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Who Fixes Well Pumps in Chesterfield, VA?

In Chesterfield County, as everywhere in Virginia, more than one kind of contractor can work on a well pump, and the state draws its lines through license classes, specialties and a separate personal certification. This page explains which Virginia licenses cover well pump and tank work, how to look a contractor up yourself, what Chesterfield's permit forms ask for, and what to settle in writing before the work starts.

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Virginia's contractor license classes

Va. Code § 54.1-1100 sorts contractors, people who do the work for a "fixed price, commission, fee, or percentage," into three classes by job size and yearly volume:

Class C
Single jobs over $1,000 but under $30,000, or less than $250,000 in a 12-month period
Class B
Single jobs of $30,000 up to $150,000, or $250,000 up to $1 million a year
Class A
Single jobs of $150,000 or more, or $1 million or more a year

Every residential pump and tank price in the national cost guides sits below $30,000, so in or under the Class C range. The class tells you how big a job the business may take on; the specialty, below, tells you what kind of work it covers.

The specialties that cover pumps and tanks

Water well/pump contracting (WWP). This is the specialty's exact name in 18VAC50-22-30, last amended September 1, 2025. It covers building water wells, geothermal wells included, and installing the well pump and tank, including pipe and wire, up to the point where they connect to the house's plumbing and electrical systems. The regulation says flatly that "no other classification or specialty service provides for construction of water wells," so drilling or deepening a well is WWP work.

Plumbing (PLB) and electrical (ELE). The same regulation adds that it "shall not exclude the PLB, ELE, or HVA classification from installation of pumps and tanks." Under 18VAC50-22-20, the plumbing classification includes public and private water supply systems within or next to a building, and the electrical classification covers all work under the building code's electrical provisions. So a plumbing or electrical contractor may install a pump or tank, but only a WWP contractor may build the well.

The water well systems provider certification

Separate from the business license, Virginia certifies individuals. Under § 54.1-1128, the Board for Contractors certifies water well systems providers for the "drilling, installation, maintenance, or repair of water wells, water well pumps" and related equipment. § 54.1-1129.1 sets up three levels, trainee, journeyman and master, and requires at least eight hours of board-approved continuing education to renew. DPOR lists these under "Water Well System Providers (Tradesmen)."

The certification shows up in the health regulations, too. Since November 6, 2024, when a drinking-water well fails and needs an emergency replacement, the required sanitary survey can be done by a water well systems provider, a licensed onsite soil evaluator or a professional engineer.

Looking a contractor up yourself

This site doesn't check licenses. Contractors are responsible for their own licensing and insurance, so the check is yours to make, and it only takes a few minutes on DPOR's license lookup. Search for the business, and for the person doing the work if you like, and look at:

  • Whether the name matches the one on the quote.
  • The license class, and whether it fits the size of the job.
  • The specialties listed, such as WWP, PLB or ELE.
  • Whether the license is current, and its expiration date.
  • For an individual, any water well systems provider certification and its level.

Ask for proof of insurance directly; DPOR's lookup is about licensing.

What Chesterfield's permit forms ask for

If a permit is needed, Chesterfield's plumbing and electrical applications have a "DPOR LICENSE #" field for the contractor. The plumbing form also has an owner exemption for an "owner or lessee performing work on not more than one residential building for his or her own use during any 24-month period." The electrical form notes that a Chesterfield County business license is required once a contractor's business in the county passes $25,000 for the year. A fair question for any contractor is whether they expect a permit and who will pull it.

Questions to ask before work starts

  • What does your Virginia license cover, and what's the number?
  • Will the person working on my well hold a water well systems provider certification?
  • Which part failed, and how did you test it?
  • If the pump comes out, how will you disinfect the well, and when can we use the water?
  • Is there a surge arrestor on the system, and how is it grounded?
  • Do you expect a permit, and will you pull it?
  • What's the warranty on parts and on labor?
  • Do after-hours or weekend rates apply to this visit?

What to get in writing

A written estimate should name the contractor and license number, the diagnosis, each part by make and model, labor, the service call, disinfection if the well is opened, any permit, the total, the payment terms and the warranty. It gives you something to compare against the published ranges on the cost page, and something to point to if a problem comes back.

Hiring questions

Can a plumber replace my well pump?

The regulation that defines well and pump contracting says it doesn't exclude plumbing, electrical or HVAC contractors from installing pumps and tanks. Building or deepening the well itself is limited to the WWP specialty.

Who can drill a new well or deepen mine?

A contractor with the water well/pump contracting specialty, and the job needs a VDH construction permit first.

Where do the license classes start?

Class C, the smallest, starts at single jobs over $1,000. A pressure switch replacement may come in well under that, but checking the license costs nothing either way.

Is a license the same as a certification?

No. The contractor license, with its class and specialties, belongs to the business. The water well systems provider certification belongs to an individual and comes in trainee, journeyman and master levels.

Can I just do the work myself?

Chesterfield's plumbing form has an owner exemption for work on your own home, but VDH tells well owners not to adjust well pumps themselves because of shock and serious injury hazards. Well pump work combines electricity, water and heavy lifting.

How this site helps

Call or send a request and you'll be introduced to one independent local well and pump contractor; look them up on DPOR, ask the questions above, and decide for yourself.

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