NPDES Individual Permit Applications
General Information
If you are applying for a new Individual NPDES permit or renewing an existing NPDES, please read the information below carefully to understand all the necessary application requirements and to determine which application to submit. You will find links to the NPDES application form(s) listed below, according to your facility type (Municipal POTW/100% Domestic/ Industrial, Commercial and Manufacturing, Water Treatment Plants, etc.). Please make sure your application is complete before submission.
Please submit 1 original and 2 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
EPA Updates- All EPA applications below have been updated. As of February 1, 2020, please discard any previous versions and use the updated forms below. Tips for filling out the new application forms can be found here. If you completed an application prior to February 1, 2020, please complete this form and attach it as an addendum to your application.
Chemical Addendum Form- As required by Session Law 2018-5, Senate Bill 99, Section 13.1(r), every applicant shall now submit documentation of any additional pollutants for which there are certified methods with the permit application if their discharge is anticipated. The list of pollutants may be found in 40 CFR Part 136, which is incorporated by reference. If there are additional pollutants with certified methods to be reported, please submit the Chemical Addendum to NPDES Application table with your application and, if applicable, list the selected certified analytical method used. If there are no additional pollutants to report, this form is not required to be included with your application. This requirement applies to all NPDES facilities. The Chemical Addendum to NPDES Application will be required for any type of facility with an NPDES permit, depending on whether those types of pollutants are found in your wastewater. Please be sure to include all information pertaining to Fluorinated Chemicals (e.g., PFAS, et al) and 1,4-Dioxane and specify if these groups are believed present or believed absent.
Chemical Addendum to NPDES Application
North Carolina has several general NPDES permit types for several categories of dischargers, such as sand dredging, pesticides, non-contact cooling water, and water treatment plants, for example. If you would like more information about the NPDES general permits in NC and to apply, please visit the NPDES General Applications page, or click the link found on sidebar to the right.
Applying for a NEW permit or expansion?
All new and expanding facilities MUST submit an Engineering Alternatives Analysis (EAA) with any required application(s). All new and expanding facilities must pay an application fee according to whether they are major or minor facilities. The NPDES Fees page lists all applicable permit fees. Please make checks payable to NCDEQ, and send in the permit fee along with the permit application.
Guidance on whether your facility is considered a Major Facility? The EPA uses a Ratings Sheet to help facilities to determine if they will be considered a Major. If you are not sure whether your facility is a major or minor, please contact the NPDES Permitting Units
- Major Municipal: Any permit with a permitted flow > 1.0 MGD, a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) that administers a POTW pretreatment program, or a publicly-owned industrial waste treatment works that have a high toxic pollutant potential (see EPA Ratings Sheet).
- Major Non-Municipal: Any permit with a score of 80 or higher on the EPA Ratings Sheet.
Renewing your existing permit?
Federal and State regulations require that permit renewal applications be submitted at least 180 days prior to the expiration of the current permit. To find out when your permit renewal application is due, check this table: Click Here If you are requesting renewal of an NPDES permit for the first time, in that your existing permit is the first permit issued for the discharge at that location, your renewal is subject to the requirements of 15A NCAC 02H .0138. Please click here for additional information on renewal requirements.
APPLICATION FORMS
Municipal POTW
- Application Check List- Please view the Application Check List first to determine which application form to submit according to your permit type, design flow, and whether or not you have pretreatment (Modified EPA Form 2A or EPA Form 2A).
- Depending on your facility, submit one (1) of the following:
- Modified EPA Form 2A: Municipal POTW with design flow < 0.1 MGD and NO pretreatment
- EPA Form 2A: Municipal POTW with design flow > 0.1 MGD -OR- Municipal POTW with design flow < 0.1 MGD AND pretreatment
100% Domestic Private
- Modified EPA Form 2A: Privately Owned, 100% Domestic facilities with design flow < 1.0 MGD
Industrial, Manufacturing and Commercial Facilities
- EPA Form 1: Major and Minor Industrial Facilities, plus one (1) of the following:
- EPA Form 2C: Existing facilities that discharge process wastewater
- EPA Form 2D: New facilities that discharge process wastewater
- EPA Form 2E: New and existing facilities that discharge non-process wastewater
- EPA Form 2F: Major industrial facilities with stormwater outfalls MUST fill this out for each stormwater outfall covered by an NPDES permit
Water Treatment Plants
- EPA Form 1 and EPA Form 2C, plus Tables A and C, and Table B (if believed present) of EPA Form 2C
Groundwater Remediation (For Solvents)*
- EPA Form 1 and EPA Form 2E and EPA Form 2C, plus Tables A, B, and C of EPA Form 2C
- * Note: Refer to general permits for petroleum-based groundwater remediation.
Seafood Processors
- EPA Form 1 and EPA Form 2B (Sections 1, 7, and 8 of EPA Form 2B)
Concentrated Aquatic Animal Production Facilities
- EPA Form 1 and EPA Form 2B: (Sections 1, 7, and 8 of EPA Form 2B)