How to Fill Out Pennsylvania DEP Underground Storage Tank Registration + FAQs

The Pennsylvania DEP Storage Tanks Registration/Permitting Application Form (2630-PM-BECB0514) is the document every owner of a regulated underground storage tank must file with the Department of Environmental Protection to make their tank legal to use. You complete it once when you first install or take ownership of a tank, and you keep it current every year by paying a fee and filing amendments when things change.

Using an unregistered tank in Pennsylvania is against the law, and the stakes reach far beyond a fine. A single unregistered or unpaid tank can knock you out of the Storage Tank Trust Fund, the state’s safety net that pays for cleanup after a leak. With more than 70,000 regulated tanks tracked in Pennsylvania and registration required for every one since Nov. 5, 1989, the difference between a clean form and a sloppy one can mean the difference between a covered cleanup and a six-figure bill you pay yourself.

Here is what you will learn in this guide:

📋 How to fill out every section of Form 2630-PM-BECB0514, box by box, in plain language
💰 What the $50-per-tank fee covers, when it is due, and what happens if you skip it
🖥️ How to file online through Storage Tanks ePermitting or by mail, step by step
🛢️ How three real owners — a new gas station, a buyer, and an owner closing a tank — complete the form
⚠️ The field-level mistakes that get forms rejected and put your Trust Fund coverage at risk

What the Form Is and Who Must File It

The Storage Tanks Registration/Permitting Application Form (2630-PM-BECB0514, Rev. 10/2016) is both your registration and your operating permit application. It tells the DEP Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields that a regulated tank exists, who owns it, where it sits, and what it holds. The state’s authority comes from the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act of 1989 (35 P.S. § 6021) and its rules at 25 Pa. Code Chapter 245.

You must file if you own a regulated underground storage tank. A UST is regulated when it holds more than 110 gallons of a regulated substance and at least 10 percent of its volume sits below ground. Regulated substances include gasoline, diesel, kerosene, used oil, ethanol for blending, and biodiesel.

Some tanks are exempt and do not register. Examples include heating-oil tanks used on the property where they sit (code U3), farm or home motor-fuel tanks of 1,100 gallons or less used for non-commercial use (code U2), and tanks of 110 gallons or less (code U1). Even so, an exemption is something you confirm, not assume — guessing wrong means you ran an unregistered tank for years.

Each compartment in a split tank counts as its own tank, so a two-compartment tank is two registrations and two fees. The plain-English reason: DEP tracks risk per product chamber, not per steel shell. A common misconception is that one physical tank equals one fee — owners who think this underpay and get a balance-due notice that can delay their permit.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Filling this form out cold leads to a returned application, and a returned form means your tank still cannot legally hold product. Gather everything below before you open the form so you finish in one sitting. Each item maps to a box you must complete.

Your DEP Client ID# and Site ID# (if you have them). These link your tank to existing DEP records; leaving them off a known account creates duplicate files and slows processing.
Federal Employer ID Number (EIN). This is required for organizations; without it DEP cannot match your business and your form gets held.
Exact legal owner name or registered fictitious name. A mismatch with state business records can stall your operating permit.
The physical site address with ZIP+4. P.O. boxes are not accepted for the site location, so a box-only entry triggers a rejection.
Tank details for each tank: capacity in gallons, substance stored, installation date, and construction type. Missing capacity changes your fee and flags the form.
Class A and Class B operator names and training certificates. USTs cannot be approved without documented operators on Form 2630-PM-BECB0514a.
NAICS code for your business (for example, 447110 for a gas station). DEP uses it to classify your site; a blank code can delay review.
Previous owner’s signature or a deed of transfer for any change of ownership. Without one, DEP needs proof of ownership before it moves your file.
Facility ID# (county code plus five digits, like 12-12345) for any existing facility. Leaving it off an amendment can route your form to the wrong record.

Set aside 45 to 60 minutes for a single-tank new registration. A multi-tank station with operator paperwork can take longer, so block the time rather than rushing and risking a returned form.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

The official form lives on the DEP eLibrary and the Storage Tank Forms and Applications page, available in both Microsoft Word and PDF. Always download the newest version; DEP asks filers to use the most up-to-date package, and the form footer reads 2630-PM-BECB0514 Rev. 10/2016 so you can confirm you have the current edition.

You have two real ways to file. The fastest is the online Storage Tanks ePermitting portal, which lets you submit a New Facility Registration, a Change of Ownership, or a Registration Amendment without printing anything. The traditional path is to download the Word file, type your answers, print it, sign it, and mail it to DEP’s central office in Harrisburg.

If you only need to update owner, contact, operator, or simple tank information on a tank that is already registered, you can often use the shorter Storage Tank Registration Amendment Form (2630-FM-BECB0607) instead of the full application. A misconception worth clearing up: the Word version is not a “draft” version — DEP accepts the printed Word form just as it accepts the PDF, so use whichever you can complete cleanly.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form 2630-PM-BECB0514 Line by Line

Type or print every entry in ink except the signatures. Complete one form per facility, and always write the Storage Tank Facility ID No. at the top unless you are registering a brand-new facility. The sections below follow the order printed on the form.

Section I: Purpose of Submittal

What it asks in plain English: Why are you sending this form — to register for the first time, to change something, or to record a sale?

How to answer it: Check exactly one main purpose. Mark Initial only for a first-time registration at a new facility. Mark Amended to change anything about a facility that is already registered. Mark Change of Ownership when tanks are bought but stay at the same site.

Example entry: Maria Reyes is opening a new station with new tanks, so she checks Initial and leaves the amendment boxes blank.

Nuance or edge case: If tanks are sold and moved to a different site, this is not a Change of Ownership — it is a removal at one facility and a new registration at the other. Read the Relocating Tanks rules before you check anything.

Common mistake and its consequence: Checking both Initial and Amended confuses DEP about which record to open, and the form comes back unprocessed while your tank sits unusable.

Misconception: Many owners think Initial gets re-checked every year. It does not — once a Facility ID# is assigned, you never check Initial for that facility again.

Section II: Current or New Tank Owner/Client Information

What it asks in plain English: Who legally owns the tanks, and how does DEP reach that owner?

How to answer it: Enter your DEP Client ID# if you have one. Add the organization name or registered fictitious name, the EIN, the mailing address, and a high-level client contact such as an owner or operations manager with a daytime phone and email.

Example entry: Maria writes her business name Keystone Fuel Stop LLC, EIN 45-1234567, and lists herself as the client contact, Maria Reyes, Owner.

Nuance or edge case: A sole proprietor doing business under a trade name puts the trade name in “Organization Name” and her own name on the individual lines. The Social Security Number line is optional and is not shared publicly.

Common mistake and its consequence: Leaving the EIN blank stops DEP from matching your business, and the form is returned for missing required data.

Misconception: Some owners think the mailing address here also sets where invoices go — invoice routing is handled separately, so do not assume this one line covers billing.

Section III: Site Information

What it asks in plain English: Where exactly is the property, and who handles environmental matters there?

How to answer it: Enter the Site ID# if known, the full site name, the county and municipality (check city, borough, or township), and the physical site location with ZIP+4. Add the NAICS code and a site contact.

Example entry: Maria enters site name Keystone Fuel Stop, county Dauphin, checks city for Harrisburg, and provides NAICS 447110.

Nuance or edge case: No P.O. boxes are allowed for the site location or the written directions. If the site has no street number yet, give clear directions with landmarks and distances from the nearest highway.

Common mistake and its consequence: Entering a township name in the city line scrambles DEP’s location records and can misroute your file to the wrong region.

Misconception: Filers think the site address and the owner’s mailing address must match. They often differ — a company in Pittsburgh can own a tank site in Erie.

Section IV: Facility Information

What it asks in plain English: What kind of operation is this, and who runs the tanks day to day?

How to answer it: Enter the Storage Tank Facility ID# (leave blank for a new facility — DEP assigns it as a two-digit county code plus five digits, like 22-54321). Pick the Facility Kind code, give latitude/longitude if known, and complete the Facility Operator block or check the box if it matches the owner.

Example entry: Maria selects Facility Kind MFULS (Motor fuel for sale) because she runs a gas station, and checks the box showing the operator is the same as the owner.

Nuance or edge case: You also enter the Flammable & Combustible Liquid Permit Number here. Since 1998 the Department of Labor and Industry issues these permits, except in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties, which use their own offices.

Common mistake and its consequence: Choosing the wrong Facility Kind (for example RETCO instead of MFULS) misclassifies your site and can affect which rules DEP applies to your inspections.

Misconception: Owners assume they invent their own Facility ID#. They do not — DEP assigns it, and writing a made-up number causes a record mismatch.

Section V: Change of Ownership Information

What it asks in plain English: Did the tanks change hands while staying put at the same site?

How to answer it: Complete this only for a true change of ownership. The new owner fills in Owner, Facility, Contact, and Change of Ownership data; the previous owner signs Section V. If some (not all) tanks were bought, the previous tank numbers must be listed.

Example entry: When Daniel Okafor buys an existing station, the seller signs Section V, and Daniel records the purchased tanks so DEP can transfer the records.

Nuance or edge case: If all tanks transfer, the facility keeps its Facility ID#. If only some tanks transfer, DEP creates a new facility and a new ID# for the purchased tanks.

Common mistake and its consequence: Skipping the previous owner’s signature without attaching a deed of transfer leaves DEP unable to confirm the sale, and the transfer stalls.

Misconception: Buyers think a signed sales contract is enough. DEP wants either the seller’s Section V signature or a deed/proof of ownership, not just a purchase agreement.

Section VI: Storage Tank Description

What it asks in plain English: Describe each tank — its number, status, size, contents, and build.

How to answer it: Number underground tanks 001, 002, 003 in sequence. Enter the New Status code (for a tank going into use, that is C for Currently in Use), the capacity in gallons, the substance stored, and the construction details for each tank.

Example entry: Maria lists tank 001, status C, capacity 10,000 gallons, substance gasoline, and a second tank 002, status C, capacity 6,000 gallons, substance diesel.

Nuance or edge case: Do not list underground tanks that were removed or closed in place before Nov. 5, 1989. Once a tank number is retired, it is never reused for a different tank.

Common mistake and its consequence: Mislabeling capacity or substance changes your fee and your compliance category, and a wrong substance code can hide a tank that actually needs leak-detection rules.

Misconception: Owners think a two-compartment tank is “one tank, two products” on one line. Each compartment is its own numbered tank with its own line and its own fee.

Section VII–VIII: Installation and Closure/Removal Details

What it asks in plain English: When and how was a new tank installed, or when and how was a tank closed or removed?

How to answer it: For new tanks, record the installation date and the certified installer’s signature. For closures, record the actual closure or removal date and the certified remover’s signature.

Example entry: When Priya Nair closes a tank, her certified remover signs Section VIII and enters the removal date 04/15/2026.

Nuance or edge case: If you leave the closure date blank, DEP uses the date the certified remover signed, and fees are charged up to that date — so a missing date can cost you extra fee months.

Common mistake and its consequence: Forgetting the certified handler’s signature voids the technical record, and DEP cannot accept the installation or closure.

Misconception: Owners think they can sign for the install or removal themselves. Only a DEP-certified installer or remover can sign these technical blocks.

Section IX: Owner Certification and Signature

What it asks in plain English: Do you swear the information is true, and when did you complete the form?

How to answer it: The owner signs and dates the form. This signature certifies that everything you entered is accurate.

Example entry: Maria signs her name and writes the completion date 03/10/2026 in the date box.

Nuance or edge case: For organizations, an authorized representative signs. If a previous owner’s signature is unavailable in a sale, the new owner provides a deed of transfer instead.

Common mistake and its consequence: An unsigned form is automatically returned, which restarts your timeline and keeps your tank illegal to use.

Misconception: Filers think a typed name counts as a signature. The owner signature must be handwritten in ink on the printed form, or applied through the ePermitting portal’s e-signature.

Sections X–XII: Operator Documentation and Supplemental Information

What it asks in plain English: Who are your trained tank operators, and are there any extra spill-prevention details?

How to answer it: For USTs you must name and document Class A, B, and C operators. Submit the UST Operator Training Documentation Form (2630-PM-BECB0514a) with copies of the Class A and Class B training certificates. Section XII covers Spill Prevention (SSIP) details when they apply.

Example entry: Maria names herself as the Class A operator, her manager Luis Tran as Class B, and her clerks as Class C, attaching the A and B certificates.

Nuance or edge case: Operator documentation is required at a new facility, at a change of ownership, when adding a UST, and when switching a tank from temporary or exempt status back into use.

Common mistake and its consequence: Filing the registration without the operator form leaves your UST record incomplete, and DEP can withhold the operating permit until the documentation arrives.

Misconception: Owners think one person cannot hold two operator classes. One trained individual can serve as both Class A and Class B, as long as the certificates are on file.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Below are three of the most common situations owners face, each followed through the form from start to finish.

Scenario 1 — Maria Reyes registers three new tanks at a brand-new gas station.

Form Section	What Maria Enters
Section I — Purpose	Checks Initial (new facility)
Section II — Owner	Keystone Fuel Stop LLC, EIN 45-1234567
Section III — Site	Keystone Fuel Stop, Dauphin County, NAICS 447110
Section IV — Facility	Leaves Facility ID# blank; Facility Kind MFULS
Section VI — Tanks	001 gasoline 10,000 gal; 002 diesel 6,000 gal; 003 premium 4,000 gal, all status C
Section VII — Install	Installation date 02/20/2026, certified installer signs
Section IX — Signature	Signs and dates 03/10/2026
Operator Form 0514a	Names Class A, B, and C operators with certificates

Scenario 2 — Daniel Okafor buys an existing station with all tanks staying put.

Form Section	What Daniel Enters
Section I — Purpose	Checks Change of Ownership
Section II — Owner	Okafor Retail Inc., his EIN, mailing address
Section III — Site	Existing site name and Site ID# from the seller
Section IV — Facility	Enters the existing Facility ID# 22-54321
Section V — Change of Ownership	Seller signs Section V; Daniel records purchased tanks
Section VI — Tanks	Lists each existing tank with current status C
Section IX — Signature	Daniel signs and dates the form
Operator Form 0514a	Submits new operator documentation for the change

Scenario 3 — Priya Nair closes one underground tank and amends her registration.

Form Section	What Priya Enters
Section I — Purpose	Checks Amended
Section II — Owner	Confirms owner name and EIN
Section IV — Facility	Enters existing Facility ID#
Section VI — Tanks	Tank 002, previous status C, new status closed/removed
Section VIII — Closure	Removal date 04/15/2026, certified remover signs
Closure Notification	Files 30-day notice with regional office before work
Section IX — Signature	Priya signs and dates the form
Filing window	Submits amendment within 30 days of closure

How to File the Completed Form

Pennsylvania gives you two main channels, plus a shorter amendment route. Choose based on whether you are starting fresh, amending, or transferring ownership.

Online — Storage Tanks ePermitting. File through the ePermitting portal, which supports New Facility Registration, Change of Ownership, and Registration Amendment. There is no separate submission charge to file; DEP invoices the registration fee afterward. Online filing is the fastest and gives you an immediate electronic confirmation — save the confirmation page and the submission ID as your proof of filing.

By mail. Download the Word or PDF form from the DEP forms page, complete it, sign it in ink, and mail it to the DEP Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields in Harrisburg (the central-office address printed on the form’s instructions). Mail your closure-related forms and Closure Reports to the appropriate DEP regional office. Keep a full copy and use certified mail with a return receipt so you can prove the filing date.

By the amendment form. For simple updates to owner, contact, operator, or basic tank data on a registered tank, mail or e-file Form 2630-FM-BECB0607 instead of the full application. Whichever channel you use, DEP does not charge a filing fee at submission — it sends an invoice. The annual UST fee is $50 per tank, due each year, and your operating permit can be withheld until you pay it.

What Happens After You File

After DEP receives a complete form, it logs your tank into the eFACTS system and assigns or confirms your Client ID#, Site ID#, and Facility ID#. For a new facility, DEP mails an invoice for the initial registration fee, and after that it bills you every year for renewal.

Paying that invoice matters more than owners realize. DEP can register a tank yet withhold or deny the operating permit if you are not in compliance, including unpaid fees — and without an operating permit you may not store or dispense product. So registration and payment are two separate gates, and you need both.

Your registration also ties directly to your safety net. Staying current keeps you eligible for the Storage Tank Trust Fund, which can cover cleanup costs after a release. Pennsylvania courts have treated registration and fee payment as real eligibility conditions, so a lapse can leave you paying for a spill out of pocket.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

Each error below has its own consequence, and most lead to a returned form or a stalled permit.

Checking Initial on an existing facility — DEP cannot match your record and returns the form.
Leaving the EIN blank — the form is incomplete and comes back unprocessed.
Using a P.O. box for the site location — DEP rejects the address outright.
Underpaying by treating a multi-compartment tank as one tank — you get a balance-due notice and a delayed permit.
Forgetting the owner’s signature in Section IX — the application is automatically returned.
Skipping the certified installer or remover signature — the technical record is void and cannot be accepted.
Omitting the operator documentation form — DEP can withhold your UST operating permit.
Choosing the wrong Facility Kind code — your site is misclassified for inspections and rules.
Filing an amendment more than 30 days after a change — you fall out of compliance with Chapter 245.
Listing a wrong tank capacity or substance — your fee and compliance category come out wrong.
Reusing a retired tank number — DEP’s records conflict and processing stalls.
Forgetting the Facility ID# on an amendment — the update can attach to the wrong record.
Mailing a closure form to the central office instead of the regional office — it lands in the wrong queue and is delayed.
Assuming registration alone makes the tank legal — without the fee paid and permit issued, using the tank is still unlawful.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do download the current Rev. 10/2016 form so you are not filing an outdated version.
Do file an amendment within 30 days of any change in ownership, tank status, substance, or contact data.
Do keep a stamped, signed copy and your ePermitting confirmation as proof of filing.
Do count each tank compartment as a separate tank so your fee is correct.
Do attach Class A and B operator certificates with the operator form for every UST.
Do confirm any exemption in writing rather than assuming your tank is unregulated.
Don’t use a P.O. box for the site location, because DEP will not accept it.
Don’t sign the installer or remover blocks yourself; only certified handlers may sign them.
Don’t ignore the annual invoice, since unpaid fees can cost you your operating permit and Trust Fund eligibility.
Don’t check both Initial and Amended on the same form.
Don’t make up a Facility ID#; let DEP assign it.
Don’t leave the form partly blank, because incomplete forms are returned and your tank stays illegal to use.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help

Many owners file the form themselves, while others hire a tank consultant or use their certified installer’s office. Weigh the trade-offs before you decide.

Pro (self-filing): You save consultant fees, which matters for a small single-tank station.
Pro (self-filing): You learn your own records, so future amendments go faster.
Pro (self-filing): ePermitting walks you through fields, lowering the error rate.
Pro (with help): A consultant knows the status codes and exemptions, so fewer forms get returned.
Pro (with help): Pros coordinate the installer and operator paperwork so nothing is missing.
Pro (with help): Experts protect your Trust Fund eligibility by keeping fees and filings current.
Con (self-filing): One wrong code or missing signature can delay your permit for weeks.
Con (self-filing): It is easy to miss the operator documentation requirement for USTs.
Con (self-filing): You carry the full risk of a compliance gap.
Con (with help): Consultant fees add cost on top of the registration fee.
Con (with help): You depend on someone else’s timeline to meet the 30-day window.

Registration/Permitting Form vs. Registration Amendment Form

Feature	What It Means
Form 2630-PM-BECB0514	Full registration and operating permit application for new facilities, change of ownership, and adding or closing tanks
Form 2630-FM-BECB0607	Shorter amendment for updating owner, contact, operator, or simple tank data on a tank already registered
When to use 0514	New facility, change of ownership, adding a tank, or closing/removing a tank
When to use 0607	Quick edits to existing registered information within 30 days of the change
Operator form needed	0514a required for USTs at new facility, ownership change, new tank, or return to use

FAQs

Do I have to register a heating-oil tank used at my own home?

No. Tanks that store heating oil used on the premises where they sit are exempt (code U3 for USTs), so a home heating-oil tank does not register.

Do I check the Initial box every year?

No. You check Initial only the first time you register a new facility; after DEP assigns a Facility ID#, you never check Initial for that facility again.

Do split-compartment tanks count as one tank in Section VI?

No. Each compartment registers as a separate numbered tank and pays its own $50 annual fee, so a two-compartment tank is two registrations.

Do I write a township name in the Section III city line?

No. Enter a city, borough, or town in that line and check the right box; a township entry scrambles DEP’s location records.

Do I sign the installer block in Section VII myself?

No. Only a DEP-certified installer may sign the installation block, just as only a certified remover may sign the closure block.

Do I owe a fee at the moment I submit the form?

No. DEP invoices you after it processes the form; the $50-per-UST annual fee is billed, not collected at submission.

Do I have to register a tank even if it is temporarily out of use?

Yes. A tank keeps a valid registration while out of service until it is properly closed or removed, and you file an amendment to record the status change.

Do volunteer fire companies pay the registration fee for USTs?

No. Since July 1, 1993, volunteer fire and EMS organizations are exempt from UST registration fees, though they must still register the tanks.

Do I need operator documentation for a new underground tank?

Yes. USTs require Class A, B, and C operators, and you submit Form 2630-PM-BECB0514a with the Class A and B training certificates.

Do I have a deadline to file after a change of ownership?

Yes. You must submit an amended registration within 30 days of the change in ownership, tank installation, or closure.

Do I lose Trust Fund coverage if I skip the annual fee?

Yes. Unpaid fees can put your operating permit and Storage Tank Trust Fund eligibility at risk, leaving you to pay cleanup costs yourself.

Do I use a P.O. box for the site location address?

No. P.O. boxes are not accepted for site location or written directions; you must give a physical address with ZIP+4.

Do I file a closure form with DEP’s central office?

No. Closure Reports and closure-related forms go to the appropriate DEP regional office, while initial registrations go to the central office.

Do I make up my own Facility ID number?

No. DEP assigns the Facility ID# as a two-digit county code plus five digits after it receives your initial form, so you leave it blank for a new facility.

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