Well Inspection: What It Checks, What It Costs, and a Printable Checklist
Last updated Reviewed by Sean Mihelich, founder of Save My Well
A well inspection checks three things: the well itself (record, cap, casing, distances), the equipment (pump, pressure tank, flow), and the water (a lab test for bacteria and nitrate at least). A standard home inspection leaves the well out. Expect $250 to $550, and more for a full lab panel.
What does a well inspection check?
A full water well inspection covers the well, the equipment, and the water:
- The record. The well log from the driller lists the depth, the casing, the water level, and the yield test from the day it was drilled. The National Ground Water Association says that test helps forecast the well's long-term yield. Our well records by state link each state's well log search.
- The wellhead. The EPA (updated February 26, 2026) lists the problems to look for: a cracked, corroded, or damaged casing, a broken or missing cap, and a surface seal that has settled or cracked. The Oregon State University Well Water Program says a well is safe at the top when the casing stands at least one foot above the ground and is sealed with a cap.
- The equipment. The pump, the pressure tank, the pressure switch, and the wiring, and how the pump cycles under use.
- The flow. A flow test runs the well for a set time and measures gallons per minute. Our well flow test guide covers the method, a worksheet, and the numbers that pass.
- The water. A sample sent to a certified lab. OSU names coliform bacteria and nitrate as the two contaminants regularly tested, and the lender or the state can add more.
Does a home inspection include the well?
Not by default. The InterNACHI Home Inspection Standards of Practice say the inspector is not required to inspect wells or springs, well pumps or tanks, or to determine the flow rate or adequacy of the water supply. That is why a buyer on a well needs a separate well inspection, or a home inspector who offers it as an add-on. Put the well, the flow test, and the lab panel on the order as three named lines.
How much does a well inspection cost?
Prices from The Well Guide (updated October 2026), a commercial cost guide:
| What you order | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Standard inspection with flow test and pressure system check | $250 to $400 |
| The same, plus bacteria and nitrate test | $350 to $550 |
| Standard water panel added (metals, pH, hardness, turbidity) | $100 to $250 more |
| Full inspection with an extended lab panel | $500 to $800 |
| Flow or yield test on its own | $200 to $600 |
| Well and septic inspection, same visit | $600 to $1,200 |
| Travel fee for a rural property | $50 to $100 |
A test panel that a state requires can cost more. New Jersey requires a well test at every sale, and the New Jersey health department (January 2023) puts its average cost at $1,250.
Printable well inspection checklist
Print this page and check each line on site. The distances are the FHA minimums from HUD Handbook 4000.1, Update 18 (August 12, 2026); local rules win when they are greater. Since a HUD waiver of July 24, 2026, an existing home that meets local distance rules, with acceptable water test results, can skip the FHA distance table.
| Done | Check | What passes |
|---|---|---|
| Well record (well log) | Found. Depth, casing, static water level, and the driller's yield test noted. | |
| Well cap | Tight, vermin-proof, not cracked or missing. | |
| Casing height | At least one foot above the ground, not cut off below grade. | |
| Surface seal and grading | No settling or cracks at the casing. Ground slopes away from the well. | |
| Distance to septic tank | At least 50 feet (FHA), or the local rule if greater. | |
| Distance to drain field | At least 100 feet, or 75 feet where local rules allow (FHA). | |
| Distance to property line | At least 10 feet (FHA). | |
| Chemicals near the well | No fuel, paint, fertilizer, or pesticide stored at the wellhead or in the well house. | |
| Pressure tank and switch | No leaks or rust. The pump runs at least two minutes per cycle (Connecticut health department). | |
| Flow test | Flow holds steady for the full test and meets the loan's number (3 gallons per minute for an existing well under FHA). | |
| Water clarity during the test | No sand, sediment, or air that grows worse as the test runs. | |
| Total coliform and E. coli | Absent, from a certified lab. | |
| Nitrate | Under 10 mg/L as nitrogen, the EPA limit. | |
| Treatment equipment | Listed by type, with service records. Sample taken before it if the lender asks for raw water. | |
| Shared well | Recorded agreement, and a shut-off valve on each home's line. |
The nitrate limit is the EPA's drinking water standard. The two-minute pump run time comes from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (June 2009), which warns that short runs shorten the pump's life. Our well water testing guide reads every line of a lab report.
What if the well fails?
Each failure has its own fix. A positive coliform test usually means surface water gets in through the cap, the casing, or the grading; the fix is to seal the opening, treat the well, and retest, as our coliform guide explains. Nitrate and other chemical failures need a treatment system, not a well treatment. A low flow test is a job for a well contractor: a new pump, a storage tank, or a deeper well.
Failed the bacteria test? Treat the well this week and retest before closing.
Answer a few questions about your well. The kit is from $329, with a lidded mixing pail and a bacteria test before and after. For context, a professional treatment visit can cost up to $500, and it may not include a bacteria test.
Inspectors, agents, and well pros: refer the fix
Inspectors, realtors and lenders: send your client the free well record and the free homebuyer report.
Related guides
Buyers can read the well inspection when buying a house guide, and sellers the selling a house with a well guide. Lenders and agents can find each loan's well rules in one table in our FHA, VA and USDA well requirements reference.
Straight answers
How much does a well inspection cost?
The Well Guide (October 2026) puts a standard well inspection with a flow test and a pressure system check at $250 to $400, or $350 to $550 with a bacteria and nitrate test. A full inspection with an extended lab panel runs $500 to $800, and a combined well and septic inspection runs $600 to $1,200.
Does a home inspection include the well?
Usually not. The InterNACHI Standards of Practice say a home inspector is not required to inspect wells or springs, well pumps or tanks, or to determine the flow rate of the water supply. Many inspectors offer the well as an add-on, so ask for it in writing as a separate line.
What is on a well inspection checklist?
The well record, the wellhead (cap, casing height, grading), distances to the septic system and the property line, the pressure tank and switch, the pump's cycling, a flow test, and a lab water test for at least total coliform, E. coli, and nitrate. The printable checklist on this page lists each item and what a pass looks like.
How long does a well inspection take?
The visit takes from one hour to most of a day, and the flow test sets the length. FHA uses a four-hour test for new construction and shared wells. Lab results for bacteria take a day or two after the sample reaches the lab, and a full chemical panel can take longer.
Who should do a well inspection?
A licensed well contractor or pump installer for the flow test and the equipment, and a certified lab for the water test. A home inspector trained in wells can do both on a sale. For FHA and VA loans, the water sample must be taken by a disinterested third party, never the buyer or the seller.
How often should a private well be inspected?
The EPA (February 2026) says to test a private well every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH, and to check the exposed parts of the well for a cracked casing, a broken cap, or a settling seal. A full inspection with a flow test makes sense at a sale or when the water changes.
Keep reading
Not sure which fix you need? See every well water treatment, matched to its problem.
- How to treat a well
- Iron bacteria in well water
- Iron bacteria in toilet tank
- Rotten egg smell in water
- Coliform in well water
- Low water pressure from well
- Cloudy well water
- Rust stains from well water
- Black slime on faucets
- Metallic taste in well water
- Morning sulfur smell
- Hot water smells like rotten eggs
- Well water test kits
- Well service near me
- Well maintenance checklist
- Well inspection for home buyers
- Iron filters for well water
- Well treatment kits compared
- Chlorine dioxide vs bleach
- Sulfur water filters
- Well pump short cycling
- Well running dry
- How deep is my well
- Selling a house with a well
- E. coli in well water
- Well water treatment
- Well flow test
- FHA, VA and USDA well rules
- Well pump repair
- Well pump pressure switch
- Water well drilling cost
Well test reminders, by email
What is in well water this season, and when to test. One topic, one thing to do, with the sources linked.
More guides
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Well Flow Test: How to Do a Yield Test and What Numbers Pass
How a yield test runs, and the gallons per minute that pass.
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FHA Water Test Requirements, and VA and USDA Well Rules: a Quick Reference
FHA, VA and USDA well rules in one table, with sources.
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