SWPPP Requirements in North Carolina

Who needs a SWPPP in North Carolina?

Any construction project that disturbs one acre or more — or is part of a larger common plan of development reaching one acre — needs a SWPPP under North Carolina permit NCG010000.

North Carolina runs its own delegated stormwater program. Operators obtain coverage from DEMLR under NPDES General Permit NCG010000 (NCG01) for Construction Activities Subject to the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act (NCG010000), not directly from the EPA. A small subdivision, a solar pad, and a road-widening project all clear the same one-acre line.

North Carolina adds requirements worth flagging early: Obtain approval of the Erosion and Sedimentation Control (E&SC) plan from DEMLR or the delegated local program (the “E&SC plan authority”) before filing the e-NOI; the approved E&SC plan is part of the SWPPP (NCG010000 Part I steps 1–2; Part II); Commence construction only after DEMLR issues the Certificate of Coverage (COC); pay the annual general permit fee (NCG010000 Part I steps 3–4); Add the Part II Section E ground stabilization timeframes and Section F materials handling requirements to the plan set where the approved E&SC plan does not already include them (DEMLR sample plan sheets) (NCG010000 Part II); Keep the approved E&SC plan, the permit, the COC, and the previous twelve months of inspection records on site; record inspections on the DEMLR Inspection Record Form or an equivalent form (NCG010000 Part III Section B); Report visible sediment deposition in a stream or wetland within 24 hours and in writing within 7 calendar days to the DEMLR regional office (NCG010000 Part III Section C); Locate earthen stockpiles, waste containers, and concrete and paint washouts at least 50 feet from storm drain inlets and surface waters unless no alternative is reasonably available; provide secondary containment for bulk liquid storage and hazardous substances (NCG010000 Part II Sections F and G.5); In High Quality Water (HQW) zones: 20-acre limit on disturbed area at any time, 25-year design storm, and additional sediment basin standards (NCG010000 Part II Section C); After permanent stabilization, request the E&SC plan authority’s close-out inspection, then file the e-NOT with the close-out report (NCG010000 Part I steps 6–7).

What the plan must contain

A North Carolina SWPPPis the site's compliance binder — the document an inspector opens first. It documents:

1. 1Site & project descriptionTotal and disturbed acreage, soils, slopes, and the sequence of construction.
2. 2Receiving waters & discharge pointsWhere stormwater leaves the site and the waterbodies it reaches.
3. 3Erosion & sediment control BMPsSilt fence, stabilized entrances, inlet protection, and stabilization measures.
4. 4Inspection schedule & recordsDated, signed inspection logs and the corrective actions taken.
5. 5Operator certificationThe SWPPP is signed by the legally responsible party before work begins.

Required and conditional BMPs

Filing your Notice of Intent

After the E&SC plan is approved, submit the electronic Notice of Intent (e-NOI) with the required documentation to DEMLR through the AccessDEQ portal and pay the annual permit fee; DEMLR emails the Certificate of Coverage.

A Notice of Termination closes coverage once the site reaches final stabilization. Keeping the SWPPP and its inspection records on site is what keeps a project clear of stop-work orders.

Inspection requirements

Inspect at least once every 7 calendar days and within 24 hours of a storm producing 1 inch of rain or more in 24 hours (E&SC measures, stormwater discharge outfalls, the site perimeter, and accessible streams or wetlands on or off site, during normal business hours; a 1.0-inch storm outside normal business hours is inspected at the start of the next business day; the rain inspection resets the 7-calendar-day clock; an inspection may be delayed to the next safe business day when weather or site conditions endanger the inspector (note any delay in the inspection record)) (NCG010000 Part III Section A (Table 4, items 2–5)). Read the on-site rain gauge daily and inspect ground stabilization measures after each phase of grading (NCG010000 Part III Section A, Table 4 items 1 and 6). Every inspection is dated and signed, and any failed control is corrected before the next storm.

How North Carolina differs from the federal permit

Because North Carolina administers its own program, the federal EPA Construction General Permit does not apply directly here — the state permit governs. Sites inside a regulated municipal storm sewer system may carry additional local ordinance requirements on top of the state permit.

Frequently asked questions