Express Permitting

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources offers an Express Permit review process for a number of environmental permits required for development. This program offers quicker permit decisions and certification as well as consultation to identify necessary environmental requirements. A pre-application meeting is required and a well-documented application, with supporting technical information, is necessary for thorough and swift review. Higher fees are charged to support additional staff for the express review. Multiple permits that may be required for a project can be concurrently reviewed. The express permit review program encourages greater involvement of property owners, developers and engineers to ensure good communication and high quality applications.

Permits included in the express process

The following permits and certifications are currently part of the express program:

• Coastal stormwater permits
• Water quality wetland certifications
• Stream origin determinations
• Erosion and sedimentation control plans
• Permits under the Coastal Area Management Act
• Water quality non-discharge permits

Local agencies that have jurisdiction over permitted activities in their area may not currently be participating in this program. The express program may expand to include other permits and certifications at a later date.

Express Permit Fees

The following table depicts the Express Review Application fees compared to Routine Application review fees.

Results

Review periods for permits in the Express program are 60 to 90 percent shorter than permits in the corresponding regular permitting programs. This chart compares average processing times by programs.

The Express Permit Review program was authorized as a pilot in January 2004; due to demand and program performance, the program was expanded statewide in January 2006. Nearly 1250 permits were issued under the process during this start-up period.

This chart provides a breakdown of the number of permits by permit type issued in the express review program.

For more details on individual permits

401 Wetlands Certification http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands/express_review.htm
Coastal Stormwater http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/su/State_SW_Mngt_Program.htm
Aquifer Protection http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/lau/expressreview.html
CAMA http://dcm2.enr.state.nc.us/Permits/permits.htm
Erosion and Sedimentation http://www.dlr.enr.state.nc.us/pages/sedimentation.html

For More information

To learn more about the program and the application procedures, contact one of the coordinators listed below. Click here to see a map of the Regional Offices within the State.

Cameron Weaver
Wilmington Regional Office
910-796-7427 or email Cameron Weaver at Cameron.Weaver@ncmail.net

Lyn Hardison
Washington Regional Office
252-948-3842 or email Lynn Hardison at Lyn.Hardison@ncmail.net

Patrick Grogan
Mooresville Regional Office
704-235-2107 or email Patrick Grogan at Patrick.Grogan@ncmail.net

Alison Davidson
Asheville Regional Office
828-296-4698 or email Alison Davidson at Alison.Davidson@ncmail.net.

David Lee
Raleigh Regional Office
919-791-4203 or email David Lee at David.Lee@ncmail.net.

You may also contact the DENR Customer Service Center at 877-623-6748.
Denr.permits@ncmail.net