No health department well permit is needed to replace a well pump in Virginia. The private well regulations say replacing a pump, replacing a well seal or cap with an equivalent one, or extending the casing above ground is not a well alteration. New wells, deepening, other alterations and abandonment need a written VDH construction permit, usually $300. Electrical work follows the local building code.
Key points
- Pump replacement: no VDH well permit.
- New well, deepening, alteration or abandonment: VDH permit, usually $300.
- Well work is done by DPOR-certified water well systems providers.
- The well must be disinfected before it goes back into service.
Wellborne works under Virginia’s private well rules on every job, and the most common question is whether a pump swap needs a permit. For the pump itself, it does not.
What the regulation says
Virginia’s private well regulations, administered by the Virginia Department of Health, require a written construction permit before anyone constructs, alters, abandons or increases the depth of a private well. The same section then says plainly that the replacement of a well pump, the replacement of a well seal or cap with an equivalent one, and the vertical extension of the well casing above the ground surface are not considered well alterations.
So a like-for-like or upsized pump replacement, done through the existing casing, needs no VDH well permit.
Jobs that do need a VDH permit
| Job | VDH well permit? |
|---|---|
| Replacing the pump | No |
| Replacing a cap or seal with an equivalent one | No |
| Extending the casing above ground | No |
| Pressure tank, switch or control box | No |
| Constructing a new or replacement well | Yes |
| Deepening a well | Yes |
| Other alterations to the well itself | Yes |
| Abandoning (sealing) a well | Yes |
The permit fee for a private well construction or abandonment permit is $300, with exceptions: no fee to abandon a well at your own principal residence, a refund for a replacement well once the old well is properly abandoned, and waivers for low-income households. Permits are valid for 18 months, with one 18-month renewal, and the health department may set conditions on the work. In Suffolk, permits go through the Western Tidewater Health District.
Who can do the work
Virginia’s Board for Contractors, part of DPOR, certifies water well systems providers at three levels: trainee, journeyman and master, requiring one, three and six years of practical experience respectively, with continuing education at renewal. The certification covers the drilling, installation, maintenance and repair of water wells and well pumps. Licensed plumbers may also do work covered by the plumbing code.
Before hiring anyone to work on a well, you can look up their certification on DPOR’s license lookup.
Before you hire
- Ask for the DPOR certification number and check it on the license lookup.
- Ask whether the job needs a VDH permit, and if so, who applies for it.
- Ask how the well will be disinfected after the work and when to test for bacteria.
- Ask for a written scope listing the pump, pipe, wire, valves and any tank or switch.
A provider who answers those clearly is working within the rules.
Electrical work
A pump replacement usually reconnects to existing wiring. New circuits, moved control boxes or panel changes fall under the local building and electrical code, administered by each locality’s building department. Requirements vary between Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Chesapeake and the other localities, so electrical permits are confirmed for the address.
Disinfection is required either way
Even without a permit, the regulations still apply to how the well is left. A private well must be disinfected before it is placed in service, at a chlorine strength and contact time set in the rules: 100 mg/L of chlorine held for 24 hours, or an equivalent of at least 1,000 contact units. Pulling and resetting a pump opens the well, so it is disinfected afterward, and a bacteria test after flushing confirms the result.
Large withdrawals
One more rule applies to big systems. Suffolk and the surrounding area are in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area, where withdrawals of 300,000 gallons or more in a month need a Virginia DEQ permit. Household wells are far below that; large farm irrigation may not be.
North Carolina is different
Across the state line, North Carolina has its own rules. A certified well contractor must be present for well contractor activities, including breaking the well seal, pump installation or repair, and the disinfection required after it. Virginia DPOR certification does not cover North Carolina work.
For questions about a specific job, call (757) 919-1972.