Water well permits in the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District
Drilling a well in Burnet County, around Burnet, Marble Falls, or Bertram? Here is how registration works, and how we handle it for you.
Burnet County, including Burnet, Marble Falls, and Bertram, is covered by the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD). They register and permit wells across the county and manage the Trinity, Hickory, Ellenburger-San Saba, and Marble Falls aquifers that supply the area.
Here is the part that catches people off guard: in this district you cannot drill first and register later. A new well must be registered and given the district's specific go-ahead to drill before a rig ever shows up. For an ordinary household well that is a registration, not a full permit, and we take care of it for you.
What you need to know
- Register and get authorization before drilling. Every new well must be registered with the district, and you must receive its specific authorization to drill before work begins. The general manager reviews the application within 15 days.
- Every well is registered, even exempt ones. Exempt means exempt from a permit, not from registration. All wells in the district have to be on file.
- Exempt wells generally need over 10 acres. For a new domestic or livestock well to skip the permit, it usually must sit on a tract larger than 10 acres, be incapable of producing more than 25,000 gallons a day, and meet the spacing rules. On 10 acres or less the well is typically handled as a permitted well.
- Spacing depends on your aquifer and pump. A typical low-capacity domestic well needs about 100 feet from other wells and 50 feet from property lines, with a 2-acre minimum tract in the Trinity or 1 acre in the other aquifers.
- Fees are set by the board. The district sets its fees by board resolution rather than posting a fixed amount, so we confirm the current registration or permit fee with the district as part of your project.
See all Hill Country districts · Permit or just registration? · Wells in Burnet
Fast facts
- District: Central Texas GCD
- Covers: Burnet County
- New well: Register + authorize before drilling
- Exempt well: Over 10 acres, under 25,000 gal/day
- Drought (June 2026): Stages 1 to 4, mostly voluntary for home wells (Moderate as last seen).
District office: (512) 756-4900
We handle the paperworkCall (830) 816-3232We file your district paperwork for you
Registering a well with the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District before drilling is part of how we do every job in Burnet County. You drill once and you drill it right, on the record, the way the rules require.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Burnet County?
Most household wells need to be registered with the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District, and you must receive the district's authorization to drill before starting. A domestic well on a tract larger than 10 acres that cannot produce more than 25,000 gallons a day is generally exempt from a full operating permit but still must be registered. We handle whichever applies.
Can I drill the well first and register it afterward?
No. In the Central Texas district a new well must be registered and specifically authorized before drilling begins, and the general manager reviews the application within 15 days. We file the paperwork and wait for the district's go-ahead before putting a rig on your land.
How much does it cost to register a well with Central Texas GCD?
The district sets its fees by board resolution and does not post a fixed amount, so we confirm the current registration or permit fee with the district when we file. Be cautious about figures you see online for other districts; the Central Texas fee is its own.
How big does my tract need to be for an exempt well?
For a new well today, the domestic and livestock exemption generally requires a tract larger than 10 acres, a capacity under 25,000 gallons a day, and compliance with the district's spacing rules. On 10 acres or less the well is usually handled as a permitted well.
Drilling a well in Burnet County?
We know the CTGCD rules and we handle the registration. Reach out for a free, no-pressure quote.