Last checked: October 22, 2026

Homes with a private well: a guide for home inspectors

Buyers often assume the home inspection covers the well. Under the two most widely used standards of practice it mostly doesn't, and in at least one state a home inspector isn't allowed to comment on the well's condition for pay without a well license. This guide covers what's in and out of scope, what you can observe and note, when to refer out, and how to word recommendations, with a printable one-page checklist. It isn't legal advice; your state's licensing law, standards of practice and your pre-inspection agreement have the final word.

What the standards of practice say about wells

InterNACHI. The InterNACHI Home Inspection Standards of Practice list "inspect wells or springs" among the things an inspector is not required to do. In the plumbing section, the inspector shall describe whether the water supply is public or private based on observed evidence, but is not required to inspect water softener or filtering systems or well pumps or tanks, determine the exact flow rate, volume, pressure or adequacy of the water supply, or determine the water quality, potability or reliability of the water supply or source. The inspector shall report deficiencies in the water supply by viewing the functional flow in two fixtures operated simultaneously.¹

ASHI. The ASHI Standard of Practice says the inspector is not required to inspect wells, well pumps and water storage-related equipment, or water conditioning systems, and is not required to determine whether the water supply is public or private, determine water quality, or measure water supply flow and pressure or well water quantity. Its general exclusions also cover environmental hazards including contaminants in water.² ASHI members voted in January 2026 to approve a revised standard; ASHI says the version above stays current until an implementation date is announced,² so check which version applies.

What that means in practice. Under both standards, the well, pump, tank, treatment and water quality are outside the base scope unless you agree in writing to more. Many inspectors still note what they can see and refer out. If you offer well or water services as an add-on, put the scope in your agreement and check your state's rules first (see licensing).

Check your state's rules before commenting on a well

• Wisconsin: by state law, only a licensed water well driller or licensed pump installer may make a statement, for compensation, at the time of property transfer about the location, compliance, condition, capacity or performance of a well and pressure system. Wisconsin DNR says a home inspector "may not have the required license to evaluate a private well," and that no license is needed if only water samples are collected.³
• New Jersey: samples for the Private Well Testing Act must be collected by a certified sampler or a certified lab's representative.⁴
• Minnesota: the state doesn't require well inspections at transfer; MDH says well contractors and some professional inspectors may inspect wells and water systems.⁵
• Virginia: VDH notes that home inspections required by lenders may include the well, and recommends a licensed water well service provider for a stand-alone well inspection.⁶

Your state's home inspector licensing board, well contractor licensing program and health department are the authorities. Our state pages link state well programs.

What to observe and note

These are the items Minnesota's health department says are important in a well inspection, plus common signs from extension and health department sources. Note what you see; leave the evaluation to a licensed well contractor.

Wellhead, cap and casing

• Location: whether you found the wellhead. If you can't find it, say so; a buried or hidden wellhead is itself worth a referral.
• Cap: MDH lists a loose or damaged well cap as a common defect.⁵ EPA says the cap keeps out debris, insects and small animals.⁷
• Casing: MDH lists a cracked casing, settled soil around the casing and an open space around the casing as common defects, and says to check that the casing is at least 12 inches above the ground surface. In Minnesota the top of the casing can't be cut off or buried during landscaping or other improvements.⁵
• Grading and drainage: ground sloping toward the well or water ponding around it.⁸
• Well pits and dug wells: MDH says well pits pose safety and contamination risks, can flood and contaminate the well, and only trained professionals with appropriate safety equipment should enter one, because a pit may hold too little oxygen or toxic gases.⁵ Don't enter a well pit; note it and refer. Some lenders treat dug wells differently (see lender rules).
• Other wells: old or unused wells on the property. In Minnesota the seller must disclose all known wells and their status.⁹ MDH lists clues to look for.¹⁰ See finding old wells.

Setbacks you can see

MDH lists isolation distances from potential contamination sources as an important inspection item.⁵ Required distances come from state and local codes, so note what's nearby (septic tank and drain field, fuel tanks, animal areas, chemical storage) and the approximate distance rather than judging compliance. For reference, HUD's minimum for FHA new construction is 50 feet from a septic tank and 100 feet from the drain field, with smaller distances allowed for existing properties that meet local rules.¹¹ USDA requires the well's distance from the septic system to be measured for its guaranteed loans.¹²

Pressure tank, switch and pump cycling

• Tank: location, type if labeled, visible leaks, rust or corrosion. Connecticut's health department says older non-bladder tanks gradually lose their air charge and become waterlogged, shown by continual pump cycling and low pressure, and tend to leak sooner than bladder tanks.¹³
• Cycling: the pump turning on and off rapidly can mean the tank has lost its air charge or its bladder has failed.⁸¹⁴ New York's health department lists the pump running more often than usual and surging pressure as signs of a problem.¹⁵
• Pressure gauge and switch: note the gauge reading if one is present, and any obvious damage. Adjustments and air-charge checks are for a qualified professional; University of Nebraska Extension notes some manufacturers void the warranty if anyone but a licensed professional removes the air valve cap.⁸
• Flow: both standards exclude measuring well quantity.¹² Functional flow at the fixtures isn't the same as well yield. New York's health department estimates peak household demand at about 5 gallons per minute and says a well yielding under 0.5 gpm isn't recommended,¹⁶ so suggest a yield test by a licensed well professional.

Treatment equipment

Note what's visibly installed (softener, iron filter, UV unit, chlorinator, reverse osmosis, sediment filter) and any service tags. Equipment means someone was treating for something, so suggest the buyer ask the seller what and why, request maintenance records, and test both raw and treated water. Both standards exclude evaluating water conditioning or filtering systems.¹² USDA doesn't accept water systems that need continuous treatment to be safe bacterially or chemically unless the water meets health authority standards before it enters the purification unit.¹² See your well system explained for what each type does.

When to refer out

• Licensed well contractor or pump installer: any wellhead defect, a well pit, a well you can't locate, rapid pump cycling, low flow or pressure, a possible unused well, or any time the buyer wants the well's condition or yield evaluated. MDH says a licensed well contractor should inspect the well if coliform persists after disinfection, and evaluate the construction if E. coli is found.⁵ Find licensed pros in our directory.
• State-certified lab: every water test. EPA encourages anyone testing drinking water to use a state-certified lab and links each state's certification program.¹⁷ Our state and county pages list or link certified labs.
• Local health department: reading results and local rules, setbacks and well records.

Which water tests buyers commonly need

• Every well: total coliform bacteria (with E. coli) and nitrate. CDC recommends yearly testing for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH.¹⁸ MDH recommends all drinking water wells be tested annually for total coliform and nitrate.⁵ Virginia's health department says many lenders require bacteria, nitrate and lead at a minimum.⁶
• State and regional add-ons: arsenic, radon, uranium, manganese, VOCs or PFAS depending on local geology and land use. Wisconsin's transfer inspection includes coliform, nitrate and arsenic.³ Our buyer guide has a sourced regional test table, and see arsenic, uranium and radon and nitrate.
• Lender tests aren't complete. Virginia's health department notes EPA's caution that lender-required tests "may not be comprehensive evaluations of well water quality."⁶
• Sampling: if you collect samples as an add-on, use the lab's bottles and instructions, follow its holding times, and check whether your state limits who can sample (for example New Jersey).⁴ Recent shock chlorination or a filter change can affect results, so ask and record it.

Lender rules: FHA, VA and USDA

• FHA: HUD's guidance says individual wells don't need automatic testing unless the state or locality requires it, contamination is suspected, or the water relies on a purification system; the lender may still require it. Where testing is required and there's no local standard, EPA's maximum contaminant levels apply. An off-site (shared) well needs recorded rights and a maintenance agreement.¹¹
• VA: VA's appraiser training says all water testing must be done by a disinterested third party, and lists dug wells among the water sources a veteran must acknowledge in writing.¹⁹
• USDA (guaranteed loans): water quality tests are required for individual wells, performed by the local health authority or a state-certified lab, and must meet state or local requirements (or EPA's maximum contaminant levels if there are none). The well's distance from the septic system must be measured; an off-site well needs water rights and a recorded maintenance agreement; a shared well can serve no more than four units; and properties served by cisterns aren't acceptable. The handbook also sets a maximum age for the water report at closing.¹²
• Conventional loans: vary by lender. MDH says many lenders require a test, typically for coliform bacteria and nitrate.⁵

These summaries come from the documents cited, which may be updated; lenders confirm current requirements.

State sale-testing rules

A few states require testing at sale: New Jersey (Private Well Testing Act),⁴ Oregon (seller tests for arsenic, nitrate and total coliform)²⁰ and Rhode Island (a buyer testing period for a minimum test list).²¹ Some counties do too, such as Westchester County, NY²² and Summit County, OH.²³ Minnesota requires disclosure of all known wells,⁹ and Wisconsin regulates who can inspect.³

Details: our realtor guide's state rules table and the buyer guide's state-by-state table. State hubs: Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Wording report recommendations

Report what you observed, say what you didn't evaluate, and name who should evaluate it. Avoid "safe," "potable," "good water," "adequate supply" or "passed." Examples you can adapt:

• "The water supply appears to be a private well (observed: wellhead in side yard, pressure tank in basement). The well, pump, pressure tank, water treatment equipment, water quality and well yield are outside the scope of this inspection. Recommend evaluation by a licensed well contractor and water testing by a state-certified laboratory before the end of the inspection contingency period."
• "The well cap was loose and the casing extends approximately 4 inches above grade. Recommend evaluation and correction by a licensed well contractor."
• "The pump was observed cycling on and off rapidly while fixtures ran. This can indicate a pressure tank problem. Recommend evaluation by a licensed well or pump professional."
• "Water treatment equipment is installed (softener and UV unit). Its condition and effectiveness were not evaluated. Recommend asking the seller what it treats, obtaining service records, and testing raw and treated water at a state-certified laboratory."
• "A well pit was observed. It was not entered. Recommend evaluation by a licensed well contractor."
• "Water samples were collected and delivered to [lab]. Results are reported by the laboratory and describe the samples on the date collected. This inspector does not interpret results as to safety; consult the laboratory and the local health department."

Printable inspector checklist

Related guides

• Selling a home with a well: a guide for real estate agents
• Buying a home with a well
• Your well system explained
• Reading well water test results
• Directory of licensed well drillers, pump installers and certified labs