What is a Notice of Intent (NOI)?

The Notice of Intent is the filing that asks for coverage under a construction general permit; the SWPPP then has to hold a copy of it, the coverage correspondence, the authorisation letter and the NPDES tracking number (Part 7.2.11).

Source: EPA 2022 Construction General Permit (as modified), Part 7.2.11Verified

What it asks and what it commits you to

The NOI identifies the operator, the site and the receiving water, and it is where the endangered-species eligibility criterion is selected and supported. Part 7.2.9 requires the documentation behind that criterion to live inside the SWPPP, and it is where sites most often stall: some criteria mean consulting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Order of operations

Write the plan, file the notice before construction starts, wait for authorisation if the permit requires a waiting period, then put a copy of the notice back into the plan. SwpppDraft does not file anything — the filing pack collects the answers so they can be copied into the state's own form or portal.

Questions people ask

Can I start work as soon as I file?
Only if the permit has no waiting period. Read that clause before scheduling the first machine on site.
What if my project details change after I file?
Keep the correspondence with the plan and read your permit's modification clause. Federally, the plan itself has to be modified within seven days of a change that affects discharges (Part 7.4.1).

The states this question turns on

All 50 states, in one table

The documents this affects

Other questions

Check your state and build a draft
The questionnaire and the generator run in your browser. Checkout is not open, so nothing can be charged.

Source: EPA 2022 Construction General Permit (as modified), Part 7.2.11, read 2026-08-04. County and city rules are not covered.

What we are, and what stays your responsibility

  1. SwpppDraft is a document generation tool. It does not provide engineering services, legal services, or compliance consulting, and no engineer or attorney reviews what it produces.
  2. Everything in the document is built from the site facts you enter. Checking that those facts are right, and that the resulting plan fits your project, is yours to do.
  3. We do not file anything on your behalf, we do not certify or endorse your compliance, and we accept no liability for what happens when you use the document.
  4. State-level requirements carry the date we verified them. County and city rules are not covered — some local jurisdictions require a licensed preparer even where the state does not, and you have to check that yourself.
  5. When the product opens, our total liability will be capped at the amount you paid us. Today that amount is zero, because nothing is for sale.