How to Fill Out Texas TCEQ Underground Storage Tank Notification + FAQs

The Texas TCEQ Underground Storage Tank Notification (Form TCEQ-00724) is the registration document every owner or operator of a regulated underground storage tank (UST) in Texas must file with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality before a tank is installed, brought into service, sold, taken out of service, or permanently closed. The form tells the agency who owns the tank, who operates it, what is stored inside it, how it is built, and how the owner will pay to clean up a release if one happens.

Texas regulates roughly 24,000 active UST facilities under 30 TAC Chapter 334, and the agency tags hundreds of facilities each year with a red delivery prohibition sticker that legally blocks fuel deliveries until the registration is fixed. A late or wrong notification can trigger administrative penalties under Texas Water Code §7.052 of up to $25,000 per day per violation, plus loss of eligibility for the state’s Petroleum Storage Tank reimbursement program.

Here is what this guide gives you:

📋 A field-by-field walkthrough of every box on Form TCEQ-00724 in plain English
🛢️ Three real filer scenarios covering new installs, change of ownership, and permanent removal
⚖️ The exact statutes, rules, and federal overlays that govern each entry
💵 Current fees, deadlines, financial assurance choices, and penalty exposure
✅ A pre-filing checklist, top mistakes, do’s and don’ts, and 14 FAQs

What the Form Is and Who Must File It

Form TCEQ-00724, titled Underground and Aboveground Storage Tank Registration and Self-Certification Form, is the master notification document used by the TCEQ Petroleum Storage Tank program to track every regulated tank in the state. The form does double duty: it is both an initial notification under 40 CFR §280.22 and an ongoing registration required by 30 TAC §334.7. The same form is reused every time a tank changes status, so a single facility may file Form 00724 many times over its life.

You must file Form 00724 if you own or operate any UST that holds more than 110 gallons of a regulated substance, including motor fuel, used oil, hazardous substances listed under CERCLA §101(14), and certain heating oil systems that supply more than one building. Federal law in 40 CFR Part 280 sets the floor; Texas adds stricter rules under Texas Water Code Chapter 26, Subchapter I, including a state-only notification requirement for aboveground tanks at bulk plants.

The list of filers is broad and includes:

New tank owners installing a UST system at a new or existing facility
Buyers of a property with existing tanks (change of ownership filing within 30 days)
Operators bringing a tank back into service after temporary closure
Owners removing a tank, abandoning it in place, or changing the substance stored
Federal, state, county, municipal, tribal, and private facility owners alike

Tanks excluded from the program (and therefore from Form 00724) include farm and residential tanks of 1,100 gallons or less holding motor fuel for non-commercial use, septic tanks, stormwater systems, flow-through process tanks, and emergency generator tanks at nuclear power plants. Even excluded tanks sometimes need a one-time letter to TCEQ confirming the exclusion, so do not assume silence is safe.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Gather every document below before opening the PDF or the STEERS ePermits portal, because the form will time out, and missing data is the single biggest cause of rejected filings under 30 TAC §334.7(d).

Customer Number (CN) and Regulated Entity Number (RN). These come from the TCEQ Central Registry and identify your business and your physical site. Without them, the form cannot be processed.
Core Data Form (TCEQ-10400). Filed alongside Form 00724 for any new CN or RN.
Facility ID number. Assigned by TCEQ once the facility is registered; required on every line of every future filing.
Tank installation records. Manufacturer, install date, capacity in gallons, material of construction, and corrosion protection method.
Piping records. Type (pressurized, suction, gravity), material, and leak detection method.
Financial assurance documentation. Proof of one of the eight allowed mechanisms under 30 TAC §334.171–§334.190, such as the state Petroleum Storage Tank Fund eligibility letter.
Deed or sales contract. Required for change-of-ownership filings to prove the transfer date.
Site diagram. A simple sketch showing tank locations, dispenser islands, and property lines.
Installation contractor and on-site supervisor licenses. Both must hold current TCEQ licenses under 30 TAC Chapter 334, Subchapter I.
Delivery Certificate number (if renewing). Without it, no fuel supplier can legally deliver under 30 TAC §334.8.

If any item is missing, the form is held in administratively incomplete status, the 30-day clock keeps ticking, and your facility risks a red tag. Aisha, a first-time station buyer in Lubbock, learned this the hard way when her CN number was wrong by one digit and her tanks sat dry for nine days.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

The current version of Form TCEQ-00724 is the August 2023 revision, and you should always confirm the revision date in the lower-left footer before filing. Download the fillable PDF directly from the TCEQ storage tank forms page, which also hosts the instructions booklet TCEQ-00724-instructions. Older revisions are routinely rejected because the field numbering changed in 2023.

You can also file electronically through the STEERS ePermits ST Registration module, which auto-populates your CN and RN from the Central Registry and validates required fields before submission. STEERS requires a free account, an ER (Electronic Reporting) agreement signed by an authorized representative, and two-factor authentication. Most multi-site operators prefer STEERS because it stores prior filings and allows bulk updates.

For paper filers, the form is mailed to:

Registration Team, MC-130 Texas Commission on Environmental Quality P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087

Walk-in delivery goes to TCEQ headquarters at 12100 Park 35 Circle, Building F, Austin, TX 78753. Fax filings are accepted at (512) 239-2007, but the agency strongly discourages fax because attachments often arrive illegible. The TCEQ Small Business and Local Government Assistance hotline at 1-800-447-2827 can answer access questions for free.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form TCEQ-00724 Line by Line

The form has six numbered sections plus a signature page. Work top to bottom, and never skip a box even if it looks repetitive, because the agency’s scanner reads each box independently.

Section I, Box 1: Reason for Submission

This box asks why you are filing today. You check one of nine boxes: New Facility, Existing Facility Update, Change of Ownership, Change of Operator, Tank Installation, Change-in-Service, Temporary Removal from Service, Permanent Removal from Service, or Other. Pick the single most specific reason; if two apply, file two separate forms.

For example, Marcus Tran is buying a Shell station in Tyler, so he checks Change of Ownership and writes 03/15/2026 as the effective date. The most common edge case is a buyer who also installs a new tank on day one; the rule under 30 TAC §334.7(c)(2) is to file the change of ownership first, get the new Facility ID confirmed, then file a second 00724 for the new tank.

The most common mistake here is checking Existing Facility Update during a sale, which leaves the old owner legally on the hook for the tanks. The misconception is that one checkbox covers “everything that changed today,” but the form treats each event as a discrete legal act with its own 30-day deadline.

Section I, Box 2: TCEQ Facility ID Number

This box asks for the seven-digit Facility ID assigned to the physical site by TCEQ. Enter it left-justified with no dashes (e.g., 0071234); a brand-new site writes PENDING until TCEQ assigns the number. The Facility ID is different from the RN, even though both identify the location.

If you are filing a change-of-ownership and the prior owner gave you the wrong ID, look it up on the TCEQ Central Registry public search. The common mistake is using the RN here; that error throws the file into manual review and adds two to four weeks. The misconception is that the Facility ID follows the owner — it does not. It stays with the dirt.

Section I, Box 3: Owner Information

Enter the legal name of the owner exactly as it appears on the Secretary of State filing or the deed. For a corporation, write Lone Star Fuels, LLC; for an individual, write Maria Lopez with no nicknames. Include the mailing address, phone, email, and federal EIN.

A common nuance arises with land trusts and multi-member LLCs: TCEQ wants the entity name, not the trustee’s name, and a wrong entry can void financial assurance coverage under 30 TAC §334.171. The frequent mistake is using a DBA in this box, which makes the registration unenforceable against the real legal entity. The misconception is that the operator and owner can be merged in one box; they cannot, and Box 4 exists for a reason.

Section I, Box 4: Operator Information

The operator is the person in day-to-day control of the tank, who may or may not be the owner. Enter their legal name, mailing address, phone, and email; if the owner self-operates, write SAME AS OWNER. Do not leave it blank.

For example, Janet Reyes owns the land but leases the station to a franchisee named South Plains Petroleum, Inc.; she writes the franchisee’s full name in Box 4. Under federal law at 40 CFR §280.12, both the owner and operator carry joint liability, so an empty Box 4 means TCEQ presumes the owner is the operator and assigns full responsibility there. The misconception is that “operator” means the cashier; it means the entity legally responsible for compliance.

Section II, Box 5: Facility Location

Provide the physical street address, city, county, and ZIP code of the tanks themselves. Do not use a P.O. Box. Include latitude and longitude in decimal degrees to four places (e.g., 32.7767, -96.7970) — TCEQ uses these for inspection routing.

The nuance here is rural facilities without a 911 address, which must use the nearest highway intersection plus GPS coordinates from a phone app. The mistake of using the corporate office address gets the form rejected on first review, because TCEQ cross-checks against the appraisal district. The misconception is that lat/long is optional; it has been mandatory since the 2018 rule revision.

Section II, Box 6: Type of Owner

Check one box: Current or Former Federal Government, State Government, Local Government, Commercial, or Other. Most private station owners check Commercial. Government owners gain access to different financial assurance options under 30 TAC §334.180, so the wrong checkbox here can disqualify your coverage.

The common mistake is a school district checking Commercial because the bus barn looks like a fueling station; it should check Local Government. The misconception is that “commercial” means “for profit” — TCEQ defines it as “not a government entity,” so private nonprofits also check Commercial.

Section III, Box 7: Tank Identification and Status

For each tank, list the Tank ID (a number you assign, usually 1, 2, 3 in install order), installation date, capacity in gallons, and current status. Status options are Currently in Use, Temporarily Out of Service, Permanently Out of Service, or Removed. Use one row per tank, never per compartment.

For example, Carlos Mendez runs a Buc-ee’s-style site with three tanks; he enters Tank 1, 04/12/2019, 20,000 gallons, Currently in Use on the first row. The nuance for split-compartment tanks is that the form treats one physical shell as one tank, but each compartment gets its own row in Box 8 for substance stored. The mistake of merging compartments understates volume and triggers a financial assurance shortfall. The misconception is that “Permanently Out of Service” is a temporary holding status; once you check it, you have 60 days under 30 TAC §334.55 to actually remove or close it.

Section III, Box 8: Substance Stored

For each tank or compartment, write the regulated substance: Gasoline, Diesel, Used Oil, Aviation Fuel, Kerosene, Hazardous Substance (CERCLA), or Other. Add the trade name if it is a blended product (e.g., E10 Gasoline or B20 Biodiesel).

The nuance is that ethanol blends above E15 require additional compatibility certification under 40 CFR §280.32, and the form has a separate compatibility checkbox you must initial. The mistake of writing Fuel instead of the specific product is grounds for rejection. The misconception is that switching from gasoline to diesel is just a Box 8 update; it is a Change-in-Service, which means a new Section I, Box 1 filing.

Section IV, Box 9: Tank Construction

Check the material of construction for each tank: Bare Steel, Steel with Coating and Cathodic Protection, Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic, Steel Clad with FRP, Concrete, or Other. Add the secondary containment status (Single Wall or Double Wall).

After the 2018 federal rule revision, all newly installed tanks in Texas must be double-walled with interstitial monitoring. The mistake of marking a 1995 single-walled steel tank as “compliant” without checking corrosion protection skips a required inspection. The misconception is that fiberglass tanks need no corrosion protection ever — the piping attached to them still does.

Section IV, Box 10: Piping Information

Identify each pipe run by type (Pressurized, U.S. Suction, European Suction, Gravity) and material (Flexible Plastic, Fiberglass, Steel with Cathodic Protection, Bare Steel). Add the leak detection method (Automatic Line Leak Detector, Annual Line Tightness Test, Interstitial Monitoring).

The nuance is that European suction piping is exempt from line leak detection only if it meets all five conditions in 40 CFR §280.41(b)(1)(ii); miss one and you owe full ALLD coverage. The mistake of leaving the leak detection box blank is the single most-cited violation in Texas inspections. The misconception is that ALLDs need testing only when they fail; they need annual functionality testing under 30 TAC §334.50(b)(2)(A)(i)(III).

Section V, Box 11: Release Detection Method

For each tank, check the primary release detection method: Automatic Tank Gauging, Statistical Inventory Reconciliation, Interstitial Monitoring, Groundwater Monitoring, Vapor Monitoring, or Manual Tank Gauging (small tanks only). Note the equipment manufacturer and model.

The nuance is that manual tank gauging alone is allowed only for tanks 1,000 gallons or less, and only as a standalone method up to 550 gallons. The mistake of checking ATG without listing the model leaves the file incomplete and can void Petroleum Storage Tank Fund eligibility. The misconception is that release detection on the tank covers piping; piping needs its own method, declared in Box 10.

Section VI, Box 12: Financial Assurance Mechanism

Check one of eight allowed mechanisms: Petroleum Storage Tank Reimbursement Account, Insurance, Self-Insurance, Surety Bond, Letter of Credit, Trust Fund, State Fund or Guarantee, or Local Government Mechanism. Attach proof; the form is incomplete without it.

For example, Lone Star Fuels, LLC checks Insurance and attaches a current declarations page from a TCEQ-approved carrier. The nuance is the $10,000 per-occurrence deductible cap that PST Fund eligibility imposes; exceed it and the Fund will not pay. The mistake of leaving Box 12 blank is automatic grounds for a delivery prohibition tag. The misconception is that PST Fund coverage is automatic for Texas owners; it requires an annual fee and a clean compliance record.

Signature Page: Owner and Operator Certifications

Both the owner (or authorized representative) and the operator must sign and date the form, certifying under penalty of perjury that the information is true. Print the signer’s name, title, and date in MM/DD/YYYY format. Electronic signatures through STEERS are legally equivalent under Texas Business and Commerce Code §322.

The nuance is that an authorized representative needs a delegation letter on file, or the agency rejects the signature. The mistake of signing as “Manager” without a title that ties to the legal entity (e.g., Member-Manager of an LLC) creates an enforcement gap. The misconception is that a notary is required; Texas does not require notarization for Form 00724.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Scenario 1: Maria Lopez Installs Two New Gasoline USTs in Waco

Maria is opening Lopez Family Fuel & Grocery and installing two 12,000-gallon double-walled FRP tanks for E10 gasoline.

Form Section	What Maria Enters
Box 1: Reason	New Facility and Tank Installation, dated 06/01/2026
Box 2: Facility ID	PENDING (new site)
Box 3: Owner	Lopez Family Fuel LLC, EIN 87-1234567
Box 4: Operator	SAME AS OWNER
Box 5: Location	2200 Franklin Ave, Waco, TX 76701, lat 31.5493, long -97.1467
Box 7: Tanks	Tank 1, 06/01/2026, 12,000 gal, Currently in Use; Tank 2 same
Box 8: Substance	E10 Gasoline, both tanks
Box 9: Construction	Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic, Double Wall
Box 12: Financial Assurance	PST Reimbursement Account + Commercial Insurance attached

Scenario 2: Marcus Tran Buys an Existing Station in Tyler

Marcus is closing on a three-tank station previously owned by East Texas Petroleum, Inc. and must file within 30 days under 30 TAC §334.7(c)(2).

Form Section	What Marcus Enters
Box 1: Reason	Change of Ownership, effective 03/15/2026
Box 2: Facility ID	0068421 (carried from prior owner)
Box 3: Owner	Tran Holdings LLC, new CN being assigned
Box 4: Operator	Tran Retail Group LLC (his operating sister entity)
Box 5: Location	4501 S Broadway Ave, Tyler, TX 75703
Box 7: Tanks	Tank 1 2008, Tank 2 2008, Tank 3 2015, all Currently in Use
Box 8: Substance	Regular Gasoline, Premium Gasoline, Diesel
Box 12: Financial Assurance	Insurance, new declarations page attached
Signature	Marcus signs as Member-Manager, dated 03/20/2026

Scenario 3: Janet Reyes Permanently Closes a 1987 Single-Walled Tank

Janet is removing an old 6,000-gallon single-walled steel diesel tank at her family’s farm-and-fleet supply store in Lubbock.

Form Section	What Janet Enters
Box 1: Reason	Permanent Removal from Service, dated 07/10/2026
Box 2: Facility ID	0042199
Box 3: Owner	Reyes Family Supply, Inc.
Box 4: Operator	SAME AS OWNER
Box 5: Location	812 E 50th St, Lubbock, TX 79404
Box 7: Tanks	Tank 2, install 05/15/1987, 6,000 gal, Permanently Out of Service
Box 8: Substance	Diesel (last contents)
Box 9: Construction	Bare Steel, Single Wall
Closure Attachment	Site assessment report under 30 TAC §334.55(d)

How to File the Completed Form

You have four channels to file Form 00724, and each carries its own fee, payment method, and processing time.

Online via STEERS ePermits. No filing fee for the notification itself; the annual UST facility fee of $25 per tank is billed separately. Pay by ACH or credit card. Processing time is 5–10 business days. Save the STEERS confirmation PDF as your proof of filing.
By mail to MC-130, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087. No mailing fee, but include any annual fee check payable to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Processing time is 3–6 weeks. Send certified mail with return receipt as your proof.
In person at 12100 Park 35 Circle, Austin, TX 78753. Same fees; you receive a date-stamped copy at the counter. Processing time runs 2–4 weeks because the file still routes through the registration team.
By fax to (512) 239-2007. No fee, but TCEQ recommends mail or STEERS instead because faxed attachments often arrive unreadable. Processing time is 4–6 weeks. Keep the fax confirmation sheet.

For all channels, the legal filing date is the date TCEQ receives a complete form — not the postmark — so build in mail time before any 30-day deadline expires.

What Happens After You File

TCEQ first runs an administrative completeness review under 30 TAC §334.7(d), checking for missing signatures, blank boxes, and absent attachments. If anything is missing, you receive a Notice of Deficiency by mail or STEERS message, and you have 30 days to cure.

Once complete, the agency assigns or updates your Facility ID, issues an updated Delivery Certificate good for 12 months, and adds the facility to the public Central Registry. Fuel suppliers verify the Delivery Certificate before each drop, so a missing or expired certificate stops deliveries cold.

A regional inspector may visit within 12 months of a new install, change of ownership, or change in service. Inspectors check the tank pad, dispenser sumps, ATG console, and financial assurance documents on site. Findings are posted to the TCEQ Public Records database.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

Using a P.O. Box in Box 5; the form is rejected because TCEQ cannot inspect a mailbox.
Confusing the RN with the Facility ID; the file routes to manual review and adds weeks.
Leaving Box 4 blank when owner equals operator; the agency presumes no operator on record.
Using a DBA in Box 3 instead of the legal entity name; financial assurance becomes unenforceable.
Skipping latitude and longitude; the form has been considered incomplete since 2018.
Forgetting the Core Data Form 10400 for new CNs or RNs; nothing else can process until it is filed.
Checking Commercial when you are a school district or city; you lose access to government-only financial assurance.
Filing on the old pre-2023 form; the field numbering changed and the form is rejected outright.
Listing one row for a split-compartment tank without separating substances; financial assurance is undercalculated.
Forgetting to sign as both owner and operator when they are different entities; the form fails completeness review.
Marking Permanently Out of Service without filing the closure assessment under §334.55(d); the agency issues a violation.
Failing to update within 30 days of a change of ownership; daily penalties under §7.052 begin to accrue.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s:

Do download the latest 08/2023 revision of Form TCEQ-00724 every time you file, because TCEQ updates fields without warning.
Do file electronically through STEERS when possible, because validation catches errors before submission.
Do attach the Core Data Form 10400 for any new CN or RN, because the registration cannot process without it.
Do include legible copies of financial assurance documents, because illegible attachments are treated as missing.
Do keep your dated proof of filing for at least three years, because that is the records retention period under 30 TAC §334.10.
Do confirm your Delivery Certificate is current before scheduling fuel drops, because suppliers will refuse expired sites.

Don’ts:

Don’t use white-out or strike-throughs on a paper form, because TCEQ’s scanner flags any alteration as a void entry.
Don’t sign on behalf of an entity you are not authorized to represent, because the signature is a sworn statement under penalty of perjury.
Don’t list the cashier or station manager as the operator, because the operator is the legally responsible entity, not an employee.
Don’t ignore a Notice of Deficiency, because failure to cure within 30 days converts it into an enforcement action.
Don’t assume the previous owner’s filing covers you after a sale, because the registration is tied to the legal owner, not the dirt.
Don’t mix two reasons-for-submission on one form, because each event needs its own filing.

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

Pros of filing pro se:

Saves $500 to $2,500 in consultant fees per filing.
Builds in-house compliance knowledge that pays off across multiple filings.
Lets you file the same day you make the change, without waiting on a third party.
Gives you direct access to the TCEQ Small Business hotline for free guidance.
Keeps your STEERS account under your control with no shared logins.

Cons of filing pro se:

High error rate on first-time filers, with TCEQ reporting roughly 30% deficiency notices on owner-prepared forms.
Easy to miss a 30-day deadline because the rules cross several subchapters.
Financial assurance attachments are technical and often rejected for wrong format.
A red tag costs an average of $4,000 per day in lost fuel sales, far more than a consultant fee.
Pro se filers often miss the Core Data Form 10400 entirely, forcing a refiling.

Filing by Mail vs. Online: Quick Reference

Filing Channel	Best For
STEERS ePermits	Multi-site operators, repeat filers, anyone facing a 30-day deadline
U.S. Mail to MC-130	Filers attaching original wet-ink signatures or large site diagrams
In-Person Walk-In	Last-minute filings where a date stamp matters
Fax to (512) 239-2007	Backup only when STEERS is offline and mail will not arrive in time

FAQs

Do I file Form 00724 if my tank holds heating oil for my own house?

No. Residential heating oil tanks used for on-premises consumption are excluded under 40 CFR §280.12 and are not regulated by TCEQ.

Is the Facility ID the same as the RN?

No. The RN identifies the regulated entity in the Central Registry; the Facility ID is a separate seven-digit number assigned by the storage tank program for that specific site.

Do I write my legal name or my DBA in Box 3?

No — never the DBA. Always use the legal entity name shown on the Secretary of State filing or on the deed for individual owners.

Do I need to file a new form when I switch from gasoline to diesel?

Yes. Switching products is a Change-in-Service under 30 TAC §334.7, and you must file Form 00724 at least 30 days before the switch.

Is Box 12 (financial assurance) required for closed tanks?

Yes. Financial assurance must remain in place until the closure assessment is complete and TCEQ closes the file under §334.55.

Do I need to notarize Form 00724?

No. Texas does not require notarization; signature under penalty of perjury is sufficient.

Is the annual UST fee paid through the form?

No. The notification has no filing fee; the annual per-tank fee is billed separately by TCEQ each fiscal year.

Do federal facilities use the same form?

Yes. Federal facilities in Texas file Form 00724 and check Federal Government in Box 6.

Is the form valid if I sign electronically through STEERS?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally equivalent under Texas Business and Commerce Code §322, provided the STEERS account is properly authorized.

Do I need a separate form for each tank?

No. One Form 00724 covers all tanks at one facility, but each tank gets its own row in Box 7.

Is a P.O. Box acceptable in Box 5 (Facility Location)?

No. Box 5 must show the physical street address; P.O. Boxes are accepted only in the owner and operator mailing-address boxes.

Do I file Form 00724 to report a release?

No. Releases are reported separately on Form TCEQ-00725 within 24 hours of discovery; Form 00724 only updates registration status.

Is the 30-day change-of-ownership clock based on closing or recording?

No to recording. The clock starts on the date of legal transfer (closing or deed delivery), not on the date the deed is recorded with the county.

Do I need to file again if my financial assurance carrier changes?

Yes. A change in the financial assurance mechanism or carrier requires an updated Form 00724 with new attachments within 30 days under §334.7(c)(3).

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