Which permit or form?
Last checked: October 20, 2026 against the source documents. Based on: CGP sections 1.2, 1.3.1, 1.4, 2.2, 2.3.3, 2.4, 2.6, 3.1.5, 3.1.7, 5.1, 5.2 and Appendices A and B; SCDES Construction Activities page; SCDES All Forms page.
General information only. It doesn't tell you what your site needs. Form numbers come from two SCDES web pages, and some of those listings still mention the older 2012 permit. Check the current form in ePermitting or with SCDES before you file.
Is SCDOT the operator?
The permit says it “does not cover construction activities where the South Carolina Department of Transportation is the operator”. Those sites are covered under a separate general permit, SCR160000. [CGP 1.2, p.5]
How much land will be disturbed, and is it part of a "larger common plan"?
The permit covers construction activities “of one acre or more”, and adds: “stormwater discharges from projects or developments of less than one acre of land disturbance are required to obtain authorization under this permit if the construction activities at the site are part of a larger common plan of development or sale (LCP) that comprise of at least one acre of land disturbance.” [CGP 1.3.1.A, p.6]
The permit defines an LCP as “any announcement or piece of documentation (including a sign, public notice or hearing, sales pitch, advertisement, drawing, permit application, zoning request, computer design, etc.) or physical demarcation (including boundary signs, lot stakes, surveyor markings, etc.) indicating construction activities may occur on a specific plot.” [CGP App. A, p.73] SCDES's web page says: “If the site is part of a subdivision, industrial park, commercial park, etc., then it is considered to be part of an LCP.” [CA]
Is the site in one of the 8 coastal counties?
The coastal counties are Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, and Jasper. [CGP 1.3.1.B, p.6] SCDES says a Coastal Zone Consistency (CZC) determination is required there and “The CZC must be issued prior to the NPDES Stormwater Permit.” [CA] Coastal-zone projects that are not part of an LCP, disturb less than one acre, and are within one-half mile of a coastal receiving water “are automatically granted coverage under this general permit provided the appropriate Best Management Practices are being used”. [CGP 1.3.1.B, p.6] This site focuses on the Upstate and does not cover coastal rules in detail.
Forms, by situation
| Situation | Form (as SCDES lists it) | What the permit says |
|---|---|---|
| New project that disturbs one acre or more | Notice of Intent (NOI), D-2617. SCDES lists D-2617 as the “Notice of Intent (NOI) for new construction projects which disturb greater than one acre”. [CA] | Submit “a complete and accurate NOI and other information required in Section 2.3.3 prior to commencement of construction activities. Land disturbing activities may not commence until written approval is granted by the Department”. [CGP 2.4.1.A, p.17] The C-SWPPP must be approved by SCDES, a regulated MS4, or a delegated entity “before construction activities may commence”. [CGP 3.1.5.A, p.26] Where an MS4 or delegated program review is required, its written approval is part of a complete NOI. [CGP 2.3.3.D, p.16] [CA] Unconfirmed, verify with SCDES: which form applies to a site under one acre that is part of an LCP but is not an individual residential lot (for example, an outparcel in a commercial park). SCDES's page lists D-2617 for sites over one acre and D-2628 / D-0451 for sites under one acre. |
| Under one acre, outside the 8 coastal counties | D-2628. SCDES's All Forms page calls it “The Notification Form for Sites Disturbing Less Than 1-Acre” for projects outside the coastal counties “that are NOT part of a larger common plan for development or sale”. [ALL] The Construction Activities page lists it as an “NOI for new construction projects which disturb less than one acre”, “Not for individual lots in residential subdivisions”. [CA] | Unconfirmed, verify with SCDES: when D-2628 is required. The permit itself (1.3.1.A) only requires coverage under one acre when the site is part of an LCP, and the two SCDES pages describe D-2628 differently. |
| Under one acre, inside the 8 coastal counties, within 0.5 mile of a coastal receiving water, not part of an LCP | D-0451, “Notification (Automatic Permit Coverage) - Coastal Counties Only”. [ALL] [CA] | See the coastal note above. [CGP 1.3.1.B, p.6] |
| Building on lot(s) in a residential subdivision that is already permitted | Individual Lot NOI (IL-NOI), D-0432. [CA] [ALL] | Submit the IL-NOI “at least seven (7) business days prior to the commencement of construction activities” (coastal sites have an extra CZC step). [CGP 2.2.2.B.I, p.12] Owners and builders with several lots in one LCP “may submit only one (1) Individual Lot NOI”. [CGP 2.2.2.B.IV, p.12] A plat, plan, or map identifying each lot must be submitted. [CGP 2.3.3.G, p.16] |
| Contractor working on someone else's permitted site | Contractor Certification Form. SCDES's All Forms page lists it as D-0437 and says these forms “are to be retained in the On-Site SWPPP and do not have to be submitted to the Department, unless requested”. [ALL] | The form “is to be submitted to the Primary Permittee or Secondary Permittee (as applicable) prior to commencement of construction activities”, and each contractor “must also attend and document attendance at a Pre-Construction Conference”. [CGP 2.2.3, p.12] SCDES also lists a Pre-Construction Conference Certification Form, D-0436. [ALL] |
| Utility provider or utility contractor | A Contractor Certification Form, or a Utility Blanket NOI (UB-NOI). [CGP 2.2.3.A, p.13] | An approved UB-NOI “provides statewide coverage for all construction activities performed by the utility provider/contractor within common developments or LCPs for the duration of this issue of this permit”. The utility work must already be accounted for in each site's approved C-SWPPP, and a copy of the UB-NOI approval goes to the permittee “prior to performing land-disturbing activities”. [CGP 2.2.3.A, p.13] Unconfirmed, verify with SCDES: the current UB-NOI form name and number. SCDES's All Forms page still lists the 'Annual Blanket Notice of Intent', D-0433, 'Under the new 2012 Stormwater NPDES General Permit'. |
| Owner or operator is changing on a permitted project | D-2617 + Transfer of Ownership, D-0434. [CA] [ALL] | SCDES must be notified in writing; “In cases where work has commenced this notification must be provided within fourteen (14) calendar days.” “The New Operator may not commence work at the construction site until they obtain coverage from the Department.” In an MS4 area, the MS4 must also be notified. [CGP 2.4.3.A, pp.17-18] Each new owner/operator pays the standard $125 coverage fee. [CGP 2.4.3.F, p.19] |
| Major modification to an approved SWPPP (for example, resizing, deleting, relocating, or adding a sediment or detention basin, or adding disturbed area) | D-2617 + Major Modification, D-0435. [CA] | Major modifications must be approved “before implementation of any major modifications may commence”. [CGP 3.1.5.B, p.26; list in 3.1.7.C, pp.27-28] Minor modifications (for example, adding silt fence or relocating the construction entrance) “may be made to any SWPPP by the Permittee without approval” but must be recorded in the On-Site SWPPP. [CGP 3.1.5.C, p.26; 3.1.7.D, p.29] |
| Project finished | Notice of Termination (NOT) in ePermitting. [CGP 5.2.A, p.59] SCDES lists the construction NOT as D-2610. [ALL] | “The NOT must be submitted within 30 days of one of the above conditions being met.” [CGP 5.1.B, p.58] For projects disturbing more than 2 acres, the NOT also needs a certification signed by the C-SWPPP preparer or a person with equivalent registration. Within an MS4, include a letter or statement from the MS4 that the site meets its completion requirements. [CGP 5.2.C.VI-VII, p.59] |
| “Small construction activity” (one to less than five acres) that may qualify for a waiver | Waiver certification. [CGP 1.4, p.10] | There are three waivers (Rainfall Erosivity, TMDL, and Equivalent Analysis), and they require “submittal and approval of waiver certifications prior to commencement of construction activities”. [CGP 1.4.A, p.10] Details are in Appendix B. [CGP App. B, p.88] |
Fees (as written in the permit)
- Coverage fee: “At the time of issuance of this CGP the fee was $125. This fee applies to each request for coverage under this CGP.” The permit says SC Regulation 61-30 governs this fee. [CGP 2.3.3.A, p.16]
- If SCDES reviews the C-SWPPP: “the NPDES plan review fee of $100 per disturbed acre not to exceed $2000”, in addition to the coverage fee. [CGP 2.3.3.B, p.16]
- If SCDES reviews a major modification: “$100 for the modification and $100 per disturbed acre increase from what was approved under the original NOI, not to exceed $2000 for the entire Project/Site”. [CGP 2.3.3.C, p.16]
Unconfirmed, verify with SCDES: current fee amounts. The permit gives the fee 'at the time of issuance'; fees can change.
SCDES review timeframes (Table 2-1)
| Review type (permit wording) | Allotted review time frame |
|---|---|
| Regulated MS4 or entity implementing Regulation 72-300 | 7 business days of SCDES receipt of a complete NOI and fee payment |
| SCDES (when construction site is subject to State C-SWPPP reviews) | 20 business days of SCDES receipt of a complete NOI and fee payment |
| Secondary Permittees (when individual lot coverage is requested/required) | 7 business days of SCDES receipt of a complete individual lot NOI |
[CGP 2.6.1, Table 2-1, pp.20-21] In the Coastal Zone these timeframes don't start until the CZC determination has been issued. [CGP 2.6.1, p.20]
The permit also says: “If SCDES does not send a letter authorizing coverage, denying coverage, providing review comments, or advising that a review of the C-SWPPP will take place, the authorization to discharge will be automatically granted.” [CGP 2.6.1, p.21] However, Section 2.4.1 says land disturbance “may not commence until written approval is granted” [CGP 2.4.1.A, p.17], and SCDES's web page says to “Wait until you receive the SCDES NPDES permit letter before beginning any land disturbing activities.” [CA]
Unconfirmed, verify with SCDES: how the automatic-authorization sentence in 2.6.1 works alongside the written-approval requirement in 2.4.1. Don't start land disturbance based on this page.
SCDES's web page also says to “Notify SCDES regional stormwater staff a week prior to land disturbing activities and of when the pre-construction conference will be held.” [CA]
Sources for this page
- CGP: SCDES, NPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities, SCR100000 (issued Feb. 27, 2026; effective Mar. 30, 2026). Page numbers below are PDF page numbers.
- CA: SCDES web page: Stormwater - Construction Activities (read Oct. 20, 2026)
- ALL: SCDES web page: All Forms & Applications, 'Stormwater - NPDES' section (read Oct. 20, 2026)
- EP: SCDES ePermitting portal
Citations like “CGP 4.2.B, p.53” mean section 4.2.B of the permit, on page 53 of the PDF. Last checked October 20, 2026. Where we quote, the quote is copied from the source; where we summarize, read the quoted section before relying on it.