Arizona Wells • 2026 Research Guide
Search Arizona Well Permits, Wells55 Records and Drilling Status
An Arizona well permit search usually starts with the Arizona Department of Water Resources, not a county building-permit database. ADWR maintains the statewide Well Registry, commonly called Wells55, along with drilling notices, well records, forms and status information.
The terminology can be confusing: depending on the well type and location, the official record may be a Notice of Intention to Drill, a drilling authorization or “drill card,” a well registration record, or a permit for a non-exempt well. This guide shows which official source to use and what each record can tell you.
Where Do You Search Arizona Well Permit Records?
Use ADWR’s Well Registry search when you want to locate a registered well, identify its 55-number, search by owner or parcel, or review available well information. The registry supports searches by well registration number, owner name, township/range/section, parcel, cadastral location, basin and subbasin.
After locating a well, review the registry detail tabs for available status, construction, owner, driller and pump information. If you need the underlying documents submitted to ADWR, use the department’s Well Record Search guidance and Imaged Records system.
How to Search the Arizona Wells55 Registry Step by Step
If you already have a well registration number, use it first. Arizona well registration numbers generally begin with 55- followed by six digits. When the number is unknown, parcel information is often the most useful alternative because wells are registered to the parcel on which they are physically located.
Open the official ADWR Well Registry
Go to the Arizona Well Registry search application. This is the state database used to find registered wells and related reported information.
Choose the strongest search method
Select the well registration number when known. Otherwise try owner name, parcel, township/range/section, cadastral location, basin or subbasin. Avoid assuming a street address alone will identify every well.
Confirm the correct parcel and well
Compare the parcel information, county, basin, well type and available location data. A parcel can have more than one well record, and a replacement well may reference an earlier registration number.
Open the well detail record
Review the available general, construction, status, owner, driller and pump information. Record the 55-number because it becomes the easiest way to retrieve the same well later.
Check the imaged file when documents matter
For forms, notices, logs and other documents submitted to the department, follow ADWR’s Well Record Search page to the Imaged Records system.
“Well Permit” Can Mean Several Different Arizona Records
Someone searching for an “Arizona well permit” may actually need one of several different records. The correct document depends on whether the project concerns an existing well, a new exempt well, a non-exempt well, a monitoring well, a replacement well or another specialized drilling activity.
| Record or tool | What it is used for | Best place to start |
|---|---|---|
| Wells55 registration | Identifies a registered well and can display owner, location, construction, driller, status and other reported data. | ADWR Well Registry |
| Form 55-40 NOI | Common Notice of Intention used for drilling, deepening, replacing or modifying many wells other than a non-exempt well requiring a different AMA permit route. | ADWR Forms & Applications |
| 55-0001 permit application | Application route for certain non-exempt wells within an Active Management Area under A.R.S. § 45-599. | ADWR non-exempt well forms |
| Form 55-55 well log | Well Driller Report and Well Log documenting drilling and construction information submitted after the work. | ADWR Form 55-55 |
| Imaged Records | Retrieves available documents associated with a well registration file. | ADWR Imaged Records |
ADWR identifies two broad production-well categories. An exempt well generally has a pump with a maximum capacity of no more than 35 gallons per minute and withdraws groundwater under the exempt-well provisions of Arizona law. Non-exempt wells are handled differently, particularly within Active Management Areas.
How to Check the Status of an Arizona Well Drilling Application
ADWR explains that a well registration number is assigned when an application is received, so the Well Registry can also help with an application that has not yet reached final approval. Search by the registration number when available, or try the owner name or location.
After opening the well record, review the Status information and action codes. ADWR states that these codes can indicate whether an application was approved, mailed out, or returned because information was incomplete or incorrect.
Typical review timing
For a standard Notice of Intention, A.R.S. § 45-596 generally gives ADWR up to 15 days after receipt to determine whether the required information has been submitted and the applicable requirements have been met. Certain proposed wells at or near specified groundwater-remediation sites can be subject to a longer statutory review of up to 45 days.
These statutory periods are not a promise that every project will be drill-ready on a particular date. Missing documents, county review, special site conditions or other requirements can change what happens next.
What to Check Before Drilling a New Well in Arizona
Arizona regulates groundwater well construction through ADWR. Before drilling, deepening or modifying a well, the appropriate notice or permit process must be completed. The correct route depends on the well type, intended use and whether the property is inside an Active Management Area.
Use a properly licensed well driller
A.R.S. § 45-595 requires new well construction and well modifications to be performed under the direct and personal supervision of an appropriately licensed well driller, subject to the law’s specific provisions. ADWR publishes an official Well Drillers List that can be searched by company and other fields.
It is also sensible to check the contractor’s current licensing information through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors search. A name appearing in an old well record does not establish that the business is currently licensed for new work.
How long is drilling authorization valid?
ADWR’s general well-drilling guidance states that authority to drill a new well or deepen an existing well is normally valid for one year. Arizona law contains limited exceptions for certain qualifying replacement wells, so a project with unusual circumstances should be checked against the current statute and ADWR instructions rather than relying on a general timeline.
When Does an Arizona County Review a Domestic Well Location?
Although ADWR is the primary statewide well authority, county or local health review can be required in a specific situation. If water from a proposed well, or from an existing well being modified or deepened, will be used for domestic purposes on a parcel of five acres or fewer, ADWR says the applicable county or local health authority must endorse the required portion of the Notice of Intention before it is submitted to the department.
The applicant must also provide a site plan. Under A.R.S. § 45-596, that plan includes the assessor parcel identification number, the proposed well location, and the location of a septic tank or sewer system on the property or within 100 feet of the proposed well site.
ADWR provides a dedicated County or Local Health Authority Approval page for this requirement. Counties may also have their own setback or environmental-health rules, so verify the requirements for the parcel’s actual county before submitting the NOI.
What Information Can an Arizona Well Record Show?
The details available vary by well and by the documents that have been submitted. A Well Registry record may include the registration number, well type, county, groundwater basin or subbasin, cadastral location, owner information, driller information, construction details, status data and pump-related information.
| Field | What it can help you determine | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Registration number | Provides the unique 55-number used to retrieve the well record and associated files. | It does not by itself prove current operating authority or water quality. |
| Status | Can show action codes and administrative history associated with the well or application. | Read the actual status details rather than assuming “registered” means every approval is complete. |
| Construction | May provide well depth, casing or related construction information when reported. | Historic measurements may not describe present groundwater conditions. |
| Owner | Shows registered owner information available in the state record. | An ownership update may be needed after a property transfer. |
| Location | Helps identify the parcel, county, basin and cadastral area. | ADWR explains that Wells55 map points may represent the nearest 10-acre quarter or section rather than the exact physical well position. |
Well depth is not the same as current water level
A historic well log can be useful when researching an area, but it should not be read as a guarantee of present groundwater depth or future well performance. ADWR recommends using nearby Wells55 data for context and its Groundwater Site Inventory when additional water-level information is needed.
You can reach those mapping resources through the department’s GIS Data and Maps page.
Arizona Well Search Troubleshooting
Use the assessor parcel number instead of relying only on the mailing address. The registry is organized around well and land-location data, and a property’s postal address may not be the best search key.
Search by parcel or location. The well may still be registered under a prior owner if the state record was not updated after a transfer.
Compare each 55-number, well type, status, construction data and replacement-well references before deciding which record relates to the structure or water system you are researching.
Review the status comments and current form requirements. ADWR warns applicants to make sure information on the NOI agrees with diagrams, construction information and required supplemental forms.
Use the Imaged Records system after obtaining the 55-number. Look for the Well Driller Report and Well Log or other documents associated with the registry file.
ADWR states that shared-well agreements are private agreements and are generally not maintained as part of the state well file. Check the appropriate County Recorder for recorded agreements.
What Property Buyers and Owners Should Verify
A Wells55 search is useful during real-estate due diligence, but it should be one part of a broader review. A state well record can help identify the registered well and historical documents; it does not establish the legal condition of every private agreement, the current production capability of the well, or the present quality of the water.
For a property served by a private well, consider verifying:
- the correct 55-registration number for the parcel;
- whether the registered owner information appears current;
- the well type and recorded status;
- available drilling and construction records;
- whether the well is shared with other parcels;
- any recorded shared-well agreement at the County Recorder;
- the presence of septic systems and applicable setback requirements;
- recent water-quality testing performed for the property;
- whether a replacement, modification or abandonment record exists.
Official Arizona Well Search and Permitting Sources
ADWR Well Registry
Search by 55-number, owner, parcel, cadastral location, basin and other location criteria.
Open Wells55 search ↗ADWR Well Record Search
Official guidance for finding registry numbers and retrieving associated imaged well files.
Open Well Record Search ↗Well Forms & Applications
Current NOI forms, non-exempt well applications, construction supplements and related well forms.
View current ADWR forms ↗Arizona Well Drillers List
Search the state’s published list of well drilling firms and available license-related information.
Search drillers ↗Arizona well statute
Read A.R.S. § 45-596 for the Notice of Intention process, site-plan rules and statutory review framework.
Read A.R.S. § 45-596 ↗County/local health approval
Review the ADWR explanation for domestic wells on parcels of five acres or fewer.
Review county approval rules ↗Related Arizona permit research
A water-well record and a building permit answer different questions. If your project is also subject to municipal development permitting, see our Phoenix Building Permit Search guide or City of Scottsdale Permit Search guide when those jurisdictions apply.
Arizona Department of Water Resources Well Contact
Groundwater Permitting & Wells
Phone: (602) 771-8527
Email: wells@azwater.gov
Office:
1110 West Washington Street, Suite 310
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Before contacting ADWR
Have the well’s 55-number if you know it. If not, keep the assessor parcel number, owner name, county and property-location information ready. ADWR specifically recommends having the parcel number available when staff assistance is needed to locate a well.
Arizona Well Permit Search FAQs
Where can I search Arizona well permits online?
Start with the Arizona Department of Water Resources Well Registry. It can search registered wells using the well registration number, owner, parcel and several geographic fields. For actual documents associated with the file, use ADWR’s Well Record Search and Imaged Records resources.
Can I search an Arizona well by parcel number?
Yes. The official Well Registry includes a parcel-search method. ADWR notes that wells are registered to the parcel where they are physically located, making parcel information especially useful when a street-address search is not practical.
What does an Arizona well registration number look like?
Arizona well registration numbers begin with “55-” followed by six digits. The number is the most reliable identifier for retrieving the well’s registry record and associated imaged file.
Is a Wells55 registration the same as permission to drill?
No. Registration and drilling authorization are related but not interchangeable. For a new drilling project, use the applicable ADWR notice or permit process and wait for the required authorization. ADWR states that drilling can begin when the driller has the official drill card and required application information.
How long does ADWR take to review a Notice of Intention?
For a standard NOI, Arizona law generally provides a 15-day period for the department to determine whether the required information and applicable conditions are satisfied. Certain wells at or near specified remediation sites are subject to a longer review framework of up to 45 days.
Does my Arizona county have to approve a domestic well?
County or local health approval is required in the specific situation described by A.R.S. § 45-596 when water will be used for domestic purposes on a parcel of five acres or fewer. The site-plan and local endorsement requirements should be completed according to the current ADWR instructions.
Can I find the depth of an existing Arizona well?
Many registry records include construction information such as reported well depth, and associated well logs may provide additional details. Historic depth-to-water information should not be assumed to represent today’s groundwater level.
Why is the seller’s name missing from the well record?
The state record may still show a prior registered owner. Search by parcel or 55-number to confirm the well, then review ADWR’s current process for changing well information when an ownership update is needed.
Where can I find a shared-well agreement?
ADWR states that shared-well agreements are private agreements and are generally not part of its imaged well records. If an agreement was recorded, the appropriate County Recorder is the more relevant place to search.
Does an Arizona well permit prove the water is safe to drink?
No. A drilling, registration or construction record is not a current water-quality certification. Private-well owners and buyers should consider appropriate laboratory testing and current health guidance based on the property and local conditions.
Use the 55-Number as Your Starting Point
For most Arizona well-record research, the fastest route is to identify the correct parcel, find the well in Wells55 and save its 55-registration number. From there, review the status and construction information, then open the imaged file when you need the underlying forms or drilling documents.
If you are planning new work rather than researching an existing well, use ADWR’s current forms page and confirm the correct well category before filing anything. Domestic projects on small parcels should also be checked for county or local health review, and drilling should not begin until the required state authorization is in place.