How to Fill Out the Georgia EPD Erosion and Sedimentation Control Notice of Intent (NOI) + FAQs

The Georgia EPD Notice of Intent (NOI) is the form that any owner or operator must file to get coverage under the state’s NPDES General Permit before disturbing one acre or more of land for construction in Georgia. It tells the Georgia Environmental Protection Division where your site is, who is responsible, how much ground you will disturb, and which stream will receive your stormwater.

Filing this form wrong, or filing it late, can stall a whole project. State law lets EPD and certified local governments issue stop-work orders and stack daily civil penalties under the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act, so a single bad box can cost a builder weeks and thousands of dollars. Roughly 14 days of lead time is built into the rules, since a new NOI is due 14 days before construction starts, a window many first-time filers miss.

This guide walks you through the current form tied to the permit cycle that took effect August 1, 2023, using the three coverage types: GAR100001, GAR100002, and GAR100003.

• 📋 How to pick the right permit type (Stand Alone, Infrastructure, or Common Development) so EPD does not reject your filing.
• 🗂️ Exactly what documents and numbers to gather before you open the GEOS online portal.
• ✍️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every section, box, and signature on the NOI.
• 💵 The current $80-per-acre fee math, the 14-day deadline, and how to pay so coverage is not delayed.
• ⚠️ The field-level mistakes that trigger holds, returns, and stop-work orders, and how to dodge each one.

What the Form Is and Who Must File It

The NOI is your formal request for permission to discharge stormwater from a construction site into Georgia’s waters. It is not the permit itself. The permit is the general NPDES permit GAR100001 (and its sister permits GAR100002 and GAR100003) that EPD already wrote. The NOI is how you “opt in” to that permit and tell the state you will follow its rules.

The legal engine behind this form is the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act of 1975, found at O.C.G.A. § 12-7-1 and the sections that follow. That statute requires a permit before any land-disturbing activity, and the federal Clean Water Act adds the NPDES layer that makes stormwater a regulated discharge. EPD runs the state program, while many counties and cities act as a Local Issuing Authority (LIA) that reviews your plan and issues the local Land Disturbing Activity permit.

You must file an NOI if you are the owner or operator of a site that will disturb one acre or more, or a smaller site that is part of a larger common plan of development that together crosses one acre. Single-family homes under one acre that stand alone are usually exempt from the state NOI, though local ordinances may still apply. The “primary permittee” is the party in operational control, and that is the person whose name and signature anchor the form.

Three named filers show how this plays out. Marcus is a commercial developer grading 6 acres for a shopping center, so he files a GAR100001 Stand Alone NOI. Aisha is a homebuilder taking one lot inside a 40-acre subdivision, so she files as a secondary permittee under the subdivision’s GAR100003 Common Development coverage. Carlos runs a road-widening crew for a utility corridor, so his project fits GAR100002 Infrastructure.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Filing goes fast once your facts are gathered, but the form will not let you guess. EPD states that any NOI with illegible or missing information will be returned and the site will not be granted coverage, so a blank box is the same as no filing. Gather these items before you log in.

• The exact site address and GPS location of the construction exit. The form asks for the GPS point of your exit, and EPD uses it to map your site; a missing point can stall the review.
• Owner’s legal name and mailing address. This must match who actually owns the land, because EPD cross-checks the certification signer against ownership.
• Operator’s legal name, address, and phone. The operator runs daily work, and leaving this blank voids the certification.
• Facility contact name and phone. This is the on-site person EPD calls about problems; without it, inspectors have no point of contact.
• Start date and completion date. These set your coverage window and feed the 14-day deadline math.
• Estimated disturbed acreage to the nearest 1/10 acre. This drives your fee and your permit choice; a low estimate that you later exceed is a violation.
• Name of the receiving water and its class (trout or warm water). EPD ties your monitoring rules to this water, and a wrong stream name can void your plan certification.
• Your Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control (ES&PC) Plan. This plan is required and must be attached when the project is over 50 acres or sits where there is no local issuing authority.
• A GEOS account with Responsible Official status. The GEOS portal requires a verified account and PIN before you can certify and submit.
• Payment method for the fee. Coverage will not finish processing until the fee clears.

Missing any one of these forces a return or a hold. The single most common gap is the receiving-water name, because filers assume the nearest ditch counts when EPD wants the named stream the system drains into.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

The current and preferred path is the Georgia EPD Online System (GEOS), the state’s electronic portal for construction stormwater filings. You create an account, become a verified Responsible Official by mailing an Electronic Subscriber Agreement (ESA), and then complete the NOI on screen. EPD confirms that NOIs can be submitted electronically through GEOS and that you receive a confirmation email when the submittal is complete.

A paper version of the NOI Primary Permittee form still exists and shows every field you will see online. EPD instructs paper filers to submit only the first two pages plus attachments, and to mail everything to the District Office that covers their county. The form must be typed, since EPD will not accept a handwritten or illegible NOI.

If you file on paper, you mail to the matching EPD District Office, such as the West Central District Office at 2640 Shurling Drive, Macon, GA 31211 for Bibb and Houston counties, or the Northeast District Office at 745 Gaines School Road, Athens, GA 30605 for Clarke and Hall counties. New filers should not assume they can skip GEOS, since EPD has moved nearly all construction stormwater intake online and the District Offices mainly handle questions and in-person help now.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Georgia EPD NOI Line by Line

The NOI is short but exact. Work top to bottom, fill every box, and mark anything that does not apply as N/A. EPD treats a missing entry the same as a false one.

Coverage Desired: GAR100001, GAR100002, or GAR100003

What it asks in plain English. The very top of the form asks which one of three permit types you want, and you check only one box.

How to answer it. Pick GAR100001 for a stand-alone site, GAR100002 for infrastructure such as roads or pipelines, or GAR100003 for a common development like a subdivision. Check a single box and leave the others blank.

Example entry. Marcus checks GAR100001 – Stand Alone because his shopping center is one self-contained 6-acre site.

Nuance or edge case. A subdivision developer who is building lots for resale checks GAR100003 – Common Development, while the individual lot builders inside it later file as secondary permittees under that same coverage.

Common mistake and its consequence. Checking more than one box, or the wrong type, makes the filing invalid, and EPD returns it so you lose your place in the queue and may blow the 14-day deadline.

A misconception to drop. Many filers think the three numbers are interchangeable, but each carries different monitoring and plan rules, so the wrong choice can force a second filing.

Section I: Site / Owner / Operator Information

What it asks in plain English. This block asks where the site is and who owns and runs it, including the site name, exit GPS point, street address, city, county, subdivision, owner, operator, and facility contact.

How to answer it. Type the project’s physical location and the GPS coordinates of the construction exit, then enter the owner’s full legal name and address, the operator’s name, address, and phone, and the facility contact’s name and phone. If a site has no street address, describe the location well enough for district staff to find it.

Example entry. Marcus writes Northgate Commons, lists the exit GPS, enters Northgate Holdings LLC as owner, Apex Site Contractors as operator, and names Marcus Webb, (478) 555-0142 as the facility contact.

Nuance or edge case. When the owner and operator are the same company, you still complete both lines rather than writing “same,” because EPD reads each line separately.

Common mistake and its consequence. Leaving the facility contact blank is a frequent error, and it strips inspectors of a phone number to call, which can trigger a return or a compliance flag.

A misconception to drop. Filers believe a P.O. box is fine for the site address, but the site needs a physical or GPS location, since EPD has to map the land that is actually being disturbed.

Section II: Site Activity Information

What it asks in plain English. This section asks when work starts and ends, how many acres you will disturb, what kind of construction it is, and how many secondary permittees join you.

How to answer it. Enter the start and completion dates, the estimated disturbed acreage to the nearest 1/10 acre, and check the construction type from Commercial, Industrial, Municipal, Linear, Utility, or Residential/Subdivision Development. Then enter the number of secondary permittees.

Example entry. Carlos writes a start date of 09/01/2026, a completion date of 06/30/2027, 4.3 acres, checks Linear, and lists 0 secondary permittees.

Nuance or edge case. The acreage must include disturbance by both the primary and all secondary permittees combined, not just your own crew’s footprint.

Common mistake and its consequence. Underestimating acreage to land a lower fee backfires, because exceeding the figure you certified is a permit violation that can draw penalties and a stop-work order.

A misconception to drop. People think the start date can be today, but a new NOI must be filed 14 days before construction begins, so the start date has to sit at least two weeks out.

Section III: Receiving Water Information

What it asks in plain English. This block asks which water body your stormwater reaches, whether it is a trout or warm water stream, and whether it travels through a city or county storm sewer system (MS4) first.

How to answer it. In Part A, name the initial receiving water and check trout stream or warm water fisheries stream. In Part B, if you discharge into an MS4, name the city or county that owns it and the water at the discharge point. In Part C, mark your sampling choice and enter the number of outfalls, the Appendix B NTU value, and the surface water drainage area.

Example entry. Aisha’s subdivision drains to Sweetwater Creek, which she marks as a Warm Water Fisheries Stream, with 2 outfalls.

Nuance or edge case. If runoff passes through municipal streets and storm drains before reaching a creek, you must name the MS4 operator in Part B, and you may need to call the city or county to learn the correct receiving water.

Common mistake and its consequence. Naming a dry ditch or guessing the stream is a top error, and the wrong receiving water voids the monitoring certification and forces a corrected refiling.

A misconception to drop. Filers assume trout versus warm water is a minor label, but a trout stream triggers stricter turbidity (NTU) limits, so the wrong box sets the wrong sampling rules.

Section IV: Attachments

What it asks in plain English. This section asks you to check which documents you are attaching to the NOI.

How to answer it. Check the location map showing receiving streams and outfalls, the ES&PC Plan when required, the list of known secondary permittees, and the schedule of major construction activities. Attach each item you check.

Example entry. Marcus checks the Location map and the Schedule for the timing of major construction activities, and attaches both as PDFs in GEOS.

Nuance or edge case. The ES&PC Plan must be attached when the project is over 50 acres, or when the site is in an area without a Local Issuing Authority regardless of acreage.

Common mistake and its consequence. Checking a box but failing to attach the document leaves the filing incomplete, and EPD returns it rather than approving partial coverage.

A misconception to drop. Many believe the location map is optional for small sites, but it is the core attachment EPD uses to verify outfalls, so skipping it stalls review.

Section V: Certifications and Signature

What it asks in plain English. This final block asks the owner, the operator, or both to initial certain statements and then sign under penalty of law that the information and the ES&PC Plan are true and complete.

How to answer it. The owner and operator initial next to each statement that applies, including the monitoring certification and the certification that the ES&PC Plan meets Part IV of the GAR permit. Then print the name and title, sign, and date. In GEOS you certify with your account PIN instead of an ink signature.

Example entry. Marcus prints Marcus Webb, title Managing Member, signs, and dates 08/14/2026.

Nuance or edge case. State and federal rules limit who may sign: a corporation signs through a responsible corporate officer, a partnership or sole proprietorship through a general partner or proprietor, and a public body through a principal executive officer or ranking elected official.

Common mistake and its consequence. A signature from someone without authority, such as an office assistant or a junior project manager, makes the entire NOI invalid, so the site gets no coverage.

A misconception to drop. Filers think any company employee can sign, but EPD treats an unauthorized signature as no signature, which means you have not legally applied at all.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

These three filers cover the most common situations EPD sees. Each table shows what that person enters in the key sections.

Scenario 1: Marcus, commercial developer, 6-acre stand-alone shopping center

Form Section	What Marcus Enters
Coverage Desired	GAR100001 – Stand Alone
Site/Project Name	Northgate Commons
Owner’s Name	Northgate Holdings LLC
Operator’s Name	Apex Site Contractors
Estimated Disturbed Acreage	6.0
Type of Construction Activity	Commercial
Receiving Water	Big Haynes Creek, Warm Water
Attachments	Location map; construction schedule
Certification Signature	Marcus Webb, Managing Member

Scenario 2: Aisha, homebuilder on one lot inside a 40-acre subdivision

Form Section	What Aisha Enters
Coverage Desired	GAR100003 – Common Development
Site/Project Name	Sweetwater Estates, Lot 18
Owner’s Name	Aisha Bennett Homes Inc
Operator’s Name	Aisha Bennett Homes Inc
Estimated Disturbed Acreage	0.8
Type of Construction Activity	Residential/Subdivision Development
Receiving Water	Sweetwater Creek, Warm Water
Secondary Permittee Status	Secondary under subdivision NOI
Certification Signature	Aisha Bennett, President

Scenario 3: Carlos, utility road-widening linear corridor

Form Section	What Carlos Enters
Coverage Desired	GAR100002 – Infrastructure
Site/Project Name	County Road 9 Utility Corridor
Owner’s Name	Tri-County Power Cooperative
Operator’s Name	Carlos Reyes Grading LLC
Estimated Disturbed Acreage	4.3
Type of Construction Activity	Linear
Receiving Water	Flint River, Warm Water
Start / Completion Dates	09/01/2026 / 06/30/2027
Certification Signature	Carlos Reyes, Owner

How to File the Completed Form

Georgia EPD offers two real channels, and the online path is now the standard. Choose the one that fits your account status and timeline.

Online through GEOS. Submit through the GEOS portal after you create an account and verify Responsible Official status. The fee is generally $80 per disturbed acre when EPD is the issuing authority, paid in the portal, and you receive a confirmation email when the submittal is complete. Processing for a clean filing is quick, often about a day for system approval once fees clear. Keep the confirmation email as your proof of filing.

By mail to a District Office. Mail the typed first two pages plus attachments to the matching EPD District Office, such as the Mountain District – Atlanta Satellite at 4244 International Parkway, Suite 114, Atlanta, GA 30354 for Fulton and DeKalb area counties. Include the fee per the schedule, since EPD historically directed fee payments to its lockbox, and confirm current payment instructions with your district. Keep a copy of the full packet and your mailing receipt as proof of filing.

Whichever channel you use, file at least 14 days before you break ground. A new NOI is due 14 days before construction begins, and that lead time is not waived for tight schedules.

What Happens After You File

After a clean GEOS submittal, you get a confirmation email, and the system can process approval in about a day once any fees are paid and reconciled. That confirmation is your evidence that coverage under the general permit has started. You should not begin land disturbance until your coverage and any local Land Disturbing Activity permit are in hand.

If fees are outstanding, EPD will not finish processing until they clear, so a tiny balance can freeze an otherwise complete filing. For renewals filed inside the 90-day window after a new permit issues, there is no new fee as long as prior fees were paid, and the renewal can process in about a day.

Once work starts, the real compliance clock begins. A GSWCC-certified inspector (Level 1B) must inspect the site on the schedule in the permit, typically every 14 days and within 24 hours after a rain event of half an inch or more, and any deficiency must be fixed within about 7 days. When the site reaches final stabilization, you close coverage by filing a Notice of Termination.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

Each error below has a direct cost. Read the consequence next to each one.

• Checking more than one coverage box invalidates the form and forces a return.
• Picking the wrong permit type (100001 vs 100002 vs 100003) sets the wrong rules and can require refiling.
• Leaving any field blank instead of marking N/A makes the NOI incomplete and EPD returns it.
• Handwriting the form gets it rejected, since EPD requires a typed NOI.
• Underestimating disturbed acreage exposes you to penalties when actual disturbance exceeds your number.
• Naming the wrong receiving water voids the monitoring certification and stalls review.
• Mislabeling a trout stream as warm water applies the wrong turbidity limits.
• Skipping the construction-exit GPS point delays mapping and review.
• Checking an attachment box without attaching the file leaves the packet incomplete.
• Omitting the ES&PC Plan when over 50 acres or with no LIA blocks coverage.
• Having an unauthorized person sign makes the whole application legally void.
• Filing fewer than 14 days before construction means you have no valid coverage on day one.

Do’s and Don’ts

A few habits keep your filing clean and your project moving.

Do’s

• Do read the GAR100001 permit before filing, because the certifications bind you to its terms.
• Do gather every number and document first, since blanks cause returns.
• Do measure acreage to the nearest 1/10 acre, because the figure drives your fee and limits.
• Do confirm the named receiving water with the local MS4 operator, since a wrong name voids the certification.
• Do save your GEOS confirmation email, because it is your proof of filing.
• Do file 14 days early, because that lead time is required and not waived.

Don’ts

• Don’t guess the receiving stream, since the wrong water sets the wrong rules.
• Don’t let an unauthorized employee sign, because that voids the application.
• Don’t lowball acreage, since exceeding it is a violation.
• Don’t start clearing before coverage and the local LDA permit are issued.
• Don’t skip the location map, because EPD relies on it to verify outfalls.
• Don’t ignore outstanding fees, since they freeze processing.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With a Consultant

Filing the NOI yourself can save money, but the certifications carry legal weight. Weigh both sides.

Pros of filing yourself

• You save consultant fees on a relatively short form.
• You control your own timeline inside GEOS.
• You learn the permit terms you are certifying to.
• You can fix small errors fast without a middleman.
• You keep direct ownership of your confirmation records.

Cons of filing yourself

• A wrong receiving water or acreage can void the certification and cost time.
• You still need a qualified designer for the ES&PC Plan you certify.
• An unauthorized signature risks the whole filing.
• Missing the 14-day rule can stall the project’s start.
• Penalties for errors fall on you under the Act, not on a consultant.

GAR100001 vs GAR100003: Which Coverage Fits

Filers most often confuse the Stand Alone and Common Development types. This table separates them.

GAR100001 (Stand Alone)	GAR100003 (Common Development)
One self-contained construction site	Larger plan with many lots or phases
Single primary permittee in control	Primary developer plus secondary lot permittees
Best for a commercial pad like Marcus’s	Best for subdivisions like Aisha’s lot
Disturbed acreage is the whole site	Acreage spans the full common plan
Coverage closes with one NOT	Each permittee terminates its own portion

FAQs

Do single-family homes under one acre need an NOI?

No. A stand-alone single-family lot under one acre is generally exempt from the state NOI, though it may still fall under local rules if it is part of a larger common plan of development.

Is the NOI the same as the permit?

No. The NOI is your request for coverage under the existing general permit; it lets you opt into GAR100001, GAR100002, or GAR100003 rather than serving as the permit itself.

Do I check more than one coverage box if my project mixes types?

No. You check only one box; choosing the type that best fits your project, since checking more than one makes the form invalid and forces a return.

Do I list owner and operator separately if they are the same company?

Yes. You complete both the owner and operator lines even when one company fills both roles, because EPD reads each line as a distinct entry.

Do I write a P.O. box in the site address field?

No. The site needs a physical location and the construction-exit GPS point, because EPD must map the actual land being disturbed, not a mailing box.

Do I mark a trout stream differently from a warm water stream?

Yes. You check the correct stream class in Section III, since a trout stream triggers stricter turbidity limits than a warm water fisheries stream.

Do I have to attach the ES&PC Plan to every NOI?

No. You attach the ES&PC Plan when the project exceeds 50 acres or sits where there is no Local Issuing Authority, regardless of acreage.

Do I need a GSWCC-certified inspector after filing?

Yes. A GSWCC Level 1B certified inspector must perform site inspections on the permit schedule, generally every 14 days and within 24 hours after a half-inch rain event.

Do I have to file before construction starts?

Yes. A new NOI is due 14 days before construction begins, so you build that two-week lead time into your schedule.

Do I pay a fee to renew my NOI?

No. A renewal filed inside the 90-day window after a new permit issues carries no new fee, as long as all prior fees were paid.

Do I round disturbed acreage to a whole number?

No. You report estimated disturbed acreage to the nearest 1/10 acre, including all primary and secondary disturbance combined.

Do I have to type the form rather than handwrite it?

Yes. EPD requires a typed NOI and will return any filing with illegible information without granting coverage.

Do I close coverage automatically when work ends?

No. You must file a Notice of Termination once the site reaches final stabilization, or coverage and its obligations stay open.

Do I file online or by mail?

Yes. You can do either, but EPD now routes nearly all construction stormwater filings through the GEOS online portal, with District Office mail as the backup channel.