Permit Fees Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The billing questions and answers below apply to all types of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Water Pollution Control Facilities (WPCF) individual and general permits issued by the DEQ Water Quality Division. These questions do not apply to WPCF Onsite system permits.

Permit fee tables for all permit types except WPCF Onsite System permits:

• Individual NPDES and WPCF Domestic Permits PDF
• Individual NPDES and WPCF Industrial Permits PDF
• General NPDES and WPCF Permits - includes stormwater and industrial permits PDF

Questions:

• What fees do I have to pay in order to get a permit?
• What fees do I have to pay in order to keep my permit?
• Are there any other fees associated with having a permit?
• When is the annual fee due?
• What happens if I do not pay the annual fee?
• I recently received an invoice for an annual fee and it is for more than I paid last year. Why?
• Which permits are affected by the fee increases?
• May I pay my fees by credit card?
• Can I submit payment over the web?
• What do I do if the company name and/or address on the invoice is incorrect?
• I just received an invoice for the annual fee for a permit that I no longer need. What do I do?
• My business went through an ownership change recently. Who is responsible for payment?
• Can I change when my invoice is due?
• Will my invoice due date change when I renew?
• What if DEQ is late renewing my permit? Do I still need to pay the annual fee?

What fees do I have to pay in order to get a permit?

To obtain an NPDES or WPCF permit, you must pay a permit application fee and the first year's annual fee. These fees are due when you submit the permit application. If you do not submit these fees with your permit application, it will be considered incomplete. Application fees and other fees for all types of permits issued by the DEQ Water Quality Division may be found at:

• Individual NPDES and WPCF Domestic Permits PDF
• Individual NPDES and WPCF Industrial Permits PDF
• General NPDES and WPCF Permits - includes stormwater and industrial permits PDF

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What fees do I have to pay in order to keep my permit?

Each year you must pay an annual fee. This fee is intended to cover DEQ's costs for monitoring, inspection, technical assistance, and other compliance and enforcement activities. It is due at the end of the month prior to the month in which your permit was issued. DEQ will send you an invoice for your annual fee 15 days to 2 months prior to the due date for payment.

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Are there any other fees associated with having a permit?

If your permit needs to be modified, you may need to pay a modification fee. In the event that the Department initiates the modification, you do not have to pay this fee. If the name of the entity covered by the permit changes, you may have to pay a permit transfer fee.

If you have a general permit or an individual domestic permit, there may also be so-called technical activity fees that apply in certain instances, such as when the Department has to review plans. Individual domestic permits, such as those issued to municipalities, may also be required to pay pretreatment fees and population fees. These fees can be found at:

• Individual NPDES and WPCF Domestic Permits PDF

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When is the annual fee due?

It is due the last day of the month prior to when the permit was issued. DEQ will send you an invoice for your annual fee 15 days to 2 months prior to the due date for payment. As an example, if your permit was issued or last renewed in April, DEQ will mail you an invoice in February and the due date will be March 31st.

Invoicing for WPCF-OS permits and residential onsite sewage systems is done according to a different invoicing schedule, with all invoices issued in May of each year and due at the end of July.

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What happens if I do not pay the annual fee?

DEQ will send you a Notice of Delinquency and ask for payment. If DEQ does not receive your payment your account will be referred to the Department of Revenue or to a private collection agency.

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I recently received an invoice for an annual fee and it is for more than I paid last year. Why?

On August 18, 2010, the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) approved fee increases, effective September 1, 2010, for permits issued by DEQ's Water Quality Division. The Oregon Legislature authorized the fee increases to help support DEQ's water quality permit program.

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Which permits are affected by the fee increases?

NPDES and WPCF permits. All NPDES and WPCF individual and general permit fees will increase by three percent. The increase helps cover increasing program costs of the water quality permit program. Suction dredge (700-PM) permits are exempt from the fee increase because their fees are set in law and can only be changed by the Legislature.

• Division 45 Permit Fee Tables PDF
• Division 71 Table 9D: WPCF Permit Fees (Onsite systems) PDF

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May I pay my fees by credit card?

No, DEQ is not set up to receive credit card payments.

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Can I submit payment over the web?

No, DEQ is not set up to receive payment over the web.

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What do I do if the company name and/or address on the invoice is incorrect?

Complete the new mailing address information on the back of the invoice form and remit with the appropriate payment.

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I just received an invoice for the annual fee for a permit that I no longer need. What do I do?

Complete and submit to DEQ one of the following forms:

• Notice of Termination [DOC]  [PDF] - for stormwater permits covering construction activities only
• Permit Transfer [DOC]  [PDF]

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My business went through an ownership change recently. Who is responsible for payment?

The party responsible for payment is the owner of the permit on the anniversary date of permit issuance. A permit may be transferred to the new owner, but only after all associated fees are paid in full.

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Can I change when my invoice is due?

The invoice due date is scheduled to be due on the last day of the month preceding the anniversary of your last permit issuance date. If for some reason, you feel that the date of your invoice will cause you a hardship, please send to DEQ in writing the reason(s) for the hardship. DEQ will either approve or disapprove the change of the invoice due date.

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Will my invoice due date change when I renew my permit?

No, DEQ will set the due date using the permit's last issuance (renewal) date, and that date will not change.

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What if DEQ is late renewing my permit? Do I still need to pay the annual fee?

Yes, the annual fee will be due every year until the permit is terminated.

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