Home / Guides / SWPPP sign and site notice
What must a SWPPP sign show, and where does it go?
Under EPA's 2022 CGP you must post a sign or notice of permit coverage at a safe, publicly accessible spot near the site, visible from the nearest public road, in a font readable from the public right-of-way. It must show the NPDES ID and EPA's permit search page, a contact name and phone number, the SWPPP URL or EPA's statement on how to get a copy, and EPA's statement on reporting pollution. EPA 2022 CGP Part 1.5
National guide. The rules cited are from EPA's 2022 Construction General Permit (as modified in 2025), checked October 20, 2026, which applies where EPA is the permitting authority. Most states issue their own permit with different details; check your state before relying on a number.
Sources last checked October 19, 2026. Prepared by our team led by Mohamed Elansary, PhD, with AI research tools. We are not a licensed engineering firm and do not seal plans.
General information; your permit text controls. Not legal advice and not engineering judgment. We make no promise of permit coverage, agency acceptance or compliance.
What the EPA notice must include
- The NPDES ID (the permit tracking number assigned to your NOI) and the EPA web page where a copy of the NOI can be found (permitsearch.epa.gov). EPA 2022 CGP Part 1.5
- A contact name and phone number for more information about the site. EPA 2022 CGP Part 1.5
- The URL for the SWPPP if available, or the statement: "If you would like to obtain a copy of the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for this site, contact the EPA Regional Office at [Regional Office contact]". EPA 2022 CGP Part 1.5
- The statement: "If you observe indicators of stormwater pollutants in the discharge or in the receiving water, contact the EPA through the following website: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/report-environmental-violations." EPA 2022 CGP Part 1.5
Where to post it
At a safe, publicly accessible location close to the site, visible from the public road nearest the active part of the site. If the active part is not visible from a public road, place the notice where it is visible from the nearest public road and as close as possible to the site. EPA 2022 CGP Part 1.5, footnote 12 If no one is on site, post the location of the SWPPP near the main entrance. EPA 2022 CGP Part 7.3
Texas site notices
| Texas site | Notice |
|---|---|
| Small site (1 to under 5 acres) | TCEQ Small Construction Site Notice (Form 20963), posted at least 2 days before work and kept until final stabilization; a signed copy goes to the MS4 operator. TXR150000 Part II.E.2 |
| Large site (5 acres or more) | Large Construction Site Notice for primary operators (Form 20961) or secondary operators (Form 20962). TXR150000 Part II.E.3 |
| All sites | Post the notice at the site where the public and local, state and federal authorities can read it; linear projects may move the notice along the work. TXR150000 Part III.D.2 |
A posted Texas notice may show a redacted signature if a signed original is on site for regulators. TXR150000 Part II.E.2 Texas specifics: TCEQ NOI. Other states set their own notice contents; see the hubs: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia.
SWPPP boards
Many sites mount the notice on a weatherproof board, often with the SWPPP or its location, the NOI and the inspection reports. The permits above set what the notice must say and where it goes; a board is one way to meet them, not a separate requirement.
Our plans list the notice contents for the permit that covers your site. You post the notice; we do not visit or post signs.
What this page does not cover
Local sign permits, project information signs a city may require, and notices under state permits other than the examples above.
Have it written for you
SWPPP Desk prepares site-specific SWPPPs from your drawings for construction sites in the states we cover (coverage by state), for a fixed price, delivered the next business day after your inputs are complete. Small site (1 to under 5 acres): $449. Large site (5 acres or more): $749. Background: all guides.
Related guides
- What is a SWP3?
- What is a SWPPP?
- SW3P, SWP3 and SWPPP: the same plan
- TCEQ SWPPP requirements
- TXR150000: the Texas construction general permit
- TCEQ stormwater permit for construction
- TCEQ NOI: filing in STEERS
- What goes in a SWPPP plan
- SWPPP template: EPA and state templates
- SWPPP inspection requirements
- SWPPP inspection form
- Erosion control plan requirements
- Who needs a SWPPP?
- Notice of Intent (NOI) for construction stormwater
- Notice of Termination (NOT)
- Construction stormwater BMPs by type
- SWPPP cost: our prices and public prices
- PROPOSED 2027 EPA CGP: what re-filing looks like
- TXR150000 renewal: the permit expires March 5, 2028
- Silt fence installation
- Sediment basin requirements
- Concrete washout rules
- Construction dewatering
- SWPPP site map requirements