Permit fees

We are required by law to collect fees from permit holders who have wastewater or stormwater discharge permits (RCW 90.48.465) to recover our cost of administering the permits.

Every two years we use a rulemaking process to review and update the fee amount and timing, called the Fee Schedule. During rulemaking, we review all permit fees to ensure program costs are being met and to move closer to payment equity between fee categories. We may also propose new permit fee categories or changes to the structure of specific permit fee categories. We hold a public comment period and a public hearing on proposed changes and to hear from stakeholders before finalizing the next Fee Schedule.

The most current Water Quality Permit Fee Schedule can be found on the legislative website.

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Learn more about billing information and responsibilities
Learn more about Annual Fee Calculation Forms
Change or terminate my Construction Stormwater or Industrial Stormwater General Permit

Billing information and responsibilities

Our billing cycle is by the state fiscal year (July 1 through June 30 annually)

If your annual fee is $1,000 or greater, you can pay in full annually OR request a bi-annual schedule*.
If the fee is less than $1,000, the full amount is billed at the beginning of the state fiscal year (July).

*The semi-annual billing cycle is not available for: Construction Stormwater general and individual permit holders, or those permit holders that self-report gross revenues of $10 million or greater on their annual fee information forms.

We mail paper invoices directly to permit holders on file typically between July to September (the first quarter of each fiscal year), but this may vary annually. If you are on a bi-annual schedule, permit holders will recieve two invoices one typically between July to September and the second after February.

Ecology reserves the right to collect permit fees for a prior fiscal year. A late invoice is a valid invoice.

New permit coverages

When Ecology issues a new permit coverage, your first permit fee will be pro-rated based on the date of permit issuance and your invoice will be mailed a few weeks after permit issuance. For example, if you receive your permit on March 1, 2022, your first fee invoice will cover March 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022.

After this first pro-rated invoice, permit holders will receive annual invoices as described above.

A permit becomes “active” once it is issued (“active” means that you requested and received a permit – it is not tied to when permitted site activities begin or whether they ever occur, or when they end).

If you do not receive a permit invoice within a few weeks of your new permit, email the Permit Fee Unit at wqfeeunit@ecy.wa.gov.

Permit holders are resposible for any changes to the name of business, billing contact name, email, phone number, and address. Our billing system uses the information on file for the permit itself so updates need to be completed with your assigned Permit Administrator. If you have a Construction Stormwater General Permit (CSWGP) or Industrial Stormwater General Permit (ISGP) you may use this form to submit your updates via a Permit Modification.

Fees will continue to be assessed to the permit holder on record, until the permit is formally transferred to another party, or formally terminated by Ecology. The permit follows the person who requested coverage, rather than the site. If you sell your property, the permit is still open under your name until you request a transfer or termination.

Please note: when a permit is transferred the new owner assumes all liabilities associated with the transfer, which includes any unpaid invoices on the account.

Permit holders may request a Transfer of Coverage from your assigned Permit Administrator.

Permits do NOT automatically cancel annually, general permits are typically on a 5 year cycle. You must contact Ecology as soon as a permitted activity ceases and you want to terminate your permit. Otherwise, permit fees will continue until the permit has been formally terminated regardless of when the permitted activity stops.

Permit fees are not pro-rated in the final fiscal year of coverage because the permit fee rule does not allow this. For example, if you pay your annual fee in September and then terminate your permit in December, you will not receive money back for that fiscal year. You will also not be assessed any future fiscal year fees related to that terminated permit.

We will email or mail you a final invoice for any unpaid fees during or after the termination approval process. If the invoices remain unpaid, they may be sent to collections.

How do I cancel (terminate) my permit?

First make sure that the correct permit holder/signatory information is on file, this will prevent delays (see information above).
Contact your Permit Administrator (listed in SAW) to start the Notice of Termination process.

Construction Stormwater General Permit holders may submit a Notice of Termination (NOT) form to the Fee Unit, when you are ready to cancel your permit. An inspection may be required, as determined by the Permit Administrator. The permit termination process usually takes approximately 30 days. For more information, please visit the Construction Stormwater General Permit webpage.

Industrial Stormwater General Permit holders may submit a Notice of Termination (NOT) form to the Fee Unit, when you are ready to cancel your permit. An inspection may be required, as determined by the Permit Administrator. The permit termination process usually takes approximately 60 days. For more information, please visit the Industrial Stormwater General Permit webpage.

All other permit holders (Wastewater and other types of Stormwater coverage) may request a termination of coverage through their assigned Permit Administrator. There may be paperwork for you to complete and submit back to your Permit Administrator to complete the process.

What do my fees pay for?

The fees we collect fund the operation of the Water Quality Wastewater and Stormwater Discharge Permit Programs.

Some of the things funded include:

Processing permit applications and modifications
Monitoring and evaluating compliance with permits
Conducting inspections
Re-issuing general permits
Securing laboratory analysis of samples taken during inspections
Reviewing plans and documents directly related to pretreatment programs
Supporting the overhead expenses that are related to these activities

We are required to publish a report every other year that explains the use of permit fees. Read the latest report

What if I don't pay my invoices?

Permit fees are a written condition of the permit and required by law. Permit holders who do not pay the fee by the billing due date are considered delinquent. Delinquent permit holders are mailed past due notices several times each year. After several notices, if payment is not received the account may be sent to collections and subject to permit enforcement action. The collection agency typically adds a surcharge of 20 to 30 percent. A permit enforcement action may include the assessment of penalties.

As a last resort, we may terminate the permit for nonpayment. We work closely with the permit holder and the permit staff to avoid this situation.

Annual Fee Calculation Forms

Some permit types are required to submit annual information that details their production amounts, or their gross revenue, or their residential equivalents or housing units (examples include, but are not limited to, fruit packers, wineries, municipalities, private treatment plants, sand & gravel, industrial stormwater, etc.).

We will make these forms available annually by email, mail, or online through the webportal. There will be a due date on the forms. There are instructions included for how to fill out and submit the forms. We use this information to determine the next fiscal year fee.

If we do not receive a completed information form (signed by the permit holder on file and including any necessary documentation), we are required by rule to assess the highest fee associated with each permit holder’s fee category. Permit Fee Unit staff are always available to answer questions.

Small business and hardship fee reductions

A business* may apply for a small business fee reduction if it:

Is a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, or other legal entity formed for the purpose of making a profit.
Is independently owned and operated from all other businesses (that is, not a subsidiary of a parent company).
Has annual sales of one million ($1,000,000.00) dollars or less of the goods and services produced using the processes regulated by the wastewater discharge permit.
Pays an annual wastewater discharge permit fee greater than five hundred ($500.00) dollars.

If you are interested in submitting an application, please email a request to wqfeeunit@ecy.wa.gov.

*Note: Fee reductions are not available to construction stormwater general and individual permit holders, or industrial stormwater general permit holders (WAC173-224-090).

Contact information

Fee Unit
wqfeeunit@ecy.wa.gov
1-800-633-6193 (Option 2)