of experience, 12 approved coursework hours and a passing exam.
Step 2: The contractor or owner applies for a permit to the district or its delegated agency on the state form, with any fee. SWFWMD charges $50 for a standard private well (Rule 40D-1.607).
Step 3: Site the well at least 75 ft from a septic system, under Rule 62-6.005 (F.A.C.).
Step 4: Build within the permit's one-year validity (Rule 62-532.400(6)), or request an extension.
Step 5: The contractor files a well completion report (SWFWMD asks for it within 30 days), then test the water for bacteria and nitrate.
Who issues it varies: SWFWMD permits wells directly in Hernando and Pasco and delegates well permitting only in Manatee, Sarasota and Marion counties.

Geology & Water Table Notes

Aquifer overview: the Upper Floridan is a karst limestone aquifer, USGS explains, and it's the main source for our Florida counties. Karst means dissolved openings and sinkholes, which is why casing must be seated in solid rock.
The Florida Geological Survey says the whole state is underlain by carbonate rock, so sinkholes could form anywhere, but risk is considerably higher in some regions, such as where limestone is close to the surface. That's why drillers in Hernando and Pasco watch for voids.
In Lake County, USGS describes two sand ridges, the Lake Wales Ridge and the Mount Dora Ridge, where groundwater can sit more than 100 feet down, and a lake-filled Central Valley between them where groundwater is at or near the surface. Depth and casing can change within a few miles.
Springs show how close the aquifer is to the surface along the Gulf side: the Weeki Wachee in Hernando County is a first-magnitude spring system with a springshed of about 240 square miles, and SWFWMD reports nitrate above historical levels at many of its springs, so nitrate belongs on every test there.
Groundwater in Hernando County is generally good except along the western coast, where USGS reports high chloride, and the Floridan there is generally unconfined, with fast pathways from the surface.
Floridan limestone sits close to the surface in parts of the Ocala area of Marion County, UF/IFAS says, while sand ridges in Lake County bury it deeper.
Saltwater intrusion near the Gulf is the main well concern along Pasco County's western coast, so ask a driller about depth there before the permit is filed.

Neighborhoods & Suburbs Served

Clay County · Hernando County · Lake County · Marion County · Pasco County

Emergency Response Expectations

After flooding, assume a private well is contaminated until tested. Florida DOH offers guidance on disinfecting and testing private wells.

Florida FAQs

Who issues well permits in Florida?

Your water management district or an agency it delegates to. DEP has delegated well permitting and contractor licensing to the five districts. Hernando and Pasco permits come from SWFWMD.

How long is a Florida well permit good for?

One year, under Rule 62-532.400(6). If the work isn't done, the district can extend it on written request or require a new permit.

How deep are wells in Florida?

On our pages, USGS medians are about 150 ft in Pasco County and 174 ft in Hernando County, and depths vary widely within each county.

How far must a well be from a septic tank in Florida?

At least 75 ft for a private potable well, under Rule 62-6.005.

Can I drill my own well in Florida?

Only a small one. Florida law lets a homeowner or farmer construct a well no wider than 2 inches for their own house or farm without a contractor license, per SWFWMD. The owner still applies for the district permit first and files the as-built report within 30 days of finishing.

Does the county health department permit wells in Florida?

Only in some counties. The Florida Department of Health lists 22 county health departments with delegated well permitting, and Hernando and Pasco aren't among them. There, permits come from SWFWMD, and DOH in Hernando County accepts private well samples for bacteria testing.

Who can drill a well in Florida?

A water well contractor licensed by a water management district under Chapter 62-531. The license needs two years of experience, 12 approved coursework hours and a passing exam, and it's valid in every district.

Do I need a permit to repair or plug a well in Florida?

Yes. Rule 62-532.400 requires a permit before construction, repair or abandonment, and the owner or contractor applies on the state form.

What does a new well cost in Florida?

At our calculator's rate, about $5,250–$14,250 for a 150-ft well and $5,850–$15,810 for a 174-ft well, plus a $50–$100 SWFWMD permit where it applies.