Costs
What it costs to drill a well in Marion County, from 88,888 well records
Depth is the price, and in Marion County depth is not a guess. The state holds records for more than eighty thousand wells here, and they say a lot about what your well will cost.
In short
- The median Marion County well is 105 feet deep, and wells drilled since 2016 have a median of 120 feet.
- A 120 foot well runs about $3,000 to $7,800 to drill and case, or $7,200 to $12,000 as a complete system.
- A well construction permit and a licensed water well contractor are required before drilling starts.
Ask what a new well costs and the honest answer is "how deep?" In most places that is where the conversation stops, because nobody knows until the rig is turning. In Marion County it is not a complete mystery. Every well drilled here is logged with the state, and the records for this county run to 88,672 wells. They cannot tell you the depth under your lot, but they can tell you what is normal, and what a quote that is far from normal needs to explain.
All well statistics on this page: Florida Well Data, Marion County well records, compiled from water management district and county well-permitting records.
How deep Marion County wells are
Two thirds of the county's recorded wells sit between 50 and 150 feet. The tail is long, though: one in ten is deeper than about 195 feet, and a few hundred go past 400. Depth here follows the top of the Floridan aquifer, which is not level, so two lots a few miles apart can need very different wells.
The newer wells are deeper. Wells drilled since 2016 have a median of 120 feet, fifteen feet more than the county's all-time median. The records do not say why, so treat that as a fact about recent practice rather than a rule, and ask any contractor quoting you what depth they expect and what it is based on.
What the depth costs
The same data source puts a 120 foot well, the recent median, at $3,000 to $7,800 for drilling and casing, and $7,200 to $12,000 for a complete working system with the pump, pressure tank and hookup to the house.
| Part | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drilling and casing, 120 ft | $3,000 to $7,800 | Florida Well Data, Marion County well records |
| Complete system, 120 ft | $7,200 to $12,000 | Florida Well Data, Marion County well records |
| Submersible pump, the unit | $500 to $2,000 | Parrish Well Drilling, Well pump replacement cost in Florida |
| Pressure tank, 44 to 52 gallons, tank only | $250 to $600 | The Well Guide, Pressure tank replacement cost |
These are published ranges, not quotes, and nobody on this site has priced a well on your land. They are here so you can tell whether a quote is in the normal range or needs explaining. A quote well above them should come with an expected depth that justifies it. A quote well below them should say what it leaves out.
The permit comes first
A new well needs a well construction permit before drilling starts. In Marion County that permit comes from the Florida Department of Health in Marion County, which issues it under a delegation from the water management district, and the work has to be done by a licensed water well contractor. Florida licenses them through the water management districts, and a license from any district is valid statewide.
St. Johns River WMD, Well construction permitting · Florida DEP, Water well contractor licensing and permitting
Which district your property falls in, and why that matters less than people expect, is on the well permits guide.
What to ask for in writing
- The license number, and who is pulling the permit
Check the license with the water management district before signing anything.
- The expected depth, and what it is based on
Nearby well records, the contractor's own wells in the area, or a guess. Only the first two are worth money.
- The price per foot beyond the estimate
If the rig has to go deeper than planned, you want the rate agreed before, not after.
- Casing material and depth
The casing is what keeps surface water out of the aquifer. It should be on the completion report.
- What happens to any old well
An abandoned well must be properly plugged. It is a direct route from the surface into the water everybody drinks.
- A bacteria test after completion
A new well is disinfected before use. A lab test afterwards is the proof it worked.
After it is drilled
Keep the well completion report. It records the depth, the casing and the pump setting, and every contractor who ever works on this well will ask for those three numbers. Then have the water tested. Florida does not test private wells for you; the Department of Health recommends a bacteria and nitrate test at least once a year. What to test for, and what it costs.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to drill a well in Marion County, Florida?
Published figures for a 120 foot well, the median for wells drilled here since 2016, are $3,000 to $7,800 for drilling and casing and $7,200 to $12,000 for a complete system with pump, pressure tank and hookup. Depth is the biggest variable, and it varies across the county.
How deep are wells in Marion County?
The state's records put the median at 105 feet across 82,527 wells with a recorded depth, with most between about 80 and 145 feet. Wells drilled since 2016 have a median of 120 feet. The median standing water level is 38 feet below the surface.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Florida?
Yes. A well construction permit is required before drilling, and the work must be done by a licensed water well contractor. In Marion County the permit is issued by the Florida Department of Health in Marion County under delegation from the water management district.
Is a 100 foot well deep enough in Marion County?
It can be. A 100 foot well sits close to the county median of 105 feet, and the median water level is 38 feet down. Whether it is enough on your lot depends on where the aquifer is there, which is why a contractor's depth estimate should be based on nearby well records rather than a round number.
More for Marion County well owners
Before you hire anyone
Calling a well contractor? Check three things first.
- 1The license. Every Florida water well contractor is licensed. Ask for the number and look it up at the state's contractor verification clearinghouse.
- 2The diagnosis before the price. A pressure switch reading, the tank's air charge and the cable readings, before anybody quotes a new pump. The six questions to ask.
- 3The permit, if a rig is coming. A new well needs one before drilling starts, and it is the contractor's job to have it. Who issues it.
Public offices, free to call
Ocala Well Water is an independent guide. It takes no calls, collects no details, and no company pays to be mentioned. How this site works.