The Washington State Industrial Stormwater General Permit (ISGP) is the NPDES permit that almost every facility with outdoor industrial activity must hold before rain runs off its site into a lake, river, ditch, or storm drain. You get coverage by filling out and submitting a Notice of Intent (NOI), form number ECY 020-84, revised February 2025 to match the permit that took effect January 1, 2025.
If you operate without coverage when you need it, you face penalties of up to $10,000 per day under Washington’s Water Pollution Control Act, so getting the NOI right is not optional. The current ISGP covers nearly 1,200 facilities across the state, and Ecology must publish your NOI for a 30-day public comment period before your coverage can begin. This guide walks you through the form line by line so you can file it once and file it right.
Here is what you will learn:
- 📋 Exactly what each box on the NOI asks and how to answer it in plain English
- 🏭 How to find your SIC and NAICS codes, outfalls, and receiving waters without guessing
- 💰 The current annual permit fee tiers and how Ecology bills you by gross revenue
- ⏱️ The 60-day and 30-day timelines that control when you can legally discharge
- ✅ The mistakes that get NOIs rejected and how to avoid every one of them
What the ISGP and the NOI Are and Who Must File
The Industrial Stormwater General Permit is a single, statewide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit that the Washington Department of Ecology issues under authority of the federal Clean Water Act and the state Water Pollution Control Act. A general permit means Ecology writes one set of rules for many similar facilities, so you do not negotiate your own permit. You simply request coverage under the existing one, and the document you use to request that coverage is the Notice of Intent.
The NOI is your formal application. It tells Ecology who you are, where your site is, what industrial activity you perform, where your stormwater goes, and which water body receives it. Ecology uses that information to confirm you are eligible, to set your monitoring and reporting duties, and to calculate your annual fee.
You must file an NOI if your facility falls into one of the industrial categories listed in the permit and your stormwater touches industrial materials or activity before leaving the site. Common examples include scrap and recycling yards, metal fabrication and finishing shops, sawmills and log yards, boatyards, ready-mix concrete plants, and trucking or freight transfer terminals. If you discharge to a surface water, to the ground, or to a municipal storm sewer, the permit reaches you.
You do not need to file if you can honestly certify Conditional No Exposure, meaning no industrial materials or activities are ever exposed to rain or runoff. That exemption is narrow, and a single uncovered drum or oily forklift parked outside can disqualify you, which is why the exposure questions deserve careful, honest answers.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
The NOI itself is short, but it asks for facts you cannot invent on the spot. Gather these items first so you are not forced to guess, because a wrong guess can change your fee, your monitoring, or your eligibility.
- Your facility’s legal name and physical address. Ecology ties your permit and all public records to this exact name, and a mismatch with your business license creates confusing duplicate records.
- The owner and operator names with mailing addresses. These are often different parties, and naming the wrong one can shift legal responsibility for compliance.
- Your primary SIC code and NAICS code. These codes drive eligibility and any extra monitoring; the wrong code can exclude you from coverage or hide a required pollutant.
- A list of every discharge location and outfall. You must report each point where stormwater leaves the site and where it reaches water or ground, or you risk discharging from an unpermitted point.
- The name of each receiving water. Ecology checks whether that water is on the impaired waters (303(d)) list, which can add stricter limits.
- Your latitude and longitude. The portal maps your site, and bad coordinates can place your facility in the wrong county and assign the wrong permit administrator.
- Your gross annual revenue. Ecology sets your fee from this number, so an inflated figure costs you money and an understated one invites a correction.
- Your SEPA decision, if you began operating after January 1, 2020. New facilities must report a State Environmental Policy Act determination, and skipping it stalls the application.
- Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) status. You must develop a SWPPP, and certifying you have one when you do not is a false statement.
- A site map. It shows industrial areas, drainage, outfalls, and sampling points, and the form and your SWPPP both depend on it.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
You do not download a paper NOI and mail it. The ISGP NOI is filed electronically as an eNOI through Ecology’s online WQWebPortal, the Water Quality Permitting Portal. Before you can open the form, you must set up three linked accounts, and each one gates the next.
First, create a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account, the state’s single sign-on. You enter your name and email, confirm through a verification link, and choose a user ID and password. Second, add the Water Quality Permitting Portal (WQWebPortal) service inside SAW by selecting Department of Ecology and clicking Apply under the WQWebPortal service. Third, set up an Ecology Signature account, which lets you legally certify and submit documents online.
Once approved, you reach the portal directly at the WQWebPortal login and select the option to apply for a new permit. The system walks you through the NOI screens in order. Everything you enter becomes public on the state’s PARIS reporting system, so accuracy matters not just for Ecology but for any neighbor or watchdog group that reads your filing.
Plan ahead on timing. Ecology requires you to submit the eNOI at least 60 days before you begin the industrial activity or discharge, and your coverage does not start until a 30-day public comment period runs after Ecology publishes your application. If you need help, the Water Quality IT Help Desk at WQWebPortal@ecy.wa.gov answers portal and login questions.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the ISGP Notice of Intent Line by Line
The eNOI moves through grouped screens. Each section below matches a part of the form. Sample entries that show what you actually type are shown in italics.
Section 1: Facility (Site) Name and Physical Address
What it asks in plain English. This is the name and street location of the actual industrial site, not your corporate headquarters and not a P.O. Box.
How to answer it. Enter the common operating name of the site and its full street address, including city, county, and ZIP. Use the address where the industrial activity physically happens.
Example. Cascade Metal Works, 1420 Industrial Way, Kent, King County, WA 98032.
Nuance or edge case. If your site has no street number because it is a rail yard or a vacant industrial parcel, use the nearest cross-street description and rely on the latitude and longitude fields to pin the location.
Common mistake and its consequence. Filers enter their billing or headquarters address instead of the site address, which sends inspectors and the public record to the wrong place and can delay your coverage while Ecology untangles it.
Misconception. Some believe the facility name must exactly match the legal business entity name. It does not; the site name identifies the location, while the owner and operator fields capture the legal entities.
Section 2: Owner and Operator Information
What it asks in plain English. Who owns the property and who runs the day-to-day operation, with mailing addresses and contacts for each.
How to answer it. List the legal owner first, then the operator. If the same company owns and operates, you still complete both, naming the same entity twice.
Example. Owner: Kent Industrial Holdings LLC. Operator: Cascade Metal Works Inc.
Nuance or edge case. If you lease the site, the property owner and the operator differ, and both may share permit responsibility, so name them precisely and confirm who signs.
Common mistake and its consequence. Filers list only the operator and leave the owner blank, which can leave the landlord unaware of obligations and can shift unexpected liability when the lease ends.
Misconception. People assume only the operator can be held responsible. Under the Clean Water Act, owners and operators can both be liable for unpermitted discharges.
Section 3: Permittee Contact and Certifying Official
What it asks in plain English. The person Ecology contacts and the responsible official who legally signs the NOI.
How to answer it. Provide a daily contact with phone and email, then identify the certifying official, who must be a responsible corporate officer, a general partner, the proprietor, or a ranking public official.
Example. Contact: Dana Reyes, EHS Manager, 253-555-0148. Certifying official: Sam Okafor, President.
Nuance or edge case. A consultant may prepare the NOI, but a consultant generally cannot be the certifying signatory unless properly delegated in writing.
Common mistake and its consequence. A junior employee signs the certification, which can void the submission because the signatory lacks legal authority to bind the company.
Misconception. Many think any manager can sign. The signature rules in WAC 173-220 restrict who may certify, and the wrong signer makes the filing defective.
Section 4: SIC Code and NAICS Code
What it asks in plain English. The numeric codes that classify your type of industry, used to confirm eligibility and trigger any extra sampling.
How to answer it. Enter your primary SIC code and primary NAICS code, plus any secondary or co-located codes that match other activities on site.
Example. A metal fabrication shop enters SIC 3441 and NAICS 332312.
Nuance or edge case. Some sites have a secondary activity, such as a repair shop inside a warehouse, and each added code can add monitoring duties or change eligibility.
Common mistake and its consequence. Picking a code that does not match your real operations can exclude you from ISGP coverage or hide a pollutant Ecology would otherwise require you to sample, leaving you out of compliance from day one.
Misconception. Filers think the code is a formality. It is one of the most consequential fields, because the code can add sampling, add BMPs, or even exempt the site, so verify it against the official NAICS to SIC crosswalk.
Section 5: Latitude and Longitude
What it asks in plain English. The exact map coordinates of your site so Ecology can plot it.
How to answer it. Enter latitude and longitude in decimal degrees, taken from the portal map tool or a mapping service centered on your industrial area.
Example. 47.3809, -122.2348.
Nuance or edge case. For a large site with several buildings, drop the point on the main industrial activity area, not the office or the parking lot.
Common mistake and its consequence. Reversing the signs or digits places your facility in the wrong county, which assigns the wrong permit administrator and can stall review.
Misconception. People assume coordinates are optional because they already gave an address. The portal relies on the coordinates for mapping and for matching your site to receiving waters.
Section 6: Discharge Locations and Outfalls
What it asks in plain English. Every point where stormwater leaves your property and every point where it enters a water body or soaks into the ground.
How to answer it. Number each discharge location and each outfall, describe its location, and note whether it flows to surface water, to ground, or to a storm sewer.
Example. Outfall 001 discharges to a roadside ditch tributary to the Green River; Outfall 002 infiltrates to ground in the north swale.
Nuance or edge case. Discharge locations sit at your boundary, but outfalls can be far away, so site walks and your jurisdiction’s GIS or drainage maps are often needed to trace them.
Common mistake and its consequence. Missing an outfall means you discharge from an unpermitted point, which is a permit violation even if every other point is covered.
Misconception. Filers think one outfall covers the whole site. Many sites have several, and each may need its own sampling, so undercounting outfalls undercounts your obligations.
Section 7: Receiving Waters
What it asks in plain English. The named and unnamed water bodies that ultimately receive your stormwater.
How to answer it. List each receiving water by name where one exists, and describe the path for unnamed ditches or storm sewers that lead to a named water.
Example. Stormwater discharges to an unnamed ditch tributary to the Duwamish Waterway.
Nuance or edge case. If your receiving water is on the state’s impaired waters (303(d)) list or has an approved cleanup plan (TMDL), Ecology can impose stricter limits, so identify it accurately.
Common mistake and its consequence. Naming the wrong water, or skipping the impaired-water check, can leave you blindsided by stricter benchmarks you did not plan or budget for.
Misconception. People believe discharging to a storm drain means there is no receiving water. The drain leads somewhere, and that downstream water is your receiving water.
Section 8: SEPA and Public Notice (New Facilities)
What it asks in plain English. Whether your facility began operating after January 1, 2020, and if so, the details of your State Environmental Policy Act review.
How to answer it. Enter your SEPA decision information, then publish the required public notice in a newspaper circulating in your county and keep proof of publication.
Example. A 2024 startup publishes: “Cascade Metal Works, 1420 Industrial Way, Kent, is seeking coverage under Ecology’s NPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities…”
Nuance or edge case. Existing facilities that operated before 2020 skip the SEPA entry, but any new facility that omits it stalls the application until the record is complete.
Common mistake and its consequence. New filers forget the newspaper public notice, which restarts their 30-day clock and pushes back the day they can legally discharge.
Misconception. Filers think Ecology publishes everything for them. Ecology publishes its own notice, but new facilities must also run their own newspaper notice.
Section 9: Conditional No Exposure Certification (If Claiming Exemption)
What it asks in plain English. A series of yes-or-no questions about whether any industrial materials or activities are exposed to rain.
How to answer it. Answer each of the eleven exposure questions honestly. If you answer yes to even one, you do not qualify and must continue with full permit coverage.
Example. A warehouse with all materials and equipment indoors answers no to all eleven and certifies no exposure.
Nuance or edge case. A leaking drum, an oily forklift parked outside, or waste in an open dumpster each counts as exposure and disqualifies the claim.
Common mistake and its consequence. Certifying no exposure while a single activity is exposed is a false certification that can bring penalties and back-dated permit obligations.
Misconception. People think no-exposure is a paperwork shortcut. It is a strict, ongoing condition that must stay true every day, not just on filing day.
Section 10: Fee Basis (Gross Annual Revenue)
What it asks in plain English. Your gross annual revenue, which Ecology uses to set your annual permit fee.
How to answer it. Enter the gross revenue figure that places you in the correct fee tier under WAC 173-224-040, and be ready to certify it annually.
Example. A shop with $1.8 million in revenue falls in the $1,000,000 to under $2,500,000 tier, with an FY2026 fee of $1,070.
Nuance or edge case. Municipalities and state agencies pay a flat fee instead of a revenue-based fee, so they select that category.
Common mistake and its consequence. Failing to report revenue results in Ecology billing you at the highest subcategory, which can mean paying $3,640 instead of a few hundred dollars.
Misconception. Filers think the fee is fixed for all facilities. It is tiered by revenue, so an honest, accurate number can save you thousands.
Section 11: Certification and Signature
What it asks in plain English. A sworn statement that everything in the NOI is true, signed electronically by the responsible official.
How to answer it. The certifying official reviews every field, then signs using the Ecology Signature account, which legally binds the company.
Example. Sam Okafor, President, electronically signs on 06/01/2026.
Nuance or edge case. The signer must have the authority described in the fee and permit rules, and delegation must be documented before signing.
Common mistake and its consequence. Signing before reviewing the SIC code, outfalls, and revenue locks in errors under penalty of law, and corrections after submission can require a formal modification.
Misconception. People treat the signature as a rubber stamp. It is a legal certification, and false statements expose the signer to civil and criminal penalties.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
These three named filers show how different facilities complete the same NOI.
Scenario 1: Maria Lopez, owner of a metal fabrication shop in Kent
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Facility name and address | Cascade Metal Works, 1420 Industrial Way, Kent, WA 98032 |
| Owner / Operator | Kent Industrial Holdings LLC / Cascade Metal Works Inc. |
| Certifying official | Maria Lopez, President |
| SIC / NAICS | 3441 / 332312 |
| Latitude / Longitude | 47.3809, -122.2348 |
| Outfalls | Outfall 001 to roadside ditch; Outfall 002 infiltrates to ground |
| Receiving water | Unnamed ditch tributary to the Green River |
| Gross revenue tier | $1.8M, FY2026 fee $1,070 |
| Conditional No Exposure | Not claimed, materials stored outdoors |
Scenario 2: Marcus Bell, manager of a scrap and recycling yard in Spokane
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| Facility name and address | Inland Scrap Recovery, 905 Trent Ave, Spokane, WA 99202 |
| Owner / Operator | Inland Scrap Recovery LLC (owns and operates) |
| Certifying official | Marcus Bell, General Partner |
| SIC / NAICS | 5093 / 423930 |
| Latitude / Longitude | 47.6680, -117.3960 |
| Outfalls | Outfall 001 and 002 to municipal storm sewer |
| Receiving water | Storm sewer to the Spokane River (303(d) listed) |
| Gross revenue tier | $6.2M, FY2026 fee $2,700 |
| SEPA | Facility predates 2020, no SEPA entry |
Scenario 3: Janet Cho, operator of a log storage and sawmill in Aberdeen
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Facility name and address | Harbor Timber Sawmill, 300 Port Industrial Rd, Aberdeen, WA 98520 |
| Owner / Operator | Harbor Timber Co. (owns and operates) |
| Certifying official | Janet Cho, Vice President of Operations |
| SIC / NAICS | 2421 / 321113 |
| Latitude / Longitude | 46.9750, -123.8157 |
| Outfalls | Outfall 001 to log pond; Outfall 002 to Grays Harbor |
| Receiving water | Grays Harbor |
| Gross revenue tier | $9.5M, FY2026 fee $2,700 |
| Public notice | Published in The Daily World, proof retained |
How to File the Completed NOI
The ISGP NOI is filed through one channel only: Ecology’s online WQWebPortal. There is no paper, fax, or in-person option for the eNOI itself, though Ecology bills the annual fee separately by mailed invoice after coverage starts.
To file online, log in to SecureAccess Washington, open the WQWebPortal, select the option to apply for a new permit, complete every NOI screen, and submit using your Ecology Signature account. There is no application fee for the ISGP, unlike first-time individual permits that owe 25 percent of the annual fee. Your cost is the annual permit fee, set by your gross revenue tier under WAC 173-224-040, ranging from $210 for revenue under $100,000 up to $3,640 for $20 million and above in FY2026.
After you submit, save your confirmation and the PARIS record as your proof of filing. Ecology then publishes notice of your application, and a 30-day public comment period begins. Remember the upstream deadline: you must submit at least 60 days before you begin the discharge, so build both windows into your schedule. For fee questions, contact Ecology’s fee unit at wqfeeunit@ecy.wa.gov or 800-633-6193.
What Happens After You File
Once you submit the eNOI, Ecology reviews it for completeness and posts it for public comment. Members of the public have 30 days from the last date of publication to send written comments to Ecology’s Water Quality Program in Olympia. If no issues arise, your coverage becomes effective and Ecology assigns you a permit number tied to your facility.
After coverage starts, the real work begins. You must implement your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, conduct quarterly visual and sampling inspections, and submit Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) through the same WQWebPortal. The 2025 permit added new sampling for PFAS at certain facilities and for 6PPD-quinone, a tire-dust chemical linked to salmon deaths, so check whether your industry triggers these.
Your sampling results are compared to benchmarks. Exceeding a benchmark does not automatically violate the permit, but it triggers escalating corrective action levels that require you to investigate and install better controls. Ignoring an exceedance, or missing a DMR deadline, is what turns a manageable situation into an enforcement case.
If your operations change, your ownership transfers, or you cease industrial activity, you must update Ecology, and you file a Notice of Termination when you no longer need coverage so the annual fees stop.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the NOI
- Using the wrong SIC or NAICS code. It can exclude you from coverage or hide a required pollutant, leaving you noncompliant from day one.
- Listing a headquarters address as the facility address. It misdirects inspectors and the public record and delays review.
- Missing an outfall or discharge point. Any discharge from an unlisted point is a permit violation.
- Skipping the receiving-water impairment check. You can be hit with stricter limits you never budgeted for.
- Reversing latitude and longitude. Your site lands in the wrong county and gets the wrong administrator.
- Forgetting the newspaper public notice for new facilities. It restarts your 30-day clock and pushes back legal discharge.
- Omitting the SEPA decision for post-2020 facilities. The application stalls until the record is complete.
- Failing to report gross revenue. Ecology bills you at the highest fee tier, costing thousands more.
- Letting an unauthorized employee certify. The signature rules void a filing signed by someone without authority.
- Falsely claiming Conditional No Exposure. A single exposed drum makes it a false certification with penalties.
- Submitting fewer than 60 days before discharge. You cannot legally discharge until the timeline runs.
- Certifying you have a SWPPP when you do not. It is a false statement that undermines your entire application.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Do walk your site before filing, because outfalls are easy to miss from a desk and missing one is a violation.
- Do verify your SIC and NAICS codes against the official crosswalk, since the code drives eligibility and monitoring.
- Do check whether your receiving water is impaired, so stricter limits do not surprise you later.
- Do file at least 60 days early, because coverage cannot start until the public comment window closes.
- Do keep your PARIS confirmation, since it is your proof of filing if a question arises.
- Do have the proper official sign, because an unauthorized signature can void the submission.
Don’t:
- Don’t guess at your gross revenue, because a wrong figure either overcharges you or invites a correction.
- Don’t claim no-exposure casually, since the standard is strict and ongoing, not a one-time shortcut.
- Don’t skip the newspaper notice if you are a new facility, or you restart your timeline.
- Don’t enter a P.O. Box as the facility location, because Ecology needs the physical industrial site.
- Don’t sign before reviewing every field, since corrections after submission can require a formal modification.
- Don’t ignore secondary activities, because each co-located code can add real obligations.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With a Consultant
| Filing on Your Own | Filing With a Consultant |
|---|---|
| Pro: Saves consultant fees, which matter for small shops on tight budgets | Pro: Experts find every outfall, reducing the risk of an unpermitted discharge |
| Pro: You learn your own site’s drainage, which helps with later DMRs | Pro: They verify SIC and NAICS codes, avoiding costly miscategorization |
| Pro: Full control over your timeline without scheduling around a vendor | Pro: They handle SEPA and public notice steps that trip up new filers |
| Con: Easy to miss outfalls or pick the wrong code without field experience | Con: Fees add cost on top of the annual permit fee |
| Con: Misreading impaired-water rules can lock in stricter limits | Con: You stay legally responsible even when someone else prepares the form |
| Con: Portal account setup and signature rules slow first-time filers | Con: A consultant generally cannot be your certifying signatory |
FAQs
Do I need an ISGP if my stormwater goes into a city storm drain?
Yes. The drain leads to a surface water downstream, so that downstream water is your receiving water, and discharging industrial stormwater to it requires permit coverage.
Is there an application fee to file the NOI?
No. The ISGP has no application fee; you pay only the annual permit fee, which Ecology sets by your gross revenue tier under WAC 173-224-040.
Do I write my headquarters address or the site address in the facility address box?
No headquarters address. Enter the physical street address of the industrial site itself, because Ecology ties inspections and public records to that location.
Do I list only my primary SIC code, or secondary codes too?
Yes, list secondary codes. Any co-located or secondary activity gets its own code, since each can add monitoring duties or change your eligibility.
Do I need to report every outfall, even small ones?
Yes. Every point where stormwater leaves the site or reaches water must be listed, because discharging from an unlisted outfall is a permit violation.
Do I count a roadside ditch as a receiving water in the receiving-water box?
Yes. A ditch is part of the path; name it and trace it to the named water it feeds, since that downstream water may be impaired.
Is the Conditional No Exposure exemption a quick way to skip the permit?
No. It is a strict, ongoing condition, and a single exposed drum, oily vehicle, or open waste container disqualifies you from claiming it.
Do new facilities have to publish a newspaper notice?
Yes. Facilities that began operating after January 1, 2020, must publish a public notice in a local newspaper and keep proof, in addition to Ecology’s own notice.
Can my consultant sign the certification for me?
No, generally. The certifying signer must be a responsible corporate officer, partner, proprietor, or ranking official with documented authority, not an outside consultant.
Is my NOI information kept private?
No. Everything you submit becomes public on the state’s PARIS system, so accuracy and completeness matter for both Ecology and the public.
Do I have to wait after filing before I can discharge?
Yes. You must file at least 60 days before discharge, and a 30-day public comment period must run after Ecology publishes your application.
Does going over a benchmark in my later DMRs mean I broke the permit?
No. A benchmark exceedance is not an automatic violation, but it triggers escalating corrective action steps you must complete and document.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out the Washington Ecology NPDES Construction Stormwater General Permit + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Washington Ecology Water Quality Modification Permit + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Washington Ecology NPDES Construction Stormwater Permit (Notice of Intent) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Washington Ecology NPDES Industrial Stormwater Permit (2025 ISGP) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Washington Ecology Water Quality Modification Permit (Form ECY 070-361) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out the Georgia EPD NPDES Industrial Stormwater Permit (GAR050000): A Line-by-Line Guide + FAQs