Wells_Content Page_Continuing education for drillers and pump installers

Continuing education for drillers and pump installers

In brief

  • Renewal cycle: One calendar year
  • License & registration expiration: December 31
  • Renewals
    • Start: October 1
    • Deadline: December 31
    • Method: Online or by U.S. mail
    • Eligibility: Six continuing education credits (CECs) for each license
  • CEC accruement: One CEC for each hour of attendance at approved training
  • Reporting: Provider of pre-approved training reports attendance to the DNR
  • Repeat attendance: Training cannot be repeated for CEC within three years
  • First time licensee: CECs are not required for the first renewal

Find pre-approved training:

Check CECs on record with the DNR: Continuing education status portal

Need help? Email DNRDGCONTINUINGEDUCATION@wisconsin.gov or call 920-946-1149

Renewal eligibility for license holders

  • All licenses expire on December 31 and must be renewed each year to retain active status.
  • Renewal eligibility is granted when six CECs are on record at the DNR for each license that is held.
  • One CEC is earned for each hour of attendance at approved training.
  • If continuing education attendance is not completed by midnight on December 31, the license expires without eligibility for renewal.
  • A license that expires without eligibility for renewal can be reinstated by passing the licensing exam.
  • CECs are not required for the first renewal when a license has been issued for the first time.

Renewal eligibility for registered rig operators

  • All rig operator registrations expire on December 31 each year.
  • Renewal eligibility is granted when six CECs are on record at the DNR for each rig operator registration held.
  • If continuing education attendance is not completed by midnight on December 31, the registration expires without eligibility for renewal.
  • When a rig operator registration expires without eligibility for renewal, the rig operator must reapply for registration in the following calendar year, and current calendar year drilling experience is not applicable towards driller license application experience requirements. Annual continuing education attendance and registration renewal are required for drilling experience to accrue and to be applicable towards drilling experience requirements.
  • When a rig operator registration has been issued for the first time, CECs are not required for the first renewal unless the rig operator intends to apply for a driller license.

Annual attendance needed for renewal eligibility - required & elective CECs

  • Pump Installer (PIP)
    • Required:
      • Code compliance training - 1
      • Training specific to pump installing - 3
    • Electives:
      • Discretionary CECs may be added with attendance at training that is specific to water well drilling, business practice, or safety, or attendance at additional code compliance and pump installing training.
  • Water Well Driller (WDP) / Water Well Drilling Rig Operator (WDRO)
    • Required:
      • Code compliance training - 1
      • Training specific to water well drilling - 3
    • Electives:
      • Discretionary CECs may be added with attendance at training that is specific to pump installing, heat exchange drilling, business practice, or safety, or attendance at additional code compliance and water well drilling training.
  • Heat Exchange Driller (HEDI) / Heat Exchange Drilling Rig Operator (HEDRO)
    • Required:
      • Code compliance training - 1
      • Training specific to heat exchange drilling - 3
    • Electives:
      • Discretionary CECs may be added with attendance at training that is specific to water well drilling, business practice, or safety, or attendance at additional code compliance and heat exchange drilling training.

What is code compliance training

  • Continuing education that covers standards and methods by which the DNR administers programs under chapters 280 and 281, Wis. Stats., including administrative code chapters NR 812, NR 811, NR 810, NR 809, NR 140 or NR 146. Coverage of updates to these chapters would be included.

What is pre-approved training

  • "Pre-approved training” is a continuing education session or event that has been submitted by the training provider to Wisconsin DNR for credit approval prior to offering.
  • A detailed agenda is required with the application.
  • The DNR determines which license types receive credit for attendance and the number of credits that are approved.
  • Following approval, the agenda is updated by the training provider to include the number of CECs that are available for each license type.
  • The training provider records attendance and submits a listing of attendees to the DNR within 10 business days of training completion.
  • Individuals who attend pre-approved training should not report their attendance to the DNR.

The annual process for license or rig operator registration renewal

  • Find pre-approved training
  • Contact the training provider and register for training.
  • The provider records and submits attendance data to the DNR.
  • The DNR uploads attendance data to the licensing database.
  • The CE status portal can be used to check CECs on record at the DNR.
  • Renewal eligibility is granted when six CECs are on record at the DNR for each license or rig operator registration.
  • Starting on October 1 each year, persons who are eligible can renew online or by mail.
  • If attended training is not pre-approved, the attendee must apply for credit approval:
  • Need help? Email DNRDGCONTINUINGEDUCATION@wisconsin.gov or call 920-946-1149.

Pre-approval process for training providers

Licensee / rig operator registrant FAQ

I completed continuing education requirements for this year. Why am I getting renewal reminder notices from the DNR telling me that I still need to renew?

Completing continuing education attendance is the first step towards renewal. It does not renew your license. Once you have completed continuing education and earned six CECs, you must then apply for renewal. Renewal applications are processed online or by U.S. mail. You will not receive an application by mail, and you will not be able to renew online until after you have 6 CECs on record with the DNR.

Do I need to report my training attendance to the DNR?

You should not report your attendance to the DNR if the training was pre-approved. Providers of pre-approved training are responsible for reporting attendance to the DNR within 10 business days of completion.

If training you attend is not pre-approved, the provider will likely not be reporting the attendance to the DNR, and you should report the attendance on your own. Review Form 3300-190 Training Report Instruction and use Form 3300-190 to report the attendance to the DNR.

There is a discrepancy in the number of credits that the DNR has on record for me. What should I do?

Send an email inquiry to DNRDGCONTINUINGEDUCATION@wisconsin.gov or call 920-946-1149.

I just completed all of my continuing education online. I am trying to renew my license online, but I am getting a message saying that I do not have enough continuing education credits on record. Why isn’t it allowing me to renew?

Allow time for your attendance to be reported by your training provider to the DNR. Use the CE status portal to check how many CECs you have on record at the DNR. If there are less than six CECs on record, you will not be able to renew online. It is likely that your attendance has not yet been reported to the DNR, or your attendance has been reported and is in the process of being uploaded to the DNR’s database. Online providers report attendance anywhere from one day to two weeks after training completion. Attendance is typically uploaded to the DNR database within one day of receiving the attendance report from the provider.

Forms and instructions