Nevada Air Permits

Air permits & authorizations

• Insignificant activities

  Exemption

  Some small or low-impact emission units are insignificant under NAC 445B.288. Sources that emit only steam or water droplets need no permit. BAPC offers an Insignificant Activity Determination (fee listed on NDEP's guidance page).

  NAC 445B.288Official page

• Class II Air Quality Operating Permit

  Minor NSR

  For facilities below Class I levels that exceed any of the Class II pollutant levels. In Nevada, the operating permit also authorizes construction for Class II sources.

  Thresholds (summarized from source, not a quotation)

  Below Class I levels (under 100 tpy any regulated pollutant, under 25 tpy total HAP, under 10 tpy single HAP) and more than: 5 tpy PM2.5 or PM10; 50 tpy CO; 20 tpy VOC; 5 tpy NOx or SO2; or 1 tpy H2S (restated from NDEP's permit guidance page).

  NAC 445BOfficial page

• Class II General Permits

  General Permit

  General permits for temporary stationary sources and general stationary sources, including nonmetallic mineral crushing and screening plants and concrete batch plants. Five-year lifespan, renewed as a group.

  NAC 445BOfficial page

• Change of Location Approval (COLA)

  Other

  For portable construction equipment (often road and highway projects) operating less than 12 months at one location under a general permit.

  Official page

• Surface Area Disturbance (SAD) Permit

  Other

  Required for disturbing non-agricultural land above the acreage threshold. NDEP's guidance page uses both 'five or more acres' and 'more than 5 acres'; confirm with BAPC.

  NAC 445B.22037Official page

• Nevada Mercury Control Program (Mercury Operating Permit to Construct)

  Other

  Required for owners or operators of thermal units that emit mercury; new or modified units need a permit before construction. Facilities subject to 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart EEEEEEE need a Class I (Title V) permit regardless of size.

  Official page

Major NSR (PSD & nonattainment)

• PSD (within Class I permitting)

  PSD

  PSD sources are permitted as Class I sources. NDEP's guidance cites 40 CFR 52.21, a 180-day preliminary determination window and 12-month final decision window, and higher application fees for PSD sources. NDEP publishes a map of PSD-triggered planning areas.

  40 CFR 52.21 (as referenced by NDEP)Official page

Title V operating permits

• Class I Air Quality Operating Permit (Title V) and Operating Permit to Construct

  Title V

  Major source program. New or modified Class I sources obtain an Operating Permit to Construct (OPTC) before construction, then a Class I operating permit.

  Thresholds (summarized from source, not a quotation)

  Typically facilities emitting more than 100 tpy of any regulated pollutant, more than 25 tpy total HAP, or more than 10 tpy of any single HAP; also PSD and major MACT sources (restated from NDEP; BAPC makes final determinations).

  NAC 445BOfficial page

Oil & Gas

NDEP's permitting, guidance, and forms pages list no oil and gas specific air permit; BAPC directs oil and gas questions to its front office. Oil and gas sources follow the Class I/Class II thresholds plus applicable federal NSPS and NESHAP.

State air regulations

• NAC Chapter 445BAir Controls (Nevada Administrative Code)
• NRS Chapter 445BAir Pollution (Nevada Revised Statutes)
• NAC 445B.156Responsible Official (definition)
• NAC 445B.22037Surface area disturbance permits
• NAC 445B.288Insignificant activities
• NAC 445B.327; 445B.3689Fees

Forms

• Air Permit Forms and Resources
• Class I Permit Application
• Class II Operating Permit Application
• Class II Applicability Determination
• General Permit: Temporary Sources Application
• General Permit: Crushing and Screening Plants
• General Permit: Concrete Batch Plants
• SAD Permit Application
• COLA Request Form
• Insignificant Activity Determination
• Notification of Authorized Change

Guidance

• Permit Guidance (FAQ)
• Class I Application Guidance
• Class II Application Guidance
• General Permit Guidance
• COLA Guidance
• Nevada PSD Triggered Planning Areas map
• Emissions Reduction Credit Program
• Process Flow Diagram Guidance

Compliance

State compliance obligations (reporting, emissions inventory, testing) are being indexed. Use the Compliance dashboard preview to see how they will be tracked.

Sources

• NDEP Air Permitting
• NDEP Permit Guidance
• NDEP Air Permit Forms and Resources
• EPA Clean Air Act Permitting in Nevada

Editorial note: Thresholds restated from NDEP pages, which describe them as general guidance (BAPC makes final determinations). NDEP's current pages describe Class I and Class II only. No air ePermitting portal is listed; NDEP offers e-payments at https://epayments.ndep.nv.gov/ and a public document search at https://ndep-onbase.nv.gov/. Tribal lands: EPA Region 9 (https://www.epa.gov/caa-permitting/r9-tribal-minor-nsr). BAPC permitting branch: (775) 687-9349.