How to Register a Water Well in Texas
Quick Answer
Your driller must file a completion report with TDLR within 60 days of finishing your well. You don't file it yourself — but confirm it was submitted.
When your new water well is finished and the rig moves on, one more thing needs to happen before the project is truly complete: the well completion report must be filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), through the state’s online well report system hosted by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). This is the mechanism by which your well becomes an official public record in the state’s groundwater database.
Who Files the Report and When
The TDLR-licensed driller is legally required to file the completion report within 60 days of completing the well. This obligation is part of the driller’s licensing requirements under the Texas Water Well Drillers and Pump Installers Act and TDLR Rule 16 TAC Chapter 76.
As the property owner, you don’t file the report — but you should confirm it was filed. Ask your driller for the TWDB report number (sometimes called the state well number) once it’s been submitted. You can then verify it in the TWDB database.
What the Completion Report Documents
| Field | Information Captured |
|---|---|
| Well location | County, legal description (survey/abstract), GPS coordinates |
| Total depth | Feet drilled to bottom of borehole |
| Casing | Size, material, and depth intervals |
| Formation log | What was encountered at each depth (sand, limestone, shale, etc.) |
| Water-bearing zones | Depth and description of zones that yielded water |
| Static water level | Depth to water surface after drilling, before pump installation |
| Estimated yield | Gallons per minute at time of testing |
| Driller information | TDLR license number and contractor name |
The TWDB Well Database: A Public Record
Once filed, the completion report becomes part of the TWDB Water Well Report — a publicly searchable database of water wells across Texas. This database is:
- Used by neighboring property owners to estimate expected depth and yield before drilling
- Used by Realtors and buyers during real estate due diligence
- Required for TREC Form 61-0 disclosure compliance at property sale
- Reviewed by GCDs to track aquifer production and plan resource management
Searching TWDB records before drilling your own well is one of the most valuable free research steps you can take — the data from thousands of neighboring wells gives a picture of what to expect at your property.
GCD Registration: An Additional Step in Some Counties
In counties with a Groundwater Conservation District, the GCD may have its own post-completion filing requirement separate from the TWDB report. Confirm with the applicable GCD for your county:
| GCD | Counties | Post-Completion Filing? |
|---|---|---|
| North Texas GCD | Collin, Cooke, Denton | Confirm with NTGCD |
| Upper Trinity GCD | Wise, Parker, Hood | Confirm with UTGCD |
| Red River GCD | Grayson, Fannin | Confirm with RRGCD |
| Prairielands GCD | Johnson, Ellis, Somervell | Confirm with PGCD |
| Northern Trinity GCD | Tarrant | Confirm with NTGCD |
| Middle Trinity GCD | Erath | Confirm with MTGCD |
Your driller should know whether a GCD post-completion filing is required for the county where your well is located.
Protect Your Property Record
The TWDB completion report is a permanent document — it follows the property, not the owner. When you sell the property, the buyer’s inspector or Realtor will search for the well record. A missing or incorrect record creates uncertainty and may raise questions during the transaction.
Always:
- Confirm your driller filed the completion report
- Get the TWDB state well number for your records
- Keep a copy of the full completion report with your property documents
We file completion reports for every well we drill. We’ll provide the TWDB record number when the report is submitted so you can verify it directly in the database.