San Diego County Well Contractor Bond
$2,500 Bond – $100 Flat, No Credit Check
General Information
The San Diego County Well Contractor Bond — also called the San Diego County well driller bond, the San Diego County water well bond, the DEHQ well bond, the $2, the 500 well contractor bond or the well drilling contractor bond San Diego — is a $2,500 surety bond required by County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Land and Water Quality Division for drilling, constructing, altering, repairing, or destroying wells in San Diego County and pulling the required county well permits. It guarantees the contractor will follow San Diego County's well construction, alteration, and destruction standards under Chapter 4 of the County Code, which exist to protect groundwater from contamination. The price is a flat $100 for the full typically 1 year, tied to county well-permitting activity — confirm surety term term, with no application and no credit check, and your bond is prepared and mailed directly to you, ready for signature.
| Bond | Bond Amount | Premium | Term | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Well Contractor Bond | $2,500 | $100 | Typically 1 year, tied to county well-permitting activity — confirm surety term | Buy Now |
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Who Needs This Bond?
Contractors who drill, construct, alter, repair, or destroy wells in unincorporated San Diego County and must pull a county well permit through DEHQ. The drilling itself must be performed by a licensed C-57 Water Well Contractor. This is a contractor's bond — a property owner having a well drilled does not post it; the licensed contractor does.
Why California Requires This Bond
San Diego County requires a well contractor bond before it will let a contractor pull the permits needed to drill, alter, repair, or destroy wells in the county. The bond is filed with the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), which regulates well work under Chapter 4 of the San Diego County Code and the California Well Standards. It guarantees that the contractor will follow those construction and destruction standards — the rules that exist to keep the county's groundwater from being polluted or contaminated through improperly built or abandoned wells.
The bond protects the public and the county, not the contractor. If a bonded contractor violates the county's well ordinance or damages public resources in the course of the work, a harmed party or the county can file a claim against the bond, and the surety pays valid claims up to the $2,500 amount. The contractor is then required to reimburse the surety in full. Because groundwater contamination is expensive and often permanent to fix, the bond is a small but meaningful layer of accountability on everyone licensed to drill in San Diego County.
The requirement comes from San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances, Chapter 4 — Wells (Article 4, Section 67); completion reports SDCC 67.447; California Well Standards DWR Bulletin 74-90.
The $2,500 bond amount is the coverage guaranteed to County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Land and Water Quality Division — it is not a cost to you. What you pay is the premium, the flat $100.
How to Get Your San Diego County Well Contractor Bond
- Confirm your bond details. You need the $2,500 bond with a typically 1 year, tied to county well-permitting activity — confirm surety term term — no choices to agonize over.
- Complete the form below. We need the name exactly as it should appear on the bond and your business address. No application and no credit check.
- Choose your delivery. Standard mail delivery is included at no extra cost; faster options are available.
- Sign and file. Your bond arrives ready for signature — sign it and file it with County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Land and Water Quality Division.
Bond Details at a Glance
- Bond Name: San Diego County Well Contractor Bond
- Also Known As: San Diego County well driller bond, San Diego County water well bond, DEHQ well bond, $2, 500 well contractor bond, well drilling contractor bond San Diego
- Bond Amount: $2,500
- Premium: $100 flat
- Term: Typically 1 year, tied to county well-permitting activity — confirm surety term
- Obligee: County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Land and Water Quality Division, County of San Diego DEHQ, Land and Water Quality Division — Well Program: (858) 505-6688, Wells.DEH@sdcounty.ca.gov
- Governing Law: San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances, Chapter 4 — Wells (Article 4, Section 67); completion reports SDCC 67.447; California Well Standards DWR Bulletin 74-90
- Exemptions: Available — see "Who May Not Need This Bond" above
- Underwriting: None — no credit check or application
- Delivery: Mailed directly to you, ready for signature
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the San Diego County well contractor bond cost?
It's $100 for the $2,500 bond, with no application and no credit check. The $2,500 is the coverage amount guaranteed to the county, not a cost to you — you pay the $100 premium.
Who requires this bond?
The County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Land and Water Quality Division, which regulates well drilling and permitting in the county under Chapter 4 of the County Code.
Do I need a credit check?
No. This bond is issued at a flat $100 with no application and no credit check. It's emailed to you once issued — turnaround is quick, though not always same-minute instant.
Do I need this bond as a homeowner having a well drilled?
No. This is a contractor's bond. If you're a property owner, the licensed C-57 well contractor you hire is the one who carries the bond and pulls the county permit — you don't buy it yourself.
What does the bond guarantee?
That the contractor will follow San Diego County's well construction, alteration, and destruction standards, which exist to protect groundwater from contamination. If the contractor violates those rules, a claim can be filed against the bond.
How long is the bond good for?
The bond term is typically one year and is tied to your well-contracting activity in the county. You keep it in force as long as you're pulling county well permits.
What happens if I don't file my well completion reports?
As of July 1, 2026, the county will withhold new well permits from any driller with completion reports more than 180 days overdue, under County Code Sec. 67.447. The bond doesn't override that hold — keep your reports current.
Does this cover wells inside city limits?
This bond is for well work under the county's unincorporated jurisdiction through DEHQ. Wells within an incorporated city may be subject to different local rules, so confirm which jurisdiction your project falls under.
Do I qualify for an exemption from this bond?
Possibly — not everyone has to post it. This is a county permitting requirement for the contractor, not for the public. A property owner having a well drilled does not buy this bond — the licensed C-57 well contractor they hire carries it and pulls the county permit. The bond applies to work under the county's unincorporated jurisdiction through DEHQ; wells inside an incorporated city may be subject to different local rules, so confirm which jurisdiction the project falls under. If you qualify, you don't need to buy the bond at all; check with County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ), Land and Water Quality Division before purchasing.