The invention discloses a sensor-less three-stage type starting method for a deep well piston pump. The piston pump is driven by a direct-current brushless motor, and the starting method includes the following steps that S1, the current position of a rotor is determined based on short-time pulse detection and positioning, and an inverter is controlled according to a controlling strategy corresponding to the position; S2, the step S1 is repeated until revolving speed reaches a first threshold value; S3, the reversing moment is determined based on a pulse width modulation stator current slope, and at the reversing moment, a control strategy of a next sector is used for controlling the inverter; S4, the step S3 is repeated until the revolving speed reaches a second threshold value which is larger than the first threshold value; S5, the reversing moment is determined based on back electromotive force zero passing point detection, and at the reversing moment, a control strategy of a next sector is used for controlling the inverter. The starting method can be used for a high-lift photovoltaic water pumping system and can improve the success rate of starting the system.