Pesticide Permitting-Permitting Decision Tool
EPA developed this interactive decision tool to help you answer the following questions about the Pesticide General Permit (PGP):
- Do I need an NPDES permit for my pesticide applications?
- Am I eligible for coverage under the EPA PGP?
- What is required of me under the EPA PGP?
This is an interactive tool for your informational purposes only. The information in this step-by-step guide is based on EPA’s 2021 PGP and is only to be used for areas where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority.
Step 1: Do I need an NPDES permit for my pesticide applications?
Skip to Step 2: I need an NPDES permit for my pesticide application. Am I eligible for coverage under EPA's NPDES Pesticide General Permit (PGP)?
Step 1: Do I need an NPDES permit for my pesticide applications?
Will you be applying or hiring someone to apply pesticides that will result in a discharge to waters of the U.S. (as defined in Appendix A of the permit)?
Is the pesticide that you will apply a biological pesticide, or a chemical pesticide that will leave a residue?
Will your discharges to waters of the U.S. be solely a result of agricultural stormwater runoff or irrigation return flow?
You do not need an NPDES permit.
You need an NPDES permit. Continue to Step 2 to determine if you are eligible for coverage under EPA's NPDES Pesticide General Permit (PGP).
Step 2: I need an NPDES permit for my pesticide application. Am I eligible for coverage under EPA's NPDES Pesticide General Permit (PGP)?
Will you be applying pesticides in any of these locations:
- Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, or Washington D.C.;
- any U.S. territory except Virgin Islands;
- an Indian Country listed in Appendix C of the permit; or
- a federal facility in Colorado, Delaware, Vermont, or Washington?
Will your pesticide application be for one of the following pesticide use patterns? (See Part 1.1.1 of the permit for further detail.)
- Mosquito and Other Flying Insect Pest Control
- Weed and Algae Control
- Animal Pest Control
- Forest Canopy Pest Control
Will your discharge from the application of pesticides be:
- to waters identified as impaired by a substance which either is an active ingredient in that pesticide or is a degradate of such an active ingredient (Part 1.1.2.1); or
- to a Tier 3 water, unless the purpose is to restore or maintain water quality or protect public health, and the resulting discharge either does not degrade water quality or only degrades water quality on a short-term or temporary basis (Part 1.1.2.2); or
- a discharge that is previously or currently covered by another NPDES permit; or
- to a Water of the United States containing a National Marine Fisheries Service's Listed Resources of Concern for which you are not able to certify to at least one of the six eligibility criteria or EPA denied your certification under those criteria? See Appendix I of the PGP.
You are not eligible for coverage under EPA’s NPDES Pesticide General Permit (PGP). You must apply for an NPDES permit from your state NPDES permitting authority or EPA Region.
You are eligible for coverage under EPA's NPDES Pesticide General Permit (PGP). (See Part 1.1 of the permit for further eligibility details).
You can continue to Step 3 to see what is required of you under EPA's NPDES PGP.
Step 3: I need an NPDES permit for my pesticide application and I am eligible for coverage under EPA's NPDES Pesticide General Permit (PGP). What is required of me under the PGP?
Are you a decision-maker or a for-hire applicator? (See Part 1.0 and Appendix A for definitions.)
Will any of your discharges be to waters of the U.S. containing NMFS Listed Resources of Concern? See Appendix I of the PGP.
Are you a federal or state agency with the responsibility:
- to control mosquitoes for public health, nuisance control or animal welfare;
- to control weeds and algae;
- to control animals for public health, nuisance control or resource management; or
- to control forest canopy pests?
Are you a:
- mosquito control district or similar pest control district; or
- irrigation and weed control district or similar pest control district?
Are you a small entity as defined in Appendix A of the permit?
Will you exceed any of these thresholds:
- adulticiding more than 6,400 acres during a calendar year;
- performing weeds or algae control with an annual treatment area of more than either 20 linear miles or 80 acres;
- performing animal control with an annual treatment area of more than either 20 linear miles or 80 acres;
- treating more than 6,400 acres of forest canopy pests during a calendar year; or
- treating a Tier 3 water to restore or maintain water quality or to protect public health or the environment that either does not degrade water quality or only degrades water quality on a short-term or temporary basis?
Are you a small entity as defined in Appendix A of the permit?
Are you a small entity as defined in Appendix A of the permit?
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
- Submit NOI at least 30 days prior to first discharge.
- For applications that are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 15 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Pesticide Discharge Management Plan, Part 5 (not required for applications made in response to Declared Pest Emergencies)
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.4, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.6
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
- Submit NOI at least 30 days prior to first discharge.
- For applications that are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 30 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.3, and 7.5
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
For applications that discharge to waters of the U.S. containing NMFS Listed Resources of Concern, and:
- are not for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI at least 30 days prior to first discharge.
- are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 15 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.3, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.7
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
For applications that discharge to waters of the U.S. containing NMFS Listed Resources of Concern, and:
- are not for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI at least 30 days prior to first discharge.
- are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 15 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.4, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.6
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
- Submit NOI at least 10 days prior to first discharge.
- For applications that are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 30 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Pesticide Discharge Management Plan, Part 5 (not required for applications made in response to Declared Pest Emergencies)
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.4, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.6
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
For applications that do not discharge to waters of the U.S. containing NMFS Listed Resources of Concern, and:
- are not for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI at least 10 days prior to first discharge.
- are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 30 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Pesticide Discharge Management Plan, Part 5 (not required for applications made in response to Declared Pest Emergencies)
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.4, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.6
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You are automatically covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.1 and 7.5
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
If you are self-applying a pesticide, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.1: Applicators' Responsibilities
You are automatically covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.1: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.1, 7.2, and 7.5
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
- Submit NOI at least 30 days prior to first discharge.
- For applications that are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 15 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.3, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.7
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
- Submit NOI at least 10 days prior to first discharge.
- For application that are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 30 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Pesticide Discharge Management Plan, Part 5 (not required for applications made in response to Declared Pest Emergencies)
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.4, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.6
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
- Submit NOI at least 10 days prior to first discharge.
- For applications that are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 30 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.3, and 7.5
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You must submit an NOI to be covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) under the following timelines (see Part 1.2.2 for more details):
- Submit NOI at least 10 days prior to first discharge.
- For applications that are for Declared Pest Emergencies, submit NOI within 30 days after first discharge.
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for Decision-makers Required to Submit NOIs
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4.2
- Pesticide Discharge Management Plan, Part 5 (not required for applications made in response to Declared Pest Emergencies)
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.0, 7.1, 7.4, and 7.5
- Annual Report, Part 7.6
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
For any applications where you self-apply the pesticides, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.0: Applicators' Responsibilities
- Monitoring for Applicators, Part 4.1
You are automatically covered under the PGP. Your requirements are listed below:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.2: Decision-makers' Responsibilities for all Decision-makers
- Water Quality, Part 3
- Monitoring, Part 4
- Corrective Action, Part 6
- Recordkeeping, Parts 7.1 and 7.5
- Permit Conditions Applicable to Specific States (including Territories) and Indian Country, Part 9
- Standard Permit Conditions, Appendix B
If you are self-applying a pesticide, your requirements also include:
- Technology-Based Effluent Limitations, Part 2.1: Applicators' Responsibilities