Well Owner Resources
Do I Need a Permit to Drill a Well in Texas?
What Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District rules actually require before you drill in Hood or Parker County — registration, exemptions, siting rules, and what buyers of existing wells need to file.
Texas doesn't have one statewide well permit — groundwater is regulated locally, county by county, through groundwater conservation districts (GCDs). Whether you need a permit to drill a well in Texas depends entirely on whether a GCD covers your land, and if so, which rules that specific district enforces. In Hood and Parker County, that district is the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (UTGCD), which also covers Wise and Montague counties. Where no GCD exists, well construction is governed by statewide TDLR rules instead of a local district.
Registration Is Required for Every New Well
Inside UTGCD's boundaries, every new well must be registered with the district before drilling — no exceptions. This applies whether the well will end up being a fully permitted, non-exempt well or one that qualifies for the district's exemption. Registration is how the district tracks how much groundwater is being drawn across the aquifer and where.
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Wells
Most household wells in Hood and Parker County qualify as exempt from full permitting, though registration is still mandatory. A well is generally exempt if it meets either condition:
- It produces under 25 gallons per minute (GPM), or
- It's used solely for domestic, livestock, or poultry purposes.
Wells that don't meet the exemption — most commonly wells used to sell water commercially — are non-exempt. Those require a meter and are billed at $0.22 per 1,000 gallons under current district rules.
Siting Rules That Apply Either Way
Whether a well is exempt or not, UTGCD's siting requirements still apply to where it can be drilled:
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Tract size | 2 acres |
| Distance from property line | 50 feet |
| Distance from another registered well | 150 feet |
Properties that can't meet one of these thresholds — a smaller lot, for example — can apply for an exception with the district rather than being automatically disqualified from drilling.
Buying Property With an Existing Well? File a Transfer
If you're purchasing rural property in Hood or Parker County that already has a well on it, UTGCD requires the new owner to file a Transfer of Well Ownership so the district's registration records are accurate. This is separate from — and easy to miss during — a standard real estate closing. Wells that predate 2009 can be registered with the district at no cost, which is worth doing even for an old well that's never been formally on record.
The Driller's Paperwork: State Well Reports
Beyond district registration, Texas requires anyone holding a TDLR Water Well Driller license to file a State Well Report for every well they complete. That report is a public record showing the well's depth, formation, and construction details — useful both for regulatory compliance and as a reference if you ever need to know what's actually down there. TDLR also licenses pump installers separately from drillers, and both licenses require supervised experience and a passing exam before issuance.
Where to check the rules directly: The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District publishes current registration forms, exemption criteria, and siting rules for Hood, Parker, Wise, and Montague counties. Statewide driller and pump installer licensing is administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Let Us Handle the Filing
Every new well we drill in Hood or Parker County is registered with UTGCD as part of the project — you don't have to track down forms or figure out which exemption applies. See our water well drilling page for how the process works from site evaluation through completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I drill a well without registering it?
Every new well in Hood and Parker County must be registered with the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District before drilling, regardless of whether it qualifies as exempt from full permitting. A licensed driller handles this filing as a standard part of the job, and the completed well must also have a State Well Report filed with the state.
Do I need a permit for a livestock or domestic well?
Wells used solely for domestic or livestock purposes, or producing under 25 gallons per minute, are typically exempt from full permitting under UTGCD rules. Registration with the district is still required, and the district's siting rules — a 2-acre minimum tract, 50 feet from property lines, and 150 feet from other registered wells — still apply.
What is a Transfer of Well Ownership?
When you buy property with an existing well, Upper Trinity GCD rules require filing a Transfer of Well Ownership so the district's records reflect the new owner. It's a straightforward filing, but it's easy to overlook during a real estate closing if no one flags it.
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