TL;DR
To drill a well in Utah you need a water right (usually a change application on an existing right) plus a Start Card from the Division of Water Rights. Plan on 3 to 6 months from filing to first water — most of that is the public-notice and protest period, not the drilling itself.
Summary
A step-by-step walkthrough of the Utah Division of Water Rights process: applications, change applications, Start Cards, and the timeline you should actually plan for.
How to Get a Water Rights Permit for a Well in Utah
- Identify the type of water right you need. Determine whether your property has an existing water right, needs a brand-new appropriation, or qualifies for a non-production well exemption.
- Confirm your basin status. Use waterrights.utah.gov to check whether your basin is open, closed, or restricted to new appropriations.
- File the correct application. Submit an Application to Appropriate, a Change Application, or a Non-Production Well Notice with legal description, quantity, and point of diversion.
- Complete the public notice and protest period. Wait through two weeks of newspaper publication plus a 20-day protest window for neighboring water-right holders.
- Receive your Start Card. Once the State Engineer approves the application, the Division issues a Start Card listing well location, depth, and construction standards.
- Drill the well and file the well log. A licensed Utah driller completes the well and files a Well Driller's Report within 30 days of completion.
- Prove beneficial use. Within the time frame on your approval, file Proof of Appropriation to perfect the right and receive a Certificate of Appropriation.