Search Colorado Well Permits, Drilling Records & DWR Files
A Colorado well permit search starts with the Colorado Division of Water Resources, or DWR. Its public Well Permit Search lets you research registered water-well permits, permit status, location details, allowable uses, construction information and linked records where available.
If you are checking a rural property, reviewing a seller’s well documents, researching an older well or trying to identify drilling information, begin with the state record rather than a paid third-party lookup.
Colorado Division of Water Resources
Permit number, address, receipt or location
Permit, construction and pump information
Quick Answer: Where to Search Colorado Well Permits
Primary lookup
Use the Colorado DWR Well Permit Search. The tool is designed for public research of well applications and permits and supports filters such as geographic location, permit status, permitted use, address, permit number and other property or land-location criteria.
When you locate the correct record, use the record’s View option to inspect available details and linked documents.
DWR states that a registered well’s permit file can contain the well’s allowable uses, the original permit application and available well-construction and pump-installation records. The amount of information varies by record, especially for older wells.
How to Search Colorado Well Permits Online
If you already have the permit number, use it first. A permit number is generally more precise than an owner name or broad address search and reduces the risk of selecting a neighboring or replacement well.
Open the official DWR search
Go to the Well Permit Search. You do not need to begin with a commercial record provider.
Choose the strongest identifier you have
Use the permit number when available. Otherwise, try the address, applicant or contact name, receipt number, county, subdivision, legal-land-description fields or geographic search options.
Keep the first search reasonably broad
Too many filters can hide a valid older record. Start with one or two reliable identifiers, review the results, then narrow the search.
Compare the location carefully
Check county, water division, water district, physical address, parcel name, legal description, coordinates and any other populated location fields before assuming the record is the correct well.
Open the permit details
Review the permit status, category, issue date, permitted uses, aquifer information, construction date, completed depth and other available fields. Some records contain more information than others.
Check linked imaged documents
Where available, inspect the original application, permit, construction report, pump-installation information or other filed documents. These can provide context that a summary row does not show.
Confirm anything consequential with DWR
If the record is incomplete, contradictory or important to a property purchase, well modification or legal decision, contact DWR and provide the permit number or legal property description.
Colorado Well Permit Search Methods
The official tool supports several ways to locate a well. The best method depends on what information you already have and how old the record may be.
| What you know | Best starting method | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Permit number | Permit Number search | Suffix, replacement information and matching property location |
| Street address | Address search | Distance from property, parcel/location details and whether multiple nearby wells appear |
| Owner or applicant | Applicant/contact search | Historical names, matching dates and location |
| County only | County geographic filter | Additional location or use filters so the result set is manageable |
| Legal description | Section, township, range and quarter-section fields | Correct principal meridian and parcel area |
| Approximate map location | Well Permit Map Viewer | Permit identifiers and official record before relying on a mapped point |
Searching by permit number
DWR’s search interface provides a dedicated permit-number option. If you know the number, enter it carefully and avoid adding unnecessary filters unless needed to distinguish a suffix or replacement permit.
Searching by address
Address search is useful for homeowners and buyers who do not have the permit number. Because wells can be located away from the residence and nearby properties may have separate wells, treat the address as a starting point rather than final proof of identity.
Searching older records
If the current owner name does not return a result, try historical contact information or other geographic criteria. Property ownership can change while an older permit remains indexed under an earlier applicant or contact.
What a Colorado Well Permit Record Can Show
The DWR search results include many possible fields, but not every field will be populated for every well. Older records may have fewer digital details than newer filings.
| Record field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Permit number and receipt | Primary identifiers for locating the permit file and discussing it with DWR. |
| Permit status | Helps identify the recorded state of the permit; review the actual permit and conditions for meaning. |
| Permit category and use | Shows the type of authorization and recorded permitted uses. |
| County, division and water district | Helps confirm jurisdiction and geographic context. |
| Aquifer | Identifies the reported groundwater source where populated. |
| Construction date | Helps distinguish the permit date from the date the well was actually constructed. |
| Completed well depth | Provides the reported completed depth where a construction record is available. |
| Pump test yield | Shows a reported test result where available; it is not a guarantee of present-day production. |
| Static water level | Provides a recorded water-level measurement and date when reported. |
| Date well plugged | Can indicate that a recorded well was later plugged or abandoned. |
| Associated case numbers | May connect the permit to other administrative or water-right information. |
How to Find Colorado Well Drilling and Construction Records
People often search for a “well log” when they actually need the well-construction filing associated with a permit. DWR’s permit files may include available well construction and pump-installation records in addition to the original permit application.
Start with the permit record, then open the available documents. Construction information may show details such as the completed depth, aquifer, casing or perforation information, construction date, static water level or test yield when those details were reported and digitized.
Permit record
Use this to identify the authorization, permit number, status, location, allowable uses and other permit-level information.
Construction record
Use this to investigate how and when the well was constructed and the technical information reported after drilling.
Pump information
Available pump-installation records can provide additional information about the installed pumping equipment and related filing history.
Groundwater data
For broader technical research, DWR also provides groundwater-level and geophysical-log resources through its data and well-construction tools.
2026 well-construction filing change
DWR introduced an online Well Construction and Yield Estimate eForm in 2026. Its current AskDWR guidance states that the former PDF forms GWS-31 and GWS-31A were replaced for new well-construction reporting, with older PDF or paper versions no longer accepted after the transition period ending in spring 2026.
That change affects how new construction information is submitted. It does not mean older permit files disappeared. Historical documents remain important when researching existing wells.
For current construction requirements, licensed-contractor information, geophysical logs and inspection-related guidance, use the official DWR Well Construction & Inspection page.
When to Use the DWR Well Permit Map Viewer
The text search is usually best when you know a permit number or another exact identifier. The map viewer is more useful when your question is geographic: Which registered wells appear around this parcel? Which permits are near a section of rural land? Is the well I found in the expected area?
DWR describes its Map Viewer platform as a public GIS resource containing many water-administration datasets. A dedicated well-permit viewer is available from the agency’s GIS page.
How to Read Well Permit Status and Use Information
A permit-search result can answer useful questions, but the status label should not be read in isolation. Review the permit document, its conditions, allowable uses and any associated construction or case information.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does the permit match the property? | Nearby wells, replacement wells and older records can create false matches. |
| What uses are authorized? | A well may have limits on household, livestock, irrigation or other uses. |
| Was the well constructed? | A permit record and a completed-well construction record are not the same thing. |
| Is there a replacement or historical permit? | A property may have more than one related well record. |
| Is the well in a special groundwater area? | Denver Basin, Designated Basin or other basin-specific rules can affect permitting and administration. |
DWR explains that special rules can apply in certain groundwater and river basins. The official permit itself and current DWR guidance should control when you need to know what a particular well may legally supply.
Using Colorado Well Records for Property Research
For a home purchase or rural-land review, a Colorado well permit search is useful because it can help connect seller documents with the state’s recorded permit history. It should be one part of due diligence, not the only check.
Property well-record checklist
- Confirm the permit number shown in seller, inspection or closing documents.
- Compare the recorded address, county and legal-location details with the parcel.
- Review the permitted uses rather than assuming outdoor watering or livestock use is allowed.
- Check whether a construction report is available.
- Review completed depth, aquifer and construction date where populated.
- Look for replacement, historical or plugged-well records that may explain multiple results.
- Compare reported construction information with the physical well and current inspection findings.
- Ask DWR when records conflict or the correct permit cannot be identified confidently.
Permit record vs. current well condition
A permit file documents government records. It does not replace a current inspection, water-quality test, pump evaluation or flow test. A well may have changed since its original construction report, and historic yield does not guarantee present performance.
Permit record vs. local permits
Water-well permitting is a state water-resource matter, but a property can also be subject to separate county or municipal requirements involving buildings, septic systems, electrical work, land use or access.
For Colorado Springs-area building work, see the site’s PPRBD Permit Search guide. Building records and DWR well records answer different questions.
Colorado Well Permit Search Not Finding the Record?
No result does not automatically mean no permit exists. Search formatting, older applicant information, property changes and geographic indexing can all affect what appears.
| Problem | What to try next |
|---|---|
| Permit number returns nothing | Check digits, suffixes and replacement information. Then try receipt or property criteria. |
| Address returns several wells | Compare legal descriptions, parcel information, dates and permit numbers rather than choosing the nearest result automatically. |
| Current owner name finds nothing | Try historical applicant/contact information or search geographically. |
| Old well has little digital detail | Open available imaged documents and contact DWR for record assistance if the online summary is incomplete. |
| Well appears on a map but not clearly tied to parcel | Use the permit identifier to open the official record and compare location details. |
| You need to know whether a new permit can be issued | Do not infer eligibility from nearby wells. DWR evaluates permit applications under applicable statutes and rules. |
Colorado Division of Water Resources Contact Information
Use DWR for official permit questions, unclear records, well-permitting guidance and questions that cannot be resolved through the public search.
Division of Water Resources
Address:
1313 Sherman Street, Suite 821
Denver, CO 80203
Phone:
303-866-3581
Online help
Have the permit number, receipt number or legal property description ready when possible.
A trip to the Denver office is generally unnecessary just to perform a basic well-permit lookup because the principal search and mapping tools are available online.
Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Well Permit Search
1. Where can I search Colorado well permits?
Use the Colorado Division of Water Resources Well Permit Search. DWR also provides a Well Permit Map Viewer for geographic research.
2. Can I search a Colorado well permit by address?
Yes. The DWR search tool includes address-based searching and additional geographic filters. Verify the matching permit carefully because a location search may return more than one nearby well.
3. What records may be included in a Colorado well permit file?
DWR states that a permit file can include the allowable uses of the well, the original permit application and available well construction and pump-installation records.
4. Can I find the well depth and pump-test information?
The DWR search dataset includes fields such as completed well depth, pump-test yield, static water level, aquifer and construction date when those details are available for the record.
5. What if I cannot find a well by address?
Try the permit number, receipt number, applicant or historical contact name, county, section-township-range information or the DWR map viewer. Contact DWR if important records remain unresolved.
6. Does the permit tell me I can use the well for anything I want?
No. Review the allowable uses and permit conditions. Some wells have limited authorized uses, and additional groundwater rules can apply depending on the basin and water-right context.
7. Are Colorado well permits the same as county building permits?
No. Water-well permits are administered through Colorado DWR. Building, zoning, septic, electrical and other local approvals may be handled separately.
8. Does a construction record prove the well is still in good condition?
No. It documents reported construction information from the filing. Current mechanical condition, water quality and production require current evaluation or testing when those issues matter.
9. Who should I contact when the official record is unclear?
Contact the Colorado Division of Water Resources. DWR lists 303-866-3581 and its AskDWR service for well-permit and records questions.
10. Is CountyPermitSearch.org an official Colorado government website?
No. CountyPermitSearch.org is an independent informational website. It does not issue Colorado well permits, maintain DWR’s official records or make binding determinations about a well.
Official Colorado Well Permit Resources
Use these government-managed resources for the actual permit lookup, mapping, construction guidance and official assistance.