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Nevada Water Well Driller — Requirements & Free Practice

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Limited Well-Drilling License

Limited by the State Engineer to a class of work, a type of drilling rig, or both, for which the Advisory Board finds the driller qualified.

Licensing authority: Nevada State Engineer, Division of Water Resources · Application information

Reinstatement following child support court suspension
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Release letter
The State Engineer must receive the district attorney’s or other public agency’s letter stating compliance with the subpoena or warrant or satisfaction of the arrearage under NRS 425.550 and 425.560.
Suspension
Court suspension under NRS 425.540, addressed specifically by NRS 534.144 rather than the general examination-based restoration route.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reinstatement: expired long
Application and fee
New well-drilling application and $100 fee under NRS 534.140.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Initial qualifications
New applications are subject to NAC 534.280 and 534.282; examinations remain required.
Prior status
Prior licence expired for more than one year.
Reinstatement after expiration for one year or less
Application and fee
Renewal application under NAC 534.2923 and renewal fee.
Continuing education
Eight credit units earned during the most recent active period or while expired; subject to NAC 534.2927(4) exemptions or deferrals.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Examination exemption
May petition the Division in writing for exemption from passing the examinations; both real examinations remain leaves.
Expiration
Prior licence expired for one year or less.
Initial licensure by examination
Application
Signed Division application, other information requested by the State Engineer, and $100 application fee; the application is valid for one year unless an examination is failed.
Attendance and failure
NAC 534.282(2), operative on the evaluation date, requires notice at least three working days before an inability to attend, permits no more than two reschedulings, and prescribes denial on failing any examination section. Division material anticipates the later rule allowing two consecutive failures.
Board instruction conflict
The April 2026 Division guide and licensing page use the proposed newer procedures: no five-year experience window, three references accepted before testing, and an oral exemption for an accepted reciprocity request scoring at least 87 percent on the first written attempt. The controlling codified rule is retained for September 22, 2026: the original adopted regulation was deferred and the revised regulation, with reciprocity removed, was filed September 24, 2026. These Division instructions do not establish an effective reciprocity licence or remove the oral leaf on the evaluation date.
Child support statement
Issuance and renewal require the completed child-support statement and compliance with any support order or approved repayment plan under NRS 534.142.
Experience
NAC 534.280(1)(b), operative September 22, 2026, requires two years of full-time experience acquired during the immediately preceding five years, satisfactory and appropriate for the licence type.
Limited scope
The Board must determine the applicant qualified for the class of work, drilling rig type, or both to which the licence is limited under NAC 534.294(2).
Minimum age
At least 18 years old under NAC 534.282(1)(a).
Oral sequence
The oral examination follows passing the written examination; the Board may decline the oral interview if experience or references are unsatisfactory.
References
At least four professional references, satisfactory and appropriate to the licence type; Division instructions also require at least three to have been received and accepted before written testing.
Rig owner contractor licence
NRS 534.140(8) separately requires a Contractors Board licence before water-well drilling by a rig owner, lessee, renter or person under a contract to purchase a rig. The C-23 credential is surveyed separately.
Social security number
An issuance application must include the applicant’s social security number under NRS 534.146.
Written score
At least 80 percent on the written questions under NAC 534.282; the operative rule also prescribes a pass/fail public-land-survey map exercise within the written examination. The April 2026 guide instead describes public-land-survey multiple-choice questions.
Annual renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Child support and business information
Submit the child-support statement under NRS 534.142 and the state business licence information under NRS 534.141; unresolved assigned state debt can bar renewal.
Compliance
Submit required notices and well reports, comply with repair and plugging orders and the law; fewer than 100 demerit points; the State Engineer may deny, defer or condition renewal for an unacceptable history.
Continuing education
Eight credit units in the current licensing period; successful completion of the Division’s Nevada Well Drilling Regulations, Statutes and Forms course at least once within two consecutive renewal periods; NAC 534.2927 permits specified exemptions or deferrals.
Existing licence
Renew an existing licence by June 15; each licence expires June 30.
Fee
$50 annual renewal fee.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reinstatement: revoked
Application and fee
New well-drilling application and $100 fee under NRS 534.140.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Initial qualifications
New applications are subject to NAC 534.280 and 534.282; examinations remain required.
Prior status
Prior licence revoked.
Modification of limited licence scope
Application and fee
New application under NAC 534.280 and the licence fee.
Board scope decision
The State Engineer and Board determine the work or rig scope for which the driller is qualified.
Current limited licence
Applicant holds a limited well-drilling licence and requests a different scope.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Examination exemption
May petition the Division in writing for exemption from the examinations.
Reinstatement: suspended
Application and fee
New well-drilling application and $100 fee under NRS 534.140.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Enforcement suspension
For a NAC 534.500 suspension, the State Engineer must additionally find the driller competent and outstanding complaints must be resolved to the Division’s satisfaction.
Initial qualifications
New applications are subject to NAC 534.280 and 534.282; examinations remain required.
Prior status
Prior licence suspended under the general reinstatement provisions, including enforcement suspensions.

Well-Drilling License

Authorizes drilling, plugging or rehabilitation of water wells and monitoring wells.

Licensing authority: Nevada State Engineer, Division of Water Resources · Application information

Reinstatement following child support court suspension
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Release letter
The State Engineer must receive the district attorney’s or other public agency’s letter stating compliance with the subpoena or warrant or satisfaction of the arrearage under NRS 425.550 and 425.560.
Suspension
Court suspension under NRS 425.540, addressed specifically by NRS 534.144 rather than the general examination-based restoration route.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reinstatement: expired long
Application and fee
New well-drilling application and $100 fee under NRS 534.140.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Initial qualifications
New applications are subject to NAC 534.280 and 534.282; examinations remain required.
Prior status
Prior licence expired for more than one year.
Reinstatement after expiration for one year or less
Application and fee
Renewal application under NAC 534.2923 and renewal fee.
Continuing education
Eight credit units earned during the most recent active period or while expired; subject to NAC 534.2927(4) exemptions or deferrals.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Examination exemption
May petition the Division in writing for exemption from passing the examinations; both real examinations remain leaves.
Expiration
Prior licence expired for one year or less.
Initial licensure by examination
Application
Signed Division application, other information requested by the State Engineer, and $100 application fee; the application is valid for one year unless an examination is failed.
Attendance and failure
NAC 534.282(2), operative on the evaluation date, requires notice at least three working days before an inability to attend, permits no more than two reschedulings, and prescribes denial on failing any examination section. Division material anticipates the later rule allowing two consecutive failures.
Board instruction conflict
The April 2026 Division guide and licensing page use the proposed newer procedures: no five-year experience window, three references accepted before testing, and an oral exemption for an accepted reciprocity request scoring at least 87 percent on the first written attempt. The controlling codified rule is retained for September 22, 2026: the original adopted regulation was deferred and the revised regulation, with reciprocity removed, was filed September 24, 2026. These Division instructions do not establish an effective reciprocity licence or remove the oral leaf on the evaluation date.
Child support statement
Issuance and renewal require the completed child-support statement and compliance with any support order or approved repayment plan under NRS 534.142.
Experience
NAC 534.280(1)(b), operative September 22, 2026, requires two years of full-time experience acquired during the immediately preceding five years, satisfactory and appropriate for the licence type.
Minimum age
At least 18 years old under NAC 534.282(1)(a).
Oral sequence
The oral examination follows passing the written examination; the Board may decline the oral interview if experience or references are unsatisfactory.
References
At least four professional references, satisfactory and appropriate to the licence type; Division instructions also require at least three to have been received and accepted before written testing.
Rig owner contractor licence
NRS 534.140(8) separately requires a Contractors Board licence before water-well drilling by a rig owner, lessee, renter or person under a contract to purchase a rig. The C-23 credential is surveyed separately.
Social security number
An issuance application must include the applicant’s social security number under NRS 534.146.
Written score
At least 80 percent on the written questions under NAC 534.282; the operative rule also prescribes a pass/fail public-land-survey map exercise within the written examination. The April 2026 guide instead describes public-land-survey multiple-choice questions.
Annual renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Child support and business information
Submit the child-support statement under NRS 534.142 and the state business licence information under NRS 534.141; unresolved assigned state debt can bar renewal.
Compliance
Submit required notices and well reports, comply with repair and plugging orders and the law; fewer than 100 demerit points; the State Engineer may deny, defer or condition renewal for an unacceptable history.
Continuing education
Eight credit units in the current licensing period; successful completion of the Division’s Nevada Well Drilling Regulations, Statutes and Forms course at least once within two consecutive renewal periods; NAC 534.2927 permits specified exemptions or deferrals.
Existing licence
Renew an existing licence by June 15; each licence expires June 30.
Fee
$50 annual renewal fee.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reinstatement: revoked
Application and fee
New well-drilling application and $100 fee under NRS 534.140.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Initial qualifications
New applications are subject to NAC 534.280 and 534.282; examinations remain required.
Prior status
Prior licence revoked.
Reinstatement: suspended
Application and fee
New well-drilling application and $100 fee under NRS 534.140.
Demerits
Reduce accumulated demerit points to zero.
Enforcement suspension
For a NAC 534.500 suspension, the State Engineer must additionally find the driller competent and outstanding complaints must be resolved to the Division’s satisfaction.
Initial qualifications
New applications are subject to NAC 534.280 and 534.282; examinations remain required.
Prior status
Prior licence suspended under the general reinstatement provisions, including enforcement suspensions.

Nevada Well Driller’s Examination — Part 2 Oral Interview

Provider
Nevada Well Drillers’ Advisory Board
Format
Oral interview
Passing score
Board evaluates oral answers and recommends approval, a limited licence, retesting or denial; no numeric cut score is published in the cited rule
Examination outline
  • Oral Interview Topics
    • Knowledge of NAC Chapter 534 and NRS Chapter 534, including minimum standards for construction, plugging, development or testing of wells
    • Water right permits, notice of intent form, well driller’s report, authorizations, and current statutory fees
    • Qualifications and experience
    • Operating procedures and construction methods for drill rigs, tools, casings, drilling fluids, and drilling operations
    • Ability to resolve problems during construction, plugging, development or testing of a well
Examination sources

State of Nevada Well Driller’s Examination — Part 1 Written Examination

Provider
Nevada Division of Water Resources
Format
Closed-book written examination, multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank
Exam questions
100: 80 multiple-choice, 10 Notice of Intent fill-in-the-blank, 10 Well Driller’s Report fill-in-the-blank
Time limit
2 hours
Passing score
At least 80 percent; operative NAC 534.282 also prescribes pass/fail map-location performance
Examination outline
  • Multiple-Choice Well-Drilling Knowledge
    • General Provisions
    • Well-Drilling Licenses
    • Duties of Well Drillers
    • Drilling, Construction and Plugging of Wells & Boreholes
    • Waivers
    • Enforcement
  • Identify Public Land Survey on a Map
  • Prepare a Notice of Intent
  • Prepare a Well Driller’s Report
Examination sources