Colorado Well Permits

The State Publications Library receives many questions about Colorado well permits and water rights. Navigating the state’s water rights system can be complex, but fortunately there is a great deal of information online. A helpful place to start is with the Guide to Colorado Well Permits, Water Rights, and Water Administration, issued by the Colorado Division of Water Resources (DNR). This publication answers many basic questions about how to obtain a permit; types of permits available; how wells are permitted in subdivisions; what you need to know about purchasing a property with a well or water rights; and more. There’s also a helpful glossary of terms.

DNR offers many resources on their website. To locate a Colorado well permit, search the DNR’s Well Permits database. Permits can be searched by number, type, region, and other criteria. If you’re looking for well permitting forms, including forms regarding landownership, well abandonment, location amendments, and more, the DNR has gathered them all on their well permitting forms webpage. Finally, for more in depth information, including GIS data, visit the Colorado Decision Support Systems website. If you still have questions, you can call the DNR’s Ground Water Info Desk at 303-866-3587, or contact our library.