NPDES General Permits
Overview
General NPDES wastewater permits currently exist for the following activities:
- Non-contact cooling water discharges
- Petroleum-based groundwater remediation
- Sand dredging
- Aquatic animal operations
- Seafood packaging/rinsing
- Domestic discharges from single-family residences
- Pesticides
- Conjunctive water uses
Current List of Active and Expired General Permits
Applying for coverage under a General NPDES permit?
To obtain a Certificate of Coverage (CoC) under a general permit, a Notice of Intent (permit application) should be submitted to the NPDES Unit. Links to the appropriate NPDES General permit applications are listed below. Click on the arrow button to access application forms, CoC modification forms, and the technical bulletin which explains each permit's requirements in more detail. Please read the technical bulletin before submitting your application.
After completing your application, please submit one original and two copies of your application package to the following mailing address:
Division of Water Resources
Water Quality Permitting Section - NPDES
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
Renewing your coverage?
Most NPDES wastewater CoCs are eligible for automatic renewal only if all annual fees are paid, as per NCGS § 150B-3. Renewal applications are only required for general permits NCG59 and NCG60 (please refer to the table below for more information regarding CoC renewal requirements).
Need to modify your existing Certificate of Coverage?
When there has been a change at the facility that requires an update to the existing CoC, permittees must submit a CoC modification form. CoC modification forms can be found under each general permit in the table below.
For permittees who have existing coverage under NCG55 and want to request an Authorization to Construct (AtC), the owner should submit a CoC modification request form, plans & specs for the new treatment system, and a narrative description of the system being installed.
After completing your modification form, please submit one original copy to the following mailing address:
Division of Water Resources
Water Quality Permitting Section - NPDES
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
NPDES General Permits
In the table below, there are descriptions and applications for each available general permit. Please click the arrow button next to each permit number to access general permit Technical Bulletins, renewal applications, and CoC modification forms.
| Permit # | Description | New Applications | Renewal Applications/CoC Modification Form | Technical Bulletins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCG500000 | Non-contact cooling water, boiler blowdown, cooling tower, condensate, hydroelectric dams | Word - Fillable Form PDF - Printable Form | Word - Fillable CoC Modification Form Only submit when there has been a change at your facility that requires an update to your existing CoC. Not required as part of renewal for NCG50. | NCG500000 |
| NCG510000 | Groundwater Remediation (petroleum) | Word - Fillable Form PDF - Printable Form | Word - Fillable CoC Modification Form Only submit when there has been a change at your facility that requires an update to your existing CoC. Not required as part of renewal for NCG51. | NCG510000 |
| NCG520000 | Sand Dredging | Word - Fillable Form PDF - Printable Form | Word - Fillable CoC Modification Form Only submit when there has been a change at your facility that requires an update to your existing CoC. Not required as part of renewal for NCG52. | NCG520000 |
| NCG530000 | Fish & Seafood Packing/Rinsing/Fish Farms This general permit is being discontinued and all Certificates of Coverage will be revoked on Oct 31, 2025. See our NCG60 general permit for coverage of fish farms & seafood packing/rinsing. | see NCG60 below | see NCG60 below | NCG530000 |
| NCG550000 | Single Family Residence | Word - Fillable Form PDF - Printable Form | Word - Fillable CoC Modification Form Only submit when there has been a change at your facility that requires an update to your existing CoC. Not required as part of renewal for NCG55. | NCG550000 |
| NCG560000 | Pesticides Pesticide Discharge Management Plan (PDMP) Template | Word - Fillable Form PDF - Printable Form | Word - Fillable CoC Modification Form Only submit when there has been a change at your facility that requires an update to your existing CoC. Not required as part of renewal for NCG56. | NCG560000 |
| NCG580000 | Re-use From Conjunctive Use Reclaim Water Systems | Not required as part of renewal for NCG58 | NCG580000 Technical Bulletin | |
| NCG590000 | Water Treatment Plant Dischargers - Backwash Wastewater from Green Sand & Conventional Systems (see more guidance below) | EPA Form 1, plus EPA From 2C: Tables A and C, and Table B (if believed to be present) | Word- Fillable Renewal Application Form PDF - Fillable Renewal Application Form Please submit for renewal no later than 60 days before expiration date. | NCG590000 |
| NCG600000 | Seafood Packing and Rinsing, Aquatic Animal Operations, and similarly designated wastewaters. | Word - Fillable Renewal Application Form PDF - Printable Renewal Application Form Please submit for renewal no later than 60 days before expiration date. | NCG600000 Technical Bulletin |
Guidance for the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) General Permit (NCG590000)
To be considered for coverage under NCG590000 general permit, please include the following information along with EPA Form 1 and 2C:
- A Cover Letter should be included with the application stating you have reviewed the conditions in the NCG590000 general permit and would like to be considered for coverage. Please also state that you understand that upon issuance of a general permit, the individual NPDES permit for your facility will be rescinded.
- If this is a Conventional WTP, Whole Effluent Toxicity tests shall be performed annually and comply with a "Pass" permit limitation.
- NCG590000 requires all WTPs to comply with a turbidity effluent limitation.
- Fees:
- Please submit a $100.00 application fee (check made payable to NCDEQ) for NEW Greensand WTPs that do not discharge to HQW or ORW waters.
- No fee is required for Greensand and Conventional WTPs seeking individual permit renewal and requesting to be considered for the general permit.