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Cost to drill a well in North Dakota: $5,500–$31,000 by county

A drilled, finished water well in North Dakota typically costs $5,500–$31,000, with a midpoint of $16,300. Depth sets most of that price. Domestic wells here have a median depth of 110 ft across 198 completion reports filed 2010–2025, priced at national driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Key figures for North Dakota

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $16,300) $5,500–$31,0001,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $2,900–$19,9001,2,3,4,5,6
Median well depth (198 reports) 110 ft1
Middle half of wells 60 ft to 180 ft1
Drilling rate (national rates) $25–$75/ft3

Estimate a well in North Dakota

Typical total: $5,500–$31,000, midpoint $16,300.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Depths from 198 domestic well reports in North Dakota, 2010–2025: 62 ft (25th percentile), 112 ft (median), 181 ft (75th percentile).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (112 ft × $50/ft)$1,600$5,600$13,6003
Casing, installed (73 ft × $28/ft)$600$2,000$3,3004
Rig mobilization and setup ($550–$2,500)$600$1,500$2,5005
Well permit ($50–$500)$100$300$5006
Pump, wire, and drop pipe, installed ($1,000–$4,000)$1,000$2,500$4,0007
Pressure tank and switch, installed ($500–$1,800)$500$1,200$1,8007
Trench, water line, and electrical to the house ($1,000–$5,000)$1,000$3,000$5,0008
Water quality test ($50–$250)$100$200$3009
Total$5,500$16,300$31,000

Casing depth of 73 ft is a model assumption; the records for this area do not report casing.2

No state rate survey yet, so national driller rates are used.

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Well depth records in North Dakota

Total depth of domestic wells by county, North Dakota. Bar shows the middle half of wells; tick marks the median.
County Reports Median depth (ft) Middle half (ft) 0 to 330 ft
Williams 62 60 60–90
Mountrail* 26 200 170–270
McLean* 17 80 50–120
McHenry* 16 90 40–130
McKenzie* 13 110 100–250
Dunn* 11 170 120–180
Kidder* 11 160 90–180
Stutsman* 6 200 170–220
Barnes* 5 180 80–210
Burleigh* 5 60 60–60
Eddy* 5 140 100–200
Griggs* 4 200 70–330
Divide* 3 140 100–200
Mercer* 2 200 170–230
Richland* 2 150 120–190
Rolette* 2 110 90–130
Sargent* 2 80 60–100
Benson* 1 220 220–220
Dickey* 1 100 100–100
Emmons* 1 120 120–120
LaMoure* 1 40 40–40
Nelson* 1 200 200–200
Oliver* 1 300 300–300

* 22 counties have fewer than 30 reports. Estimates there use the statewide figures.

Only 1 of 23 counties have 30 or more reports, so the estimates above use the statewide depth of 110 ft. The table lists every county with its report count.

Sources1

Where the money goes on a North Dakota well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $25–$75/ft, so the hole alone runs $1,600–$13,600 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $600–$3,300 at $10–$45/ft. Rig setup is a flat $600–$2,500.

The pump, pressure tank, and trench to the house add $2,500–$10,800 on top of the hole. A quote that looks low next to the range above often leaves those three out, so ask for it itemized.

Sources3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Permits and driller licensing in North Dakota

Water wells in North Dakota fall under North Dakota Department of Water Resources. A well that draws less than 12.5 acre-feet of water per year does not need a permit from the Department of Water Resources, which covers a typical household well. Anyone hired to construct, install or repair a well must be licensed through the Department of Water Resources, but an individual may install or repair a well on their own property without a license. The driller's report must be filed with the Department of Water Resources within 30 days after the well is completed or abandoned.

Sources10,11

Groundwater and well construction in North Dakota

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 70 ft Total depth about 110 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 110 ft well with casing to 70 ft, the North Dakota median

Continental glaciers covered most of North Dakota, and sand and gravel deposited by meltwater, including buried stream-channel deposits up to 400 feet thick, form the most productive aquifers. Till deposited by the ice is poorly permeable and commonly forms confining layers.

A well at the North Dakota median reaches 110 ft with casing to about 70 ft, a model assumption because the records here do not report casing. The state's private well guide says to locate a well at least 50 feet from septic tanks, absorption fields, privy pits, barnyards and feedlots.

NDSU Extension advises having water taken directly from the well tested for nitrates and bacteria, using a certified North Dakota water testing lab.

Sources12,2,10,13

North Dakota compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
North Dakota110 ft$5,500–$31,000
Minnesota100 ft$8,600–$28,500
Montana170 ft$6,700–$43,900
South Dakota200 ft$7,000–$48,500

Sources14,5,15,7,8,16,17,3,4,18,19,20,2,6,9

Common questions

How deep is a typical well in North Dakota?

Half of the 198 domestic wells reported in North Dakota from 2010–2025 are between 60 ft and 180 ft deep, and the median is 110 ft. Your county can sit well above or below that, so check the county table on this page before you compare quotes.

How much does it cost per foot to drill a well in North Dakota?

Drilling alone runs $25–$75/ft on the rates we compiled. Spread across a whole finished well, including casing, pump, tank, and hookup, the midpoint estimate works out to about $146/ft at a depth of 110 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

Do you need a permit to drill a well in North Dakota?

A well that draws less than 12.5 acre-feet of water per year does not need a permit from the Department of Water Resources, which covers a typical household well. The driller usually files the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so ask for a copy.

How much do a well pump and pressure tank add in North Dakota?

An installed submersible pump with wire and drop pipe runs $1,000–$4,000, and a pressure tank with its switch runs $500–$1,800. Together they are often the line items missing from a drilling quote, so a quote for the hole alone will look $3,700 cheaper than a finished well.

Related pages

For every state side by side and the national range, see how much a well costs.

Sources

  1. Ground and surface water site data , North Dakota Department of Water Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  2. Default casing share of well depth , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median of state casing_p50 / depth_p50 across states that report casing. Used only where no local casing median exists.
  3. Water Well Installation: Complete Guide, Cost and Tips for Success , Stevens Drilling (La Vernia, TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2025-10-27. Drilling $25-$65/ft; pumps $500-$2,000; pressure tank $300-$1,500; permit/licensing $100-$750; total $7,500-$17,000+.
  4. Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
  5. D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
  6. Compilation of fetched state and county well permit fees (research/rates/NOTES.md, section permit) , costtodrillawell.com research. Accessed November 8, 2026. Internal compilation used only for the national permit fallback. Component sources: ok-owrb-well-driller-fact-sheet ($0), fl-nwfwmd-well-fees through fl-manatee-water-wells-2026 ($35-$265), ny-dutchess-dbch-fees ($45), wi-dnr-well-notification ($50.50), ga-pierce-well-permit-2024 ($70), idaho-code-42-235 ($75), crs-37-92-602 ($100), az-ars-45-596 ($100-$150), nmac-19-27-5 ($125), wa-rcw-18-104-055 ($200), nc-wayne-private-wells through nc-gaston-eh-fees ($225-$450), mi-grand-traverse-fees-2026 and mi-delta-menominee-fees-2025 ($240-$334), mt-dnrc-form-613-2025 ($250-$400), pa-chester-county-health-fees ($300), mn-stat-103i-208 ($325), oh-logan-fees-2024 through oh-summit-fees-2025 ($350-$594), or-hb2808-2025 ($490), blanco-pedernales-gcd-fees-2025 ($500), ca-calaveras-fees-2026 ($693), ny-nyc-well-water-permit ($1,090 outlier).
  7. How Much Does a Well Pressure Tank Cost? , Mid Atlantic Water LLC (water-system supplier, nationwide). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated 2026-10-14; prices live as of 2026-09. Tank replaced by plumber $800-$1,800 all-in (20-44 gal); labor $200-$500; submersible pump job $1,000-$2,500; tank plus pump $2,500-$5,000+. Supplier, not an installer.
  8. What Are the Cost Factors of Drilling a Santa Fe Water Well? , Boylan Water Well Service (Santa Fe, NM). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-06-25. Drilling incl. PVC casing $28-$65/ft; submersible pump $850-$2,500; casing and grouting $1,500-$4,000; pressure tank and controls $500-$1,800; electrical hookup and trenching $1,000-$3,500; permits and lab testing $300-$1,000; turn-key $12,000-$30,000+.
  9. DSHS Austin Laboratory Fee Schedule, effective 2026-09-01 , Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Potable Water (coliform) MZZ0441A $18.39; Nitrate-N EZZ0048A $30.00; Routine Water Mineral Group $155; All Metals $165; VOCs $150.
  10. Private Well Installation , North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  11. Water Well Driller's Report (SFN 60273) , North Dakota State Water Commission. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  12. HA 730-I, Principal aquifers (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming) , U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  13. Protecting Your Water Source: What's the Condition of Your Water Well (AE1951) , North Dakota State University Extension. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  14. Minnesota Well Index , Minnesota Department of Health. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  15. Minn. Stat. 103I.208 Well Notification and Permit Fees , Minnesota Revisor of Statutes. Accessed November 8, 2026. Water supply well construction notification $325 (includes $40 state core function fee); sealing $125. Effective 2025-07-01 per MDH fee schedule (https://www.health.mn.gov/communities/environment/water/wells/feesched.html). Delegated county/city programs set their own fees.
  16. Water Testing , Washington County, Minnesota, Public Health & Environment. Accessed November 8, 2026. Undated. Standard drinking water test (coliform and nitrate) $50; coliform $25; nitrate $25.
  17. Ground Water Information Center (GWIC) , Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  18. Form 613 Water Right Fee Schedule, effective 2025-10-01 , Montana DNRC Water Resources Division. Accessed November 8, 2026. Form 602 Notice of Completion of Groundwater Development (35 gpm / 10 ac-ft exempt well) $250.00; $400.00 in a Controlled Groundwater Area; Form 602I Notice of Intent (effective 01/2026) $400.00 (https://dnrc.mt.gov/_docs/water/Water-Rights-Forms/602I.pdf).
  19. Environmental Laboratory Testing Fee Schedule, effective 2024-01-01 , Montana DPHHS Laboratory Services Bureau. Accessed November 8, 2026. Total coliform P/A $25.00; nitrate+nitrite as N $28.00; Basic Screen package $55.00; Full Well Screen $340.00.
  20. Water well completion reports , South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.