Home / Texas / TXR150000: the Texas construction general permit
What is TXR150000, the TCEQ construction general permit?
TXR150000 is the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) Construction General Permit (CGP) issued by TCEQ. It authorizes stormwater discharges from construction that disturbs one acre or more. The current permit took effect March 5, 2023 and expires March 5, 2028; TCEQ has started the renewal. TCEQ
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Prepared by our team led by Mohamed Elansary, PhD. We are not a licensed engineering firm and do not seal plans. General information, not legal advice; the permit text controls.
Key facts
| Issuer | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TPDES program). TCEQ |
|---|---|
| Effective / expires | March 5, 2023 / March 5, 2028. TCEQ |
| Renewal | TCEQ held a renewal stakeholder meeting on June 9, 2026; informal comments closed June 23, 2026. TCEQ |
| Covers | Stormwater from construction disturbing 1+ acres (or part of a larger common plan) that discharges to surface water in the state, plus construction support activities such as batch plants, equipment staging and borrow areas. TCEQ TXR150000 Part I.B |
| Scale | TCEQ reported 14,572 active NOIs under the CGP as of October 2023. TCEQ seminar slides |
| Filing system | NOI, LREW, NOT and NOC are filed in STEERS unless you hold an electronic reporting waiver. TCEQ |
How the permit is organized
- Part I: flow chart and definitions (small and large construction activity, common plan of development, commencement of construction).
- Part II: permit applicability and coverage, including authorization for small and large sites, waivers (LREW), NOI contents, termination and alternative permits.
- Part III: SWP3 requirements (deadlines, availability, revisions, contents, inspections).
- Part IV: erosion and sediment control requirements for all sites.
- Parts V and VI: concrete batch plant runoff and concrete truck washout.
- Part VII: record retention. Part VIII: standard conditions. Part IX: fees.
- Appendices A to D: automatic authorization periods by county and erosivity data.
Who it applies to
| Disturbed area | TCEQ class | Key obligations |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 acre, not part of a larger common plan of 1+ acres | Not regulated by the CGP | No CGP coverage needed. TCEQ |
| 1 to under 5 acres (or part of a common plan in that range) | Small construction activity | SWP3 before work; post Form 20963 at least 2 days before work; copy to MS4 operator 2 days before; no NOI. TXR150000 Part II.E.2 |
| 5 acres or more (or part of a 5+ acre common plan) | Large construction activity | SWP3 before coverage; primary operator files NOI in STEERS before work; post Form 20961 or 20962. TXR150000 Part II.E.3 |
What a large-site NOI asks for
At minimum: operator name, address and phone; site name, address, county and latitude/longitude; acres disturbed; estimated start and end dates; and confirmations including that a SWP3 has been developed and will be implemented before construction. TXR150000 Part II.E.6 See TCEQ NOI.
Not eligible
A facility with an "unsatisfactory" compliance history ranking cannot use the general permit and must apply for an individual permit. TCEQ Data-center projects are currently halted. TCEQ notice
What this page does not cover
EPA's Construction General Permit (for areas where EPA is the permitting authority), industrial stormwater permit TXR050000, and the outcome of the 2028 renewal.
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
- TCEQ stormwater permit for construction
- TCEQ NOI: filing in STEERS
- What goes in a SWPPP plan
- SWPPP template (TCEQ RG-639)
- SWPPP inspection rules in Texas
- SWPPP inspection form
- Erosion control plan requirements in Texas