Anyone who wants to hold themselves out as a well digger, manually dig or operate machinery to dig a well, construct a dug well, repair a dug well, modify a dug well, or decommission a dug well on any property in Nova Scotia, which they themselves do not own or lease.

To be eligible for a certificate of qualification as a well digger in Nova Scotia, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• be 18 years of age or older
• have at least 2,000 hours of work experience in operating excavation equipment
• provide proof of on-site work experience in construction at least three dug wells while under the supervision of a certified well digger
• successfully complete a written test of competence in well digging and demonstrate a working knowledge of Nova Scotia’s Well Construction Regulations
• successfully complete a field test to demonstrate practical knowledge of well construction
• submit an application with the required documentation and fee

The process for applying for a certificate of qualification as a well driller in Nova Scotia is as follows:

1. Applicants contact Nova Scotia Groundwater Association (NSGWA) to arrange the required exam and field test. Oral exams are available for those who may require it, and study materials are available through NSGWA.
   If you have a well digger certificate of qualification from another province or country, contact NSECC to determine eligibility and requirements. You may be required to successfully complete the written exam and provide documentation of work experience to become certified in Nova Scotia.
2. Applicants successfully complete the required exam and field test. The pass mark for the exam is 70%. If you do not pass the exam, you must wait a minimum of 90 days to re-write the exam. The re-write is not the same as the original exam. If you do not successfully complete the field test, you must wait a minimum of 6 months from the date of the original field test for a re-test.
3. NSECC will contact applicants following successful completion of the required exam and field test and provide all required forms. Applicants can also obtain the forms from our website or by contacting the regional office as listed above.
4. Applicants apply for their certificate of qualification by submitting the following information to NSECC:
   1. Completed Application Form (PDF)
   2. Proof of commercial liability insurance
   3. Completed Work Experience Form (PDF)
   4. Application fee
5. NSECC will issue a certificate of qualification after all items are submitted and determined to be complete. If the application is incomplete, NSECC will notify the applicant and advise them of next steps.

This certificate is valid for four years. Each well driller must collect 100 continuing education points (CEP) over a four-year period to remain qualified to hold a certificate of qualification. See NSGWA website for details. If you join partially through a renewal cycle, the number of points required will be prorated.

A renewal form can be downloaded by clicking here.

$116.65 for one digger and one machine

$33.00 for each additional machine

Please make cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance. Applications and payments can also be made online here.

Requests for accommodation can be made by contacting NSECC.

More information on the Accommodation Policy at Environment and Climate Change.

If the documentation that must accompany an application cannot be obtained for reasons beyond the applicant’s control, the applicant should contact NSECC and provide reasons why the information cannot be obtained. Examples may include former employers unwilling or unable to provide references or listing of required experience or loss of copy of course graduation information. This may require NSECC to contact former employers or project sites that will only be done with the signed consent of the applicant in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP). NSECC will review the information and decide whether a certificate of qualification will be issued.

If the applicant is unwilling or unable to provide additional information required to process the application, the application may be rejected. In the case the application is rejected, the decision will be provided in writing with the reasons for the rejection.

Any reduction of certification class or denial of certification may be appealed by the applicant under Section 137 of the Environment Act, which reads; “a person who is aggrieved by a decision of an Administrator may appeal that decision to the Minister of Environment within 30 days of the date of the decision letter”. The appeal must be submitted on the Notice of Appeal Form.