Rules, Regulations, and Forms

The Washington Geological Survey regulates surface mine reclamation, metals mining and milling, oil and gas drilling, and geothermal drilling. Rules, fees, and forms for each type of activity can be found below.

Surface Mining and Reclamation

Important Notice

Effective July 27, 2025, surface mine reclamation permit fees will change, as described in Surface Mining Act (Act), specifically RCW 78.44.085. The fee for revision of an existing reclamation permit or reclamation plan is increased from $2,500 to $4,500. The annual fee is increased from $2,000 to $3,500, except that the annual fee for a public permit holder for mines used exclusively for public works projects is $2,500, and annual fees paid by a county for mines used exclusively for public works projects and having less than seven acres of disturbed area per mine shall not exceed $1,000.

Reclamation of surface-mined lands means rehabilitation of disturbed areas resulting from surface or underground mining for the appropriate future use of the site as determined by the local jurisdiction. The basic objective of reclamation at mines is to reestablish the vegetative cover, soil stability, and water conditions at the site. As a second beneficial use, mines are reclaimed for fish and wildlife, grazing, forestry, agriculture, wetlands, recreation, residential, and commercial and industrial uses.

The original Act passed in 1971 and was amended in 1993 to ensure that mines in the state are thoroughly reclaimed. Ensuring reclamation of Washington’s permitted mines is a key responsibility of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Washington Geological Survey, as DNR has sole authority to regulate reclamation of surface-mined lands above a certain threshold of ground disturbance as defined in the Act, specifically RCW 78.44.031(17).

Operations are regulated by local jurisdictions at surface mines and by other agencies, such as Washington Department of Ecology and local jurisdictions, at underground mines.

Forms

Application for Surface Mine Reclamation Permit

Form name	Download link
Application for Reclamation Permit Form SM-8A	Microsoft Word
Instructions for form SM-8A	PDF
Additional information requirements for mines with potentially unstable or steep slopes	Microsoft Word
Additional information requirements for hydrologically sensitive areas	Microsoft Word
Additional information requirements for flood plain mines	Microsoft Word

Local Approval for Mining

Form name	Download link
County or municipality approval for surface mining Form SM-6	PDF form

Performance Security Forms, Instructions and Calculation Methods

Form name	Download link
Surface mining reclamation bond Form SM-1	PDF form
Instructions for performance securities	Microsoft Word
Surface mining savings account assignment Form SM-4	PDF form
Surface mining savings certificate assignment Form SM-5	PDF form
Standard performance security calculation Form SM-10	Microsoft Excel
Irrevocable letter of credit Form SM-11 Bank must have office in Washington State	Microsoft Word--Must be printed on bank letterhead
Blanket performance security statement of financial ability Form SM-12	Microsoft Word Template
Blanket performance security notice of risk of lien and landowner acknowledgment Form SM-13	Microsoft Word
Surface mining reclamation blanket bond Form SM-14	Microsoft Word

Transferring Permit or Changing Name of Permit Holder

Form name	Download link
Request for transfer of surface mine reclamation permit Form SM-2B	PDF

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Forms, Rules, and Handbook

Form name	Download link
SEPA forms—Department of Ecology	Website
Current SEPA actions	Website

Application for an Exploration Reclamation Permit

Form name	Download link
Application for an exploration reclamation permit Form SM-2E	Microsoft Word
Mineral exploration well / drill hole plugging and abandonment	PDF

Precipitation Guides

Precipitation guide	Download link
Washington's climate summaries	website
10-year, 24-hour precipitation—isopluvials	PDF
25-year, 24-hour precipitation—isopluvials	PDF

Fees

As of July 27, 2025:

Application Fee Schedule

Fee type	Amount
New permits	$4,500
Combining two or more permits	$4,500
Expanding existing plan (depth and/or acreage)	$4,500
Revising existing plan (same depth and acreage)	$4,500

Annual Permit Fee

Fee amount for sites that are not used exclusively for public works:

Permit holder type	Amount
Private permit holder or Public permit holder of any type	$3,500

Fee amounts for sites with a Public permit holder where the site is used exclusively for public works:

Public permit holder type	Amount
Public agency (non-county, i.e. WSDOT, DNR)	$2,500
Counties (>7 acres disturbed)	$2,500
Counties (<7 acres disturbed)	$1,000

Oil and Gas

RCWs & WACs

The Department of Natural Resources, through the Washington Geological Survey, regulates drilling and related activities under the Oil and Gas Conservation Act and Department of Natural Resources rules (chapter 78.52 RCW and chapter 344-12 WAC). (In 1994, the Legislature dissolved the Oil and Gas Conservation Committee and assigned its regulatory responsibilities to the Department of Natural Resources.) In the event of a discovery, the Department would also regulate production to assure equitable distribution of the proceeds.

Forms

Description	Link
Oil and gas drilling permit requirements	PDF
Instructions for oil and gas drilling permit applicants	PDF
Oil and gas drilling permit application Form 1	PDF
Well record or history Form 2	PDF
Notice of intention to abandon and plug well Form 3	PDF
Report on results on plugging well Form 4	PDF
Oil and gas drilling and production bond	Microsoft Word

Fees

Description	Depth	Fee
To drill, re-drill or deepen a well	up to 3,500 feet	$250
To drill, re-drill or deepen a well	3,501 to 7,000 feet	$500
To drill, re-drill or deepen a well	7,001 to 12,000 feet	$750
To drill, re-drill or deepen a well	greater than 12,000 feet	$1,000
Shallow well	up to 2,000 feet	$100
Notification for seismic shot holes		$100

Performance Bonds—Oil and Gas Supervisor sets amount

Description	Depth
One well	$50,000 minimum
Two or more wells—blanket bond	$250,000 minimum
Shallow well—less than 2,000 feet	$20,000

Geothermal

The Department regulates Geothermal Resources under chapter 78.60 RCW and chapter 332-17 WAC.

Forms

Description	Link
Instruction for geothermal exploration permit applicants	PDF
Geothermal exploration permit application Form 1	PDF
Well record or history Form 2	PDF
Notice of intention to abandon and plug well Form 3	PDF
Report on results on plugging well Form 4	PDF
Geothermal drilling and production bond	Microsoft Word