Overview
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) protects Pennsylvania's air, land, and water. This work includes overseeing a system of environmental permits.
You can follow the progress of new DEP permit applications with the permit tracker. With this tool, you can:
- Search by authorization ID or keyword.
- Filter by county, program area, permit type, application type, status, and submission date.
- View application status, details, and estimated processing time.
- Find contact information for your reviewer.
About environmental permitting
There are hundreds of types of DEP permits. Some activities require more than one DEP permit.
Distinct program areas manage these permit processes. These include:
- Air quality.
- Clean water.
- Environmental cleanup & brownfields.
- Mining.
- Oil & gas.
- Radiation protection.
- Safe drinking water.
- Waste management.
- Waterways engineering & wetlands.
To learn more about each program and its permits, review that program's webpages within DEP.
Applying for a DEP permit
Before you start
Contact the DEP regional or mining office for your county. They'll help you figure out which permits you need. They also have permit coordinators to assist with projects that require multiple permits.
Submit your application
DEP accepts applications and supplemental materials online or by mail.
For more information, visit DEP's page about submission methods.
Track your application
Once DEP accepts your application for review, it will appear in the permit tracker. You'll get an email with your application details and a link to the tracker.
You can also search the permit tracker for your application.
Your permit detail page will display your application's status and estimated processing time. As your application moves through review, you'll also see a log of completion dates for each step.
Note: DEP may contact you during the review. It's important to respond. DEP may need more information to continue processing your application. If so, review will be on hold until they have the information they need.
DEP will let you know when they've made a final decision. Your permit detail page will include the decision. For issued permits, you'll also see an issued date and expiration date.
Review process definitions
Appealing a permit decision
Once DEP makes a final decision, the applicant or the public may appeal the decision. You must file an appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board (EHB) within 30 days. Visit the EHB's website to learn about appealing a decision.