Anyone who wants to hold themselves out as water well pump installer (Class I or Class II), install a pump, repair a pump, modify pumping equipment, or modify a well during the installation of a pump, on any property in Nova Scotia, which they themselves do not own or lease.

Class I well pump installers are licensed to work on all water well pumps.

Class II well pump installers are licensed to work on only single-phased motor driven pumps up to 1½ horsepower (HP) for water wells.

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

• be 18 years of age or older
• Class II Certificate - have at least 3,000 hours of work experience, supervised by a certified well pump installer, installing well pumps up to 1 ½ horsepower or single-phase motor driven
• Class I Certificate – have at least 1,000 hours of work experience, supervised by a certified Class I well pump installer, installing well pumps over 1½ horsepower, single or multi-phase motor driven, while holding a Class II well pump installer certificate
• successfully complete a written or verbal test of competence in pump installation and demonstrate a working knowledge of Nova Scotia’s Well Construction Regulations
• submit an application with the required documentation and fee

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

1. Applicants contact Nova Scotia Groundwater Association (NSGWA) to arrange the required exam. Oral exams are available for those who may require it, and study materials are available through NSGWA.
   If you have a well pump installer 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. 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.
3. NSECC will contact applicants following successful completion of the required exam and provide all required forms. Applicants can also obtain the forms on 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
      1. Class I Work Experience Form (PDF)
      2. Class II 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 pump installer 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 Class I well pump installer

$58.30 for Class II well pump installer

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.