Permits

Application Submittal

Within 30 days of receipt your application is deemed complete or incomplete. If your application is incomplete, processing will be delayed. A complete application includes all of the required forms, fees and all the information required for the engineer to complete the evaluation. If additional information is required, the engineer assigned will explain what is needed. When the application is assigned, the applicant will receive an automated email with the contact information for the assigned engineer. Select equipment type applications can now be submitted online through Citizen Access.

Authority to Construct

Once you are issued an Authority to Construct (ATC) you will have authority to begin construction. The ATC will be valid for one year and can be extended for up to five years in one year increments. Make sure to read your ATC because it will contain the conditions under which you must operate. If you deviate from these conditions, you may be subject to compliance action.

Construction Completion Notice

When you complete construction and prior to operation you will submit the construction completion notice (CCN). Once the CCN is submitted the ATC serves as the temporary authority to operate your equipment. Again, be sure to read and comply with the conditions of the ATC. If you have questions contact the engineer assigned to your project.

Site Inspection

The District will visit your facility to ensure that you are operating in accordance with your permit conditions. The District representative will review your records and equipment and ask if you have any questions.

Startup Authorization

If the site inspection indicates compliance with your ATC conditions and other requirements you will be issued a document called a Startup Authorization (SA) which authorizes continued operation until a final Permit to Operate (PTO) is issued or until required test results are submitted. The SA lists the conditions under which you must operate until you receive your final PTO.

Permit to Operate

Once the permitting process is complete, you will receive a permit to operate (PTO). The PTO will be valid for one year and must be renewed each subsequent year. Similar to the ATC and SA the PTO will list the conditions under which you must operate. Ensure that you read and understand each condition. You may contact the District at any time to clarify a permit condition.

How to get a Fee Estimates for Businesses Applying for Permits:

In order to enhance and expedite the permit application filing process, the District has updated our website to make the permit application Fee estimates now available online! This way the businesses can determine the appropriate application fee estimates without asking for fee estimates from the District and having to wait to receive one.

When preparing an application, access the fee tab for the appropriate equipment type below and use the fee estimate tool to fill in the information for the application using the instructions. This process improvement will reduce application processing delays and eliminate the need to request for a fee estimate. The estimate (and application fee) must be submitted with your application.

The total application submittal fee is determined by summing the amounts described in each of the following categories.

Base Application Fee

Base fee required to be submitted with each application type. The current amount can be found in Rule 40.

Emissions Fee

Must be submitted with applications at new facilities, or at locations with more than five tons of actual emissions on an annual basis. The submittal fee for new facilities with emissions less than five tons per year is $116. For facilities with emissions greater than five tons per year, the submittal fee is $116 per ton of emission increase.

Application Evaluation Fee

Covers the costs incurred by SDAPCD to evaluate the application (not including certain analyses as described below). The fee is as described in Rule 40 based on the equipment type and is either a set amount for the equipment (a “fixed” fee) or a time and material fee equal to the actual costs incurred for review. All modifications (including modifications, replacements – except like-kind-replacements, and changes of location) are time and material fees, but cannot exceed the fixed fee, if one exists for that equipment type. For time and material applications, the fee due with application submittal is estimated by SDAPCD based on past experience for similar projects.

Renewal

The first year of permit renewal is due when the application is submitted. It is a set amount for most equipment types, except for gasoline dispensing operations where the renewal fee is also based on the number of nozzles, sources requiring annual testing that is conducted on a time and material basis, and other exceptions as listed in Rule 40.

Toxics/Health Risk Assessment

One of the evaluation categories not covered by the Application Evaluation Fee. This covers the cost incurred by the District to conduct health risk assessments and toxics emission calculations. Required for most new equipment.

Other Special Program Fees

The evaluation of certain rules including New Source Review (NSR), state and federal regulations (ATCM, NESHAP, NSPS, etc), CEQA review charges and other rules not covered by the standard application evaluation fee.

Source Testing

Covers costs for conducting emissions source tests when required.
Depending on pollutant(s) measured and equipment type, this fee can be either fixed or time and material based – similar to application fees. In addition, you have the option to hire a third party contractor to conduct required testing and would only pay the District costs incurred to witness the test in this case.

If you have questions about applicability of any of these fees, please contact us to discuss prior to submitting an application.

All fees are subject to change with a revision to District Rule 40.

When you create a username and password in Accela Citizen Access, you will be able to:

• Submit Applications for:
  • Emergency Engines
  • Money for Replacement of Old Equipment
  • Ownership Change 
• Submit Notification for:
  • Asbestos Removal (more info)
  • Breakdown of Permitted Equipment (more info)
• Schedule gas station testing (more info)

If you link your account you can also view and track the status of applications and permits, review your site history and access past inspection reports. To link your account to your records, email us so we can verify the correct records to link.

More Information

General Application Form

Contact Update Form

Inactivation/Non-operational Form

Change of Equipment Ownership

Retirement by Request Form

Like-Kind Replacement Guidance Sheet