Do I need a licence to drill a well in Lebanon, and how do I apply?
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Short answer
Also asked as: “Licence to drill a well in Lebanon” · “Artesian well permit Lebanon” · “How deep can I drill a well without a licence?” · “Energy Ministry well application”
This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026. The decree's rules here come from one news report (Al-Sifr, August 2026) because we did not read the decree text, and Al-Sifr says the ministry is working on amending the fees[1].
Key facts
- Who handles it
- The Ministry of Energy and Water[2]
- Ministry service
- wells up to 150 m; forms by use[2]
- Rule for shallow wells (per Al-Sifr)
- up to 150 m: prior notification; up to 100 m³ a day[1]
- The law (per Al-Sifr)
- Decree 14438 of 1970, as amended in 1998[1]
- How to apply (per Al-Sifr)
- electronic applications since September 2024[1]
- Annual licence fee cap (1998 amounts)
- max LBP 500,000 a year (private land)[1]; LBP 1 million on public land
- Processing time
- Not published
What the rule says about depth and volume
Al-Sifr, a Lebanese news site, reported in August 2026 that under Decree 14438 of 1970, as amended in 1998, the owner of a well no deeper than 150 m need only notify the administration in advance. It adds that some water uses need no licence at all if extraction stays at or under 100 m³ a day[1]. The report does not say which uses those are, and we did not read the decree itself.
The Ministry of Energy and Water's own website lists a service for drilling a non-explosive well no deeper than 150 m. It has separate forms for agricultural, residential, tourism, industrial and other uses[2]. The ministry does not say these forms are how the advance notice is given; that is our reading. We could not confirm from any official text what a well deeper than 150 m requires, so ask the ministry before you plan one.
If you rely on water from outside the network today, see what tanker water costs and how to get a public water subscription.
Fees: old figures, likely to change
According to Al-Sifr, the 1998 amendment caps the flat annual fee for a water-drilling licence at LBP 500,000 on private property and LBP 1 million on public property. It sets the annual water-use fee at LBP 100 per m³ for irrigation and LBP 600 per m³ for industry and other uses[1]. These are nominal 1998 amounts, unchanged since the 2019 collapse, and Al-Sifr says the ministry is working on new fees.
Treat these figures as a historical ceiling. Ask the ministry for the current fee in writing before you pay anything, and keep the receipt. No source we read gives the cost of the drilling work itself, and none says whether the driller needs a licence of their own.
Applying through the ministry
Al-Sifr reports that the ministry stopped accepting applications to drill private wells in April 2024. It resumed in September 2024 through a new electronic system[1]. We did not find the address of that system, and the ministry's service page gives no steps, fees or processing time[2]. For those details, ask the ministry's water resources directorate.
Before any of this, make sure the well will sit on land you own and can find on the ground. Our guides explain how to get a Land Registry extract for the plot and how to get a cadastral map or survey to see exactly where its boundaries run.
How to go about it, step by step
- Confirm the plot. Get a recent Land Registry extract for the plot and read it before you spend money on drilling. If you are still buying, add the well question to your land purchase checks.
- Ask the ministry which route applies. Contact the Ministry of Energy and Water's water resources directorate. Ask whether your well needs notice or a licence, where the electronic system is, and which documents to upload. Al-Sifr says applications have gone through that system since September 2024[1].
- Get the fee in writing. Ask the ministry for the current annual fee and the per-m³ water-use fee for your use. The published caps date from 1998[1].
- Keep copies of everything. Keep the application, the ministry's reply and every receipt together with the extract. They are your record if you sell or if anyone questions the well.
It depends on
- Depth. Per Al-Sifr, up to 150 m means advance notice only[1]. For anything deeper, ask the ministry's water resources directorate what is required, because we found no confirmed text.
- Use and volume. Some uses need no licence up to 100 m³ a day[1]. Water-use fees differ for irrigation and for industry. Ask the ministry which category your use falls into.
- Private or public land. The licence fee cap is higher on public property than on private property[1].
- A building with several owners. The land is common to all owners[3,4], so the owners' association has a say. See what the co-ownership law says and ask a lawyer.
Common questions
Can I drill a shallow well without telling anyone in Lebanon?
No, according to Al-Sifr's reading of Decree 14438: even a well no deeper than 150 m requires notifying the administration in advance[1]. Confirm the exact route with the Ministry of Energy and Water.
How much does a well licence cost in Lebanon?
No current fee is published. Al-Sifr reports 1998 caps of LBP 500,000 a year on private land and LBP 1 million on public land, plus a per-m³ water-use fee, and says the ministry is working on new fees[1].
Can I apply for a well online?
According to Al-Sifr, the Ministry of Energy and Water has taken private well applications through a new electronic system since September 2024[1]. We did not find its address, so ask the ministry's water resources directorate.
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.Privatization by abandonment: water in Lebanon is for those who can pay
Al-Sifr (صفر) · 20 Aug 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Ministry of Energy and Water: well (borehole) transactions
Ministry of Energy and Water (Lebanon) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.Managing the ownership of floors and flats (Dr Nader Abdel Aziz Chaffi, Army Magazine issue 302-303, August 2010)
Lebanese Army (Army Magazine, "We and the Law" section) · August 2010 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.Legislative Decree No. 88 of 16/9/1983 on co-ownership of built property
Joseph Wanis Official Site (lawyer Joseph Wanis) · 22 Mar 2019 · read 17 Oct 2026
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