Oil & Gas Regulation

Oil, Gas, and Metallic Mineral Regulatory Information

Administration of the State of Iowa’s laws and regulations governing oil, gas, and metallic mineral exploration and production are assigned to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The specific laws and rules are:

• Code of Iowa Chapter 458A
• Iowa Administrative Code Energy and Geological Resources [561] Chapter 17. 

DNR Contact:

Land Quality Bureau Chief
515-330-8581

Application and Reporting Forms

Operators are required to obtain a drilling permit from the department, and to file specific forms with the department. Please note that several of the forms have recently been updated, so pay close attention to the instructions with those forms.

The Iowa Department of Health regulates radioactive down-hole logging in Iowa.

• Application to Drill or Deepen a Well for Oil, Gas, Metallic Minerals, Geological Information, Storage or Dry Natural Gas or Liquid Petroleum Gas (Form 542-0312)
• Organization Report (Form 542-0313)
• Bond for Conformance with Laws, Rules, and Regulations Governing Oil, Gas, and Metallic Mineral Operations in the State of Iowa (Form 542-0314)
• Release of Bond (Form 542-0315)
• Sundry Notices and Reports on Wells (Form 542-0316)
• Well Completion or Recompletion Report and Well Log (Form 542-0317)
• Well Plugging Record (Form 542-0318)
• Report of Oil Production (Form 542-0319)
• Producers Certificate of Compliance and Authorization to Transport Oil or Gas from Lease (Form 542-0320)