Well contractor licence

Operate a well construction business

The licensing of well contractors and technicians promotes and supports enforcement of safe environmental practices to maintain the health of Ontario’s groundwater resources.

By law you must have a valid well contractor licence to operate a well construction business, including being compensated for:

• construction, extension or alteration to a well
• installation of equipment that is in or connected to a well

Your well contractor licence expires on March 31 the year after it was issued. For example, if your licence was issued in 2022, it will expire on March 31, 2023.

Apply for a well contractor licence

To get a well contractor licence, a business must:

• provide a valid Business Registration Certificate or proof of incorporation
• provide proof of valid third-party general liability insurance, such as a certificate of insurance
• for corporation or partnerships, designate at least one director, officer or partner as an official representative, who must complete application forms and licensing exams
• provide proof that the designated person has successfully complete the licensing exam
• submit a completed online application form
• pay the $200 application fee through the online application form

Once your application is submitted, you will receive an email confirmation and electronic copy of your application form.

Licensing exam

To receive a well contractor licence, each applicant must successfully complete a ministry exam. To register for an exam:

• complete the Application for an Appointment to Take an Examination Form
• pay the $50 fee

We will contact you to schedule an appointment to write the exam.

Renew your licence

Your licence expires on March 31 the year after it was issued. For example, if your licence was issued in 2022, it will expire on March 31, 2023.

If we do not receive your renewal application form before your licence expires you will need to apply for a new licence by following the steps under ‘Apply for a well contractor licence’ on this page. 

To renew your licence:

• complete and sign the online renewal application form
  • for corporation or partnerships, the official representatives must sign renewal application forms
• provide proof of valid third-party general liability insurance, such as a certificate of insurance
• pay the $200 renewal application fee

Who to employ

By law, if you are engaged in the business of well construction, you must employ well technicians or professionals who are appropriately licensed to construct, repair or abandon wells, including:

• well technicians with the required class of licence for the work being performed
• unlicensed individuals, only if supervised by an on-site licensed well technician with the correct class of licence for the work being performed
• individuals with assistant well technician identification cards, where a supervising well technician with the correct class of licence for the work being performed is available to be called to the site within one hour
• persons who do not hold a well technician licence can perform Class 5 activities for a well contractor if they are licensed under the:
  • Professional Engineers Act
  • Professional Geoscientists Act, 2000
  • Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists Act, 1998

Get assistant well technician ID cards

Well contractors can apply for an identification card for their unlicensed assistant well technician by completing the online Application for Assistant Well Technician Identification Card - Form 8, including:

• the name and contact information for both the well contractor and assistant well technician
• the date your assistant first started working for you
• a list of all well technicians working under the well contractor licence

There is no fee to apply for a well technician ID card.

Source law

This article is for information purposes. It does not provide legal advice.

You can find the complete set of rules relating to this activity at:

• Wells Regulation
• Ontario Water Resources Act