Boatyard General Permit

This National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and State Waste Discharge permit makes sure that the disposal of wastewater and stormwater from boatyards is in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act and state water pollution control laws.

I want to...

What is a boatyard?

A boatyard:

Is a service business that builds, repairs, or maintains small vessels
- At least 85 percent of which are 65 feet or less in length; OR
- More than 85 percent of the gross receipts come from working on vessels.

Boatyards include mobile and do-it-yourself facilities that may build a limited number of custom boats. For a full list of boatyard services, see S1.A. of the current permit.

Do I need a permit?

Read the information on the two tabs to figure out if your facility needs Boatyard General Permit coverage.

YES, you need permit coverage if:
NO, you do NOT need permit coverage if:

Your facility:

Discharges stormwater runoff to a water of the state directly or through a storm sewer system.
OR
Generates wastewater from a pressure washing process.

Your facility:

Conducts boatyard activities exclusively indoors. (If so, you must submit a Conditional No Exposure Exemption form.)
OR
Provides only:
- Use of tidal grids solely for emergency repairs or inspections by marine surveyors.
- Minor engine repair or maintenance within the engine space without vessel haul-out.
- Topside cleaning, detailing, and bright work.
- Electronics service and maintenance.
- Service and repair of marine sanitation devices that do not require vessel haul-out.
- Vessel rigging and minor repairs or modifications to the vessel's superstructure (extending to 25 percent or less of the vessel's surface area above the waterline).

The current permit went into effect on Sept. 1, 2022, and expires on Aug. 31, 2027.

Current permit and related documents

Current permit with errata (effective Sept. 1. 2022)
- Errata sheet (March 2023)
Fact sheet (for the draft 2022 permit)
- Appendix D: Response to Comments
Small Business Economic Impact Analysis

Permit application, forms, and resources

Previously went into effect Aug. 8, 2016 and expired July 31, 2021

Previous permit (expired July 31, 2021)
- Corrections and clarifications (errata)
- Detailed explanation of permit (fact sheet for the draft permit)
- Public comments on the draft permit
  - Our responses to comments on the draft permit are in Appendix E of the fact sheet.
- Economic Impact Analysis
Questions about when monitoring values exceed benchmarks

Previously went into effect June 1, 2011 and expired May 31, 2016

2016 Boatyard general permit (expired May 31, 2016)
Detailed explanation of permit (fact sheet for the draft permit)
What changed between permits?

Use our Water Quality Atlas or the maps below to determine if a facility discharges to a Puget Sound sediment cleanup site, as defined on page 61 of the Boatyard General Permit, and is subject to the requirements in Special Condition S2.E.3 of the permit.

Locations of sediment cleanup sites in Port Gardner. Includes sections of East Waterway, South Marina, and Maulsby Mud Flats. — Puget Sound sediment cleanup sites for Everett / Port Gardner. Areas relevant to the Boatyard General Permit are highlighted in pink.

Displays sediment cleanup site for Port Angeles Harbor. Includes all area south and east of Ediz Hook. — All areas marked as contaminated on this map are included in the sediment cleanup site for Port Angeles Harbor. The contaminated site includes all areas highlighted with a color in the map legend.

Contacts for more information

For facilities located in the following counties:

Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima

Help with permit requirements or site-specific questions, applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Kevin Dolan
Permit Manager
kevin.dolan@ecy.wa.gov
509-575-2434

Mail forms to:

Attn: WQ Boatyard General Permit Coordinator
Washington State Department of Ecology
Central Regional Office
1250 West Alder Street
Union Gap, WA 98903-0009

For facilities located in the following counties:

Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman

Help with permit requirements or site-specific questions, applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Jefferson Davis
Permit Manager
jefferson.davis@ecy.wa.gov
509-329-3565

Mail forms to:

Attn: WQ Boatyard General Permit Coordinator
Department of Ecology
Eastern Regional Office
4601 North Monroe Street, Suite 202
Spokane WA 99205-1295

Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties
Morgan Maupin
Permit Manager
morgan.maupin@ecy.wa.gov
360-790-3343

Help applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Jessica Christensen
Permit Administrator
jessica.christensen@ecy.wa.gov
360-706-4191

Mail forms to:

Attn: WQ Boatyard General Permit Coordinator
Washington State Department of Ecology
Southwest Regional Office
P.O. Box 47775
Olympia WA 98504-7775

Help with permit requirements or site-specific questions:

Island, King, Kitsap, and Snohomish counties
Evan Dobrowski
Permit Manager
evan.dobrowski@ecy.wa.gov
425-213-4230

San Juan and Skagit counties
Sylvia Graham
Permit Manager
sy lvia.graham@ecy.wa.gov
360-927-4900

Whatcom County
Elizabeth Fint
Permit Manager
elizabeth.fint@ecy.wa.gov
360-293-0274

Help applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Tricia Miller
Northwest Region Permit Coordinator
tricia.miller@ecy.wa.gov
206-594-0167

Mail forms to:

Attn: WQ Boatyard General Permit Coordinator
Washington State Department of Ecology
Northwest Regional Office
15700 Dayton Avenue North
Shoreline, WA 98133

Join our email list to receive more information about this permit.

Contact information

James Hovis
Boatyard General Permit Writer
james.hovis@ecy.wa.gov
564-999-3244

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Boatyard General Permit

I want to...

What is a boatyard?

Do I need a permit?

Current permit and related documents

Permit application, forms, and resources

New permit application

Contacts for more information

For facilities located in the following counties:

For facilities located in the following counties:

Mail forms to:

Help with permit requirements or site-specific questions:

Help applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Mail forms to:

Help with permit requirements or site-specific questions:

Help applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Mail forms to:

Related links

Contact information

Boatyard General Permit

I want to...

What is a boatyard?

Do I need a permit?

Current permit and related documents

​Permit application, forms, and resources

Contacts for more information

For facilities located in the following counties:

For facilities located in the following counties:

Mail forms to:

Help with permit requirements or site-specific questions:

Help applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Mail forms to:

Help with permit requirements or site-specific questions:

Help applying for coverage, finding or completing forms, or drafting public notices:

Mail forms to:

Related links

Contact information

Permit application, forms, and resources