1. (1) All fees from applicants seeking a license under this article, and all renewal fees, shall be transmitted to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the well inspection cash fund created in section 37-80-111.5. No fees shall be refunded. A license shall be nontransferable and unassignable.

2. (2)

   1. (a) The board shall require an application fee to be paid in the amount of twenty dollars. The payment of the fee must accompany each application from a resident of the state. The board shall also require an applicant to pay a fee in the amount of fifty dollars upon the applicant's successful completion of the examination and before the board issues a license.
   2. (b) In addition to paying a fee pursuant to subsection (2)(a) of this section, each successful resident applicant shall file and maintain with the board evidence of financial responsibility in the form of a savings account, deposit, or certificate of deposit in the amount of ten thousand dollars, meeting the requirements of section 11-35-101, or an irrevocable letter of credit for the amount of ten thousand dollars, meeting the requirements of section 11-35-101.5, or shall file and maintain with the board an approved compliance bond with a corporate surety authorized to do business in the state, in the amount of ten thousand dollars, for the use and benefit of any person or the state suffering loss or damage, conditioned that the licensee will comply with the laws of the state in engaging in the business for which the licensee receives a license and the rules of the board adopted in the regulation of such business.

3. (3)

   1. (a) The board shall charge an application fee in the amount of fifty dollars, the payment of which application fee must accompany each application from a nonresident of the state. The board shall also charge a nonresident fee of four hundred dollars, which a nonresident shall pay upon successful completion of the examination and before the issuance of a license.
   2. (b) In addition to paying any fees required by subsection (3)(a) of this section, each successful nonresident applicant shall file and maintain with the board evidence of financial responsibility in the form of a savings account, deposit, or certificate of deposit in the amount of twenty thousand dollars, meeting the requirements of section 11-35-101, or shall file and maintain with the board an approved compliance bond in the amount of twenty thousand dollars with a corporate surety authorized to do business in the state for the use and benefit of any person or the state suffering loss or damage, conditioned that the licensee shall comply with the laws of the state in engaging in the business for which the licensee receives a license and the rules adopted by the board in compliance with such laws.
   3. (3.5) The board shall not set the application and license fees in subsections (2) and (3) of this section at amounts greater than becomes necessary to further the purposes of this article. Such amounts shall not exceed the direct and indirect costs of the board in administering the provisions of this article.
   4. (3.7) The board is authorized to set the bond amounts in subsections (2) and (3) of this section at higher amounts if such an increase becomes necessary to further the purposes of this article.

4. (4)

   1. (a)

      1. (I) Each licensed well construction contractor, licensed ground heat exchanger contractor, and licensed pump installation contractor in this state shall:

         1. (A) Pay to the board during January of each year, beginning in the year immediately following the licensee's initial licensing, a renewal fee of fifty dollars;
         2. (B) Concurrently file and thereafter maintain a new bond or letter of credit if required pursuant to this section; and
         3. (C) Annually file a certificate of completion of continuing education pursuant to section 37-91-105 (7).
      2. (II) Upon a licensee's satisfaction of the requirements described in subsection (4)(a)(I) of this section, the secretary shall issue a renewal license for one year. The license of any well construction contractor, ground heat exchanger contractor, or pump installation contractor who fails to have their license renewed lapses. A lapsed license may be renewed, without reexamination, within one year after it lapses upon payment of all fees in arrears. A licensee may elect to renew their license and file and maintain a bond or letter of credit for a term of up to three years, paying fifty dollars for each year the license will be in effect.
   2. (b) The board shall not set a license renewal fee described in subsection (4)(a) of this section or a rig registration fee described in subsection (5) of this section in an amount greater than is necessary to further the purposes of this article 91. The amount must not cause the total amount of money collected under this article 91 to exceed the direct and indirect costs of the board in administering this article 91.
   3. (4.5) A licensee shall maintain the amount of financial responsibility required by subsections (2), (3), and (4) of this section for the duration of the license for which the financial responsibility is required. The license of any well construction contractor, ground heat exchanger contractor, or pump installation contractor who fails to maintain such financial responsibility lapses. A lapsed license may be reinstated upon the licensee's submission of current evidence of the required financial responsibility to the board and payment to the board of a reinstatement fee in the amount of one hundred dollars.
5. (5) The board shall charge an annual registration fee of ten dollars for each well drilling rig, ground heat exchanger installation rig, and pump installation rig to be operated in the state.
6. (6) The board shall maintain a continuing education program in conjunction with the Colorado water well contractors association or any analogous or successor organization.

Source: L. 67: p. 695, § 7. C.R.S. 1963: § 148-20-7. L. 79: (3) amended, p. 426, § 19, effective July 1. L. 85: (2), (3), (4), and (5) amended and (3.5) and (3.7) added, p. 1185, § 9, effective July 1. L. 87: (2), (3), (3.7), and (4) amended, p. 491, § 42, effective July 1. L. 89: (2), (3), and (4) amended and (4.5) added, p. 1428, § 2, effective April 7. L. 2003: (1), (4), (4.5), and (5) amended and (6) added, p. 1679, § 7, effective May 14. L. 2025: (2), (3), (4), (4.5), (5), and (6) amended, (HB 25-1165), ch. 257, p. 1315, § 23, effective August 6.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 25-1165, see section 1 of chapter 257, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.