Sales & services 2 signers 3 pages 26 blanks to fill in

Well Drilling Contract Template

Price the well by the foot or metre, set a depth to stop and talk, and agree what happens if the hole comes up dry, before the rig arrives.

Use this template — free See the agreement Signers don’t need an account
Well drilling contract
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. FileIt adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Well drilling contract — page 1 of 3
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Well drilling contract — page 2 of 3
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Well drilling contract — page 3 of 3
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Use this template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from FileIt eSignature.

What is a well drilling contract?

A water well is priced before anyone knows how deep it will go or what it will find. That makes the contract unusually important: it has to explain how the final price is worked out, when the driller stops to ask, and who pays for a dry hole. A well drilling contract puts those rules in writing.

This template covers domestic, shared, irrigation, livestock and geothermal wells. It records the location, the hole and casing diameter, an optional estimated depth and a required stop-and-consult depth. It assigns the permit and well record, confirms owner authority, utility locates and separation distances. Pricing is per foot or metre drilled and of casing, plus an editable list of fixed items, an optional pump system, and extras priced before they're done. A clear section says water, depth, yield and quality are not guaranteed and that the owner tests the water before drinking it. You choose the dry-hole terms, with plugging as the law requires. It covers rig access, cuttings and rough grading, the deposit, an itemised invoice, the balance due and a workmanship warranty in months that excludes yield and water quality.

Best for
Water well drillers and pump installers
Signed by
The driller and the property owner
Covers
Location, permits, rates, casing, pump, dry hole, restoration
Length
About 3 pages, initialled on every page

When to use a well drilling contract

  • A new domestic well for a rural house
  • Replacing an old shallow well with a deeper drilled well
  • An irrigation well for a market garden or orchard
  • A well shared between two neighbouring homes
  • Boreholes for a geothermal heat pump

What you fill in

26 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: driller, property owner.

1 The parties

  • Driller (your business)*
  • Your phone or email*
  • Well driller licence or registration (optional)
  • Property owner*
  • Owner phone or email*

2 The well

  • Property address or legal description*
  • Well location*
  • Use of the well* domestic water supply for one home · domestic supply shared by more than one home · irrigation or garden use · livestock or farm use · a geothermal heat pump · other use described in the scope
  • Hole and casing diameter*
  • Estimated depth (optional)
  • Stop and consult the Owner at (depth)*
  • Well permits and records are handled by* the Driller, with the permit fee included in the price · the Driller, with the permit fee charged at cost · the Owner

3 Price

  • Currency*
  • Prices are per* foot · metre
  • Drilling price per foot or metre*
  • Casing price per foot or metre*
  • Fixed-price items*
  • Pump system* not included — quoted separately · included, as described below · installed by others
  • Pump system details and price (optional)
  • If the well is dry or does not give usable water* the Owner pays the drilling price for the depth drilled and the cost of plugging the hole, but not for casing not installed · the Owner pays a reduced dry-hole price set out below, including plugging · the Owner pays the drilling price for the depth drilled and the cost of plugging the hole, and may choose to have a second hole drilled at another location at the same rates
  • Dry-hole price (if reduced)

4 Payment and schedule

  • Deposit (optional)
  • Balance due within (days after completion)*
  • Workmanship warranty (months)*
  • Estimated start date*
  • Governing law*

5 Who signs

  • Driller signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The well drilling business.
  • Property owner signature and date, initials on every page · The owner of the land, or someone authorised by the owner.

What the well drilling contract covers

  1. The well
  2. Price
  3. Water yield and quality are not guaranteed
  4. Dry hole or unusable water
  5. Access, the site and restoration
  6. Payment and schedule
  7. Workmanship and general

Using the well drilling contract, step by step

1 Describe the well

Enter the property, location, use and hole and casing diameter, your estimated depth and the depth at which you'll stop and consult the owner.

2 Set the rates

Choose feet or metres, enter the drilling and casing rates, and fill in the pre-listed fixed-price items.

3 Pump and dry hole

Choose whether the pump system is included, quoted or by others, and pick the dry-hole terms, with a reduced price if you offer one.

4 Payment and send

Add an optional deposit, the days to pay after completion, the start date, the workmanship warranty in months and the governing law, then send it to the owner.

Tips before you send it

  • Many places license well drillers, require a permit before drilling and a well record afterwards, and set separation distances from septic systems. Check local rules.
  • Base your depth estimate on nearby well records and say so. The contract treats it as an estimate only.
  • Update the owner as you pass key depths. It avoids surprises on the invoice, which the contract says is itemised.
  • Recommend a laboratory water test before the owner drinks from the well. The contract makes it the owner's responsibility.

Sign it online in minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Use the well drilling contract template — it’s free

Well drilling contract: frequently asked questions

Does the driller guarantee water?

No. The contract states that nobody can know in advance what's underground, and doesn't guarantee water will be found, at what depth, or its quantity, quality or yield over time.

What happens if the well is dry?

At the stop-and-consult depth, the driller stops and discusses the options. The options can include drilling deeper at the agreed rates. If the hole isn't completed as a well, you choose in advance whether the owner pays for the depth drilled and plugging, pays a reduced dry-hole price, or pays for the depth drilled and plugging with the option of a second hole elsewhere at the same rates.

How is the final price worked out?

From the rate per foot or metre drilled, the rate for casing installed and the fixed-price items, plus any pump system and approved extras. The invoice is itemised.

Is the pump included?

You choose: quoted separately, included as described, or installed by others.

Can I sign it electronically?

Yes. E-signatures are generally valid for construction and service contracts in the US, UK, EU and Canada. FileIt keeps an audit trail with the signed PDF.

Use this template — free