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Educational guidance only.Enhanced state planning is live for PA, MI, NC, NJ, and WI.All other valid U.S. ZIPs still get national baseline guidance plus official-source handoff.Interpreter uses plain-English reference checks and is not medical or legal advice.

Downloadable asset

Private Well Move-In Checklist

A one-page, print-friendly checklist for buyers, sellers, agents, inspectors, and households moving into a home with a private well.

Open the move-in planner

WellWise Finder · Last reviewed July 18, 2026

Private Well Move-In Checklist

Use this as an educational handoff. For legal, lender, medical, or property-transaction decisions, confirm the exact state or county testing path and any sample-handling rules with official sources and certified labs.

Best fit

Buying, moving in, refinancing, or resolving an inspection follow-up on a private well.

Start with

ZIP, trigger, and whether you need documentation-grade results versus homeowner orientation.

Avoid

Ordering a random kit before you know whether the result must stand up in a transaction.

1. Set the situation

  1. Write down the property ZIP and the move-in or home-purchase context.
  2. Note any staining, odor, sediment, flooding, or missing test records.
  3. Decide whether the result may be shown to lenders, inspectors, pediatricians, or sellers.

2. Start with the baseline panel

  • Total coliform bacteria
  • E. coli / fecal indicator
  • Nitrate
  • Lead
  • Arsenic

3. Pick the right testing path

  • Use a certified local lab first when the result affects a deal, lender review, or official documentation.
  • Use vetted mail-in labs when convenience matters and you do not need local-transaction paperwork first.
  • Use retail kits only for orientation and confirm any concerning result with a stronger lab path.

4. Carry the result forward cleanly

  • Keep the lab result with the source links and sample notes.
  • Share the result summary before treatment discussions begin.
  • Only move to installer matching if the evidence points toward treatment or deeper follow-up.

5. Fast reminders

Move-in rule: if the result could change a closing, negotiation, or repair conversation, default to documentation-grade testing before you spend money on treatment or retail kits.
Infant-risk note: if pregnancy, a newborn, or infant formula is part of the household context, prioritize bacterial indicators and infant-risk contaminants first.

Sources