CO Well Driller
Colorado Well Driller (Water Well Construction Contractor) Licensing Examination
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Colorado well driller credential covered on this page is the state's water well construction contractor licensing pathway, administered in Colorado by the Division of Water Resources together with the Board of Examiners of Water Well and Ground Heat Exchanger. The Board's rulemaking covers licensing administration, financial responsibility, continuing education, and remedial action for well construction, ground heat exchanger, and pump installation contractors, so the credential is aimed at contractors and operators who build water wells, install ground heat exchanger systems, and install pumps in Colorado. This study page is independent and is not affiliated with the State of Colorado, the Division of Water Resources, or the Board of Examiners. The exam content is organized around five domains of equal weight: well construction; ground heat exchanger construction; pump installation; licensing administration and financial responsibility; and continuing education and remedial action. Because a fifth of the exam tests administrative and financial-responsibility rules rather than field technique, candidates who study only drilling practice leave a large share of the exam unprepared. Prepare by working domain by domain, confirming the current licensing, financial responsibility, continuing education, and remedial action requirements against the amended BOE Admin Rules adopted October 6, 2026, and using practice questions to find weak areas before booking a test date. Specific exam format, question count, time limit, passing score, fee, retake policy, and license validity are not stated in the available source material and should be confirmed directly with DWR.
What you'll study
About CO Well Driller preparation
Who issues the Colorado well driller license, and is this site connected to them?
The Division of Water Resources and the Board of Examiners of Water Well and Ground Heat Exchanger administer the licensing framework. This page is independent study material and has no affiliation with either body. Always confirm requirements with DWR before relying on anything you read here.
What does the exam cover?
Five equally weighted domains: well construction, ground heat exchanger construction, pump installation, licensing administration and financial responsibility, and continuing education and remedial action. Two of the five are administrative, so budget real study time for rules and financial responsibility, not just field technique.
How many questions are on the exam, and how long do I get?
Those figures are not stated in the source material available for this page, so treat any number you see elsewhere as unverified. Confirm question count, time limit, and passing score with DWR directly before you schedule.
What score do I need to pass, and what does it cost?
The passing score and exam fee are not published in the material available here. Do not plan around a remembered figure, because requirements change. Ask DWR for the current passing standard and fee schedule when you apply.
If I fail, how soon can I retake it?
The retake policy is not stated in the available source material. Contact DWR for the current rule on waiting periods and repeat attempts. In the meantime, review your score report by domain so the next attempt targets your weakest areas rather than repeating the same preparation.
Which study order works best?
Start with licensing administration and financial responsibility, since those rules frame everything else and are easy to postpone. Then work through well construction and ground heat exchanger construction, which share grouting, sealing, and casing concepts, and finish with pump installation and continuing education requirements.
What are the most common ways candidates lose points?
Two patterns stand out: neglecting the administrative and continuing education domains because they feel less technical, and studying from outdated rule summaries. The Board adopted amendments to the licensing, financial responsibility, continuing education, and remedial action rules on October 6, 2026, so verify you are studying current requirements.
How long is the license valid once I have it?
The validity period is not given in the available source material. Confirm the current term and renewal requirements with DWR, and note that continuing education obligations fall under the amended Board rules, so check those requirements at renewal time rather than assuming older ones still apply.
Where do I file paperwork or visit DWR in person?
DWR relocated its main office effective November 10, 2026, to 1525 Sherman St, Suite 600, Denver, CO 80203. The general phone number is (303) 866-3581, and questions can also be submitted online through AskDWR. Check the relocation guide before an in-person visit.
How should I use practice questions?
Use them diagnostically, not as a memorization drill. Take a mixed set, note which of the five domains produce your errors, then study those domains before retesting. Because each domain carries equal weight, a single weak domain costs you far more than it appears to.