---
title: "NJ Private Well Testing Act (PWTA) at Home Sale"
description: "New Jersey requires private well water testing before a home sale closes. What the Private Well Testing Act requires and how to find a certified lab."
canonical: https://njhomesalechecklist.com/well-testing/
---

# Well water testing at a NJ home sale (PWTA)

> Last updated 2026-10-13. Checked against the official sources listed at the end of this page.

Reviewed by NJ Home Sale Checklist staff

* Under the Private Well Testing Act (N.J.S.A. 58:12A-26 et seq.), a contract to sell a property whose potable water comes from a private well must require the water to be tested. Closing can't happen until both buyer and seller have received and reviewed the results ([NJDEP PWTA](https://dep.nj.gov/privatewells/pwta/)).
* Landlords must test every 5 years and give tenants the results.
* Samples must be collected by a NJDEP-certified laboratory or its authorized representative, and analyzed by labs certified for each parameter ([NJDEP Office of Quality Assurance](https://dep.nj.gov/dsr/oqa/pwta/)).
* Cost: **estimate only**, roughly $400-$900 for the full PWTA panel (medium-low confidence, not from an official source). Ask labs for written quotes.

We don't list certified drinking-water / PWTA lab yet. NJDEP publishes the official list through its own lookup tool: <https://dep.nj.gov/dsr/oqa/pwta/>. Providers can [ask to be listed](https://njhomesalechecklist.com/list-your-business/); we would verify against the official record.

## Sources

- [NJDEP PWTA](https://dep.nj.gov/privatewells/pwta/)
- [NJDEP Office of Quality Assurance](https://dep.nj.gov/dsr/oqa/pwta/)

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