Learn the rules and requirements for renewing an Air District Authorities to Construct (A/C), Permits to Operate (P/O), Certificates of Registration, and Major Facility Review (Title V) Permits.
General Information
With the lifting of the Bay Area's emergency Shelter-in-Place Order, the Air District is transitioning to a regular service environment.
* Please continue to hold off on visiting our office unless you have made prior arrangements.
Read our full instructions for handling Permit business.
Certain Air District permits require renewal or action prior to expiration. This applies to Authorities to Construct, Permits to Operate, Certificates of Registration, and Major Facility Review (Title V) Permits.
Here is an overview of the renewal process:
Authority to Construct (A/C) – If any equipment covered in the A/C is not completed before it expires, then you must notify the Air District prior to expiration. If an A/C does not qualify for renewal, the applicant must obtain a new A/C by resubmitting a new permit application. See Air District Regulation 2, Rule 1. The Air District will issue an invoice for the A/C renewal after the notification is received. In addition, the applicant must provide notification when any equipment covered by the A/C is started up or if the A/C is no longer needed. For more information, go to the Authority to Construct (A/C) web page.
Permit to Operate (P/O) – Prior to receiving an invoice to renew the P/O, you may be asked to provide information through the Data Update (see section below). Starting in 2021, some facilities will be required to submit calendar year reporting under the California Air Resources Board’s Criteria Pollutant and Toxics Emissions Reporting (CTR) rule. For more information on CTR reporting, go to the Criteria Toxics Reporting web page.
The renewal invoice is typically issued 30 to 60 days prior to expiration. Delays in the submittal of your Data Update may cause your permit renewal invoice to be issued late. Failure to return your Data Update may result in enforcement action or prevent your permit renewal invoice from being issued.
Certificate of Registration (Registration) – If your facility is only covered by a registration, you will be issued a renewal invoice typically sent 30 to 60 days prior to expiration. For registered equipment and operations that are also included on a P/O, the registrations will be renewed at the same time as the P/O.
Major Facility Review (MFR or Title V) Permit – This type of permit is renewed every 5 years. The Responsible Official must submit an application to renew the Title V permit no later than 6 months and no earlier than 12 months from expiration. The Air District will issue an invoice for the Title V renewal during the process.
Unless your facility is subject to Criteria Air Pollutants and Toxic Air Contaminants (CTR) reporting, prior to receiving an invoice to renew a P/O, the Air District may periodically ask for information through a "Data Update," which is typically sent 110 to 150 days prior to permit expiration. The Data Update is sent to the designated owner/operator. Data is updated every 1 to 4 years, depending on the device. Not all devices (sources) require updating during this process and may not be listed in the Data Update.
The information you furnish is used to:
Trade Secret: Under the California Public Records Act, all information in your submittal will be considered a matter of public record and may be disclosed to the public, unless you have asked the Air District to treat certain items as trade secret as specified in Regulation 2, Rule 1, Section 402.7.
Returning completed forms:
BAAQMD – Engineering Division
375 Beale Street, Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94105
Your permit renewal invoice will be sent to the designated contact for the facility. It is the owner/operator’s responsibility to notify the Air District if your contact has changed.
Online payments are encouraged. You can look up the status of your permit invoice payments or, in most cases, pay online at www.baaqmd.gov/pay. You will need your invoice number and customer number located on your invoice to use this service.
Payments submitted by mail take longer to process, around 14 days from the day they are received. Your check may get cashed first and then take a few days to be reflected on your invoice balance.
Common errors are:
Renewed permit documents are sent to the designated owner/operator around 5 to 10 business days after your permit renewal invoice is settled. You must pay the full balance of your permit renewal invoice before your renewed permit documents are issued.
For more information about payments, see the previous "Invoice Payments and Payment Status" section of this web page.
Last Updated: 8/10/2020