SWPPP template: which one your permit wants, and how to fill it in
Use the template your permit names. If EPA issues your permit (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, DC, Puerto Rico, most Indian country), that's EPA's free Word template. Texas, Florida and other states publish their own, and California requires a Qualified SWPPP Developer. Templates are free; filled-in plans run from a $49 draft to $599–$799 prepared plans and consultant quotes.
Download free: EPA SWPPP template (Word) · en español · Small Residential Lot (Word) · Texas RG-639 (Word) · EPA inspection report (Word)
The short list
- If EPA issues your permit: EPA's SWPPP template, free, in Word, or its Small Residential Lot version for up to five homes.
- In a state with its own template: your state's, such as TCEQ's RG-639 in Texas. Free.
- Cheapest draft with your site's facts filled in: ePlan. Free to read, $49 to download in Word.
- Done for you at a fixed price: Smart SWPPP. $599 to $799 per plan, in 48 to 72 hours.
- Required in California, best for complex sites: a SWPPP consultant or QSD, by quote.
- For the weekly inspections that follow: Mitti (free for up to 10 users) or ComplianceGo.
- If you already draft with an AI assistant: CaseMark's free SWPPP skill.
Which template your permit wants
| Where the site is | Permit, and when it expires | What the plan is called | Official template |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA areas: MA, NH, NM, DC, Puerto Rico, Pacific territories, most Indian country, some federal facilities and some Oklahoma oil and gas sites | EPA 2022 CGP, to February 16, 2027 | SWPPP | EPA SWPPP template (Word); Small Residential Lot template for up to five homes |
| Texas | TCEQ TXR150000, to March 5, 2028 | SWP3 | RG-639 (Word or PDF, English or Spanish, May 2023) |
| California | Order 2022-0057-DWQ, to August 31, 2028 | SWPPP | None; the Board leaves the format to the QSD |
| Florida | DEP generic permit (2015; a replacement is in rulemaking) | SWPPP | Construction SWPPP template (an 8-page PDF guide) |
| Washington | Ecology CSWGP, to December 31, 2030 | SWPPP | Ecology SWPPP template (Word) and an inspection form |
| Georgia | GAR100001, -2 and -3, to July 31, 2028 | Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Plan | None; GSWCC's 2026 checklist must be submitted with the plan |
| North Carolina | NCG010000, to March 31, 2029 | SWPPP: the approved E&SC plan plus extras | Two sample plan sheets |
| Colorado | COR400000, to March 31, 2029 | Stormwater management plan (SWMP) | Guidance and a content checklist |
| Virginia | VAR10, to June 30, 2029 | SWPPP, with the approved erosion and stormwater plans | A DEQ template, which the rule allows for common-plan sites under 1 acre |
| Other states | The state's own construction general permit | Usually SWPPP | Check the agency's construction stormwater page |
What goes in a SWPPP: EPA's template, section by section
EPA's template follows Part 7 of its permit, and most state templates use the same order with additions. The permit, not the template, sets your obligations.
| Section | What you write |
|---|---|
| 1. Contacts and responsible parties | Every operator and the area it controls; the stormwater team, each member's duties and training. |
| 2. Site evaluation and planning | Acres disturbed, receiving waters and discharge points, the work and its dated schedule, non-stormwater discharges, site maps. |
| 3. Other federal requirements | Endangered species eligibility, historic property screening, underground injection controls. |
| 4. Erosion and sediment controls | Fifteen subsections, from buffers and perimeter controls to dewatering and stabilization: the control, its spec, maintenance and schedule. |
| 5. Pollution prevention | Spills, fueling, washing, materials and waste, washout, fertilizers. |
| 6. Inspection and corrective action | Who inspects, how often, the rain gauge, corrective action and delegation of authority. |
| 7. Turbidity monitoring | Only for dewatering discharges to sensitive waters. |
| 8. Certification | The signature of the operator's authorized signatory. |
The requirements checklist maps each item to its permit part, and the SWPPP example shows every section filled in for an invented 1.75-acre site.
How to fill it in, in order
- Confirm the permit and get its template. EPA's Appendix B lists EPA's areas; elsewhere, your state's construction stormwater page has the template and forms.
- Check whether you need one. An acre or more, or less inside a larger common plan, needs coverage; 1 to 5 acres may waive out if the erosivity factor is under 5 (when a SWPPP is required).
- Describe the site and schedule from your grading plan: area disturbed to the nearest quarter acre, the most disturbed at one time, and dates for each phase.
- Find your receiving waters and whether they're impaired, with EPA's How's My Waterway. That can change your inspection schedule.
- Clear the species and historic screens before the NOI: USFWS IPaC and NOAA Fisheries for species, Appendix E's four steps for historic properties.
- Specify each control with a cited spec, its maintenance and install date, and draw it on the site map with flow arrows.
- Name a qualified inspector and the schedule. Under EPA's permit the inspector must pass EPA's free course or hold a current equivalent certification (inspection forms).
- Sign, file and keep it current. File the NOI (how), post the site notice, and update the plan within 7 days of any change.
Nine ways to get a SWPPP, side by side
| Option | What you get | Filled in for your site | Price | Who signs or prepares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA SWPPP template | Word template for EPA's 2022 CGP, with instructions in each field; separate inspection and corrective action templates | No you write it | Free | You, in most EPA areas; New Mexico adds a qualified-preparer condition |
| State templates | Free templates, guides or checklists from state agencies, such as TCEQ's RG-639 (Word), Washington Ecology's (Word) and Florida DEP's (PDF) | No you write it | Free | Depends on the state |
| ePlan | A drafted SWPPP from four questions and public data; the NOI and an inspection form are drafted as separate documents; Word download | Yes draft, marked for you to check | Free to read (up to 3 projects); $49 per document; Pro $99/mo | You or your QSD reviews and signs; not stamped |
| CaseMark SWPPP skill | A free, open-source instruction file that has an AI assistant draft a SWPPP from your project details | From what you give it | Free file; or run in CaseMark's Para from $20/seat/mo | You review and sign |
| Smart SWPPP | A prepared plan from your uploaded plans; site notices; NOI preparation | Yes prepared for you | $599 under 5 acres, $699 5+ acres (Austin); $799 (New Mexico, Ohio); NOI $99 | Smart SWPPP prepares; you sign |
| SWPPP consultant or QSD | A site-specific plan, often with inspections and permit filing | Yes | By quote; one firm publishes $2,500–$5,000 for sites under 5 acres | The consultant; required in California (QSD) |
| US Legal Forms / pdfFiller | Fillable copies of agency SWPPP templates in a forms library and PDF editor | No | From $8/mo billed yearly; $15/mo with pdfFiller | You |
| Mitti (SafetyCulture) | Inspection app with a free SWPPP inspection checklist; not a plan writer | No inspections only | Free up to 10 users; $24/seat/mo yearly, $29 monthly | Your inspector |
| ComplianceGo | Stormwater inspection app and a free library of state inspection forms | No inspections only | 30-day free trial; price on request | Your inspector |
Each option in a paragraph
EPA SWPPP template
Best if EPA issues your permit
A Word file covering every Part 7 item, with instruction text in each field and 14 appendices for maps, forms and logs. In a state with its own program it's a good model but not your form. The shorter Small Residential Lot version is for builders of up to five homes, each disturbing under an acre, away from sensitive waters.
State templates
Best in a state that publishes one
Texas's RG-639 (May 2023) is the most complete: worksheets keyed to each permit part, in Word or PDF, English or Spanish (Texas guide). Washington's is a Word file that predates its 2026 permit; Florida's is an 8-page PDF guide; Georgia requires its checklist instead; California publishes none. Check any template's date against the permit's.
ePlan
Best for a filled-in first draft at the lowest price
ePlan asks four questions (site, acres, what you're building, grading dates) and fills in the rest from public data: which permit applies, the receiving water and its impairments, the design storm, soils and slope. The draft follows EPA's or the state's template and marks what to check or fill in; the NOI and an inspection form are drafted next as separate documents. Reading is free (up to 3 active projects); each Word file is $49, so the SWPPP, NOI and form are $147, or Pro is $99 a month for unlimited downloads.
Where it falls short: the draft isn't stamped, ePlan doesn't draw the site map, and its terms say the signer must check every draft. In California a QSD still has to prepare and certify the plan.
CaseMark SWPPP skill
Best if you already draft with an AI assistant
A free, Apache 2.0 instruction file from the legal AI company CaseMark (its old SWPPP page redirects here). It looks nothing up, so the facts are only what you supply. It also runs in CaseMark's Para, from $20 a seat a month.
Smart SWPPP
Best for a done-for-you plan at a published price
Upload your plans and get a prepared SWPPP in 48 to 72 hours. Prices sit on its market pages, not a pricing page (which returns 404): $599 under 5 acres and $699 for 5 or more in Austin, $799 in New Mexico and Ohio, $99 for an NOI alone.
SWPPP consultant or QSD
Required in California; best for basins, dewatering or sensitive waters
A consultant writes the plan, often draws the sheets, and can file and inspect. Pro SWPPP, one such firm, publishes $2,500 to $5,000 for sites under 5 acres and $150 to $500 per inspection; see the cost guide.
US Legal Forms and pdfFiller
Only if you use the library for other forms too
Fillable copies of agency templates, from $8 a month billed yearly or $15 with the pdfFiller editor. The agency file is free and current.
Mitti (SafetyCulture)
Best free app for the weekly inspections
A SWPPP inspection checklist with photos and reports, free for up to 10 users, then $24 a seat a month billed yearly. It runs inspections; it doesn't write the plan.
ComplianceGo
Best for contractors inspecting many sites
A stormwater inspection app with weather data and free state inspection forms; 30-day free trial, then pricing on request.
Where ePlan fits, and where it doesn't
ePlan is the better choice when
- You'd write the plan yourself anyway and want the public-data facts filled in first.
- You want to read the whole draft before paying, and pay $49 for the SWPPP draft rather than $599 or more for a prepared plan.
- You need the SWPPP, NOI and inspection form to agree.
Pick something else when
- You're in California: hire a QSD (ePlan's draft can be their start).
- You want it all done for you: Smart SWPPP or a consultant.
- You need drawn sheets or an engineered basin: a consultant or engineer.
One date to know: February 16, 2027
EPA's 2022 permit expires at 11:59 p.m. on February 16, 2027. Under the 2027 permit EPA proposed on August 3, 2026, sites in EPA's areas file a new NOI that includes the SWPPP, a link to it, or its site map and signed certification. State permits keep their own schedules (what changes in 2027).
Questions
Is there a free SWPPP template?
Yes. EPA's construction SWPPP template is a free Word file for sites under EPA's permit, and many states publish their own, such as TCEQ's RG-639 in Texas. Use the one your permit names.
Can I write my own SWPPP?
In most places, yes: the permit names who must sign and who may inspect, not who must write it. The exceptions: California requires a Qualified SWPPP Developer, Georgia a certified design professional, and in New Mexico EPA's permit adds a state condition that a qualified erosion control specialist prepare it. See who can write a SWPPP.
How much does a SWPPP cost?
From $0 for an agency template you fill in yourself, to $49 for an ePlan draft, $599 to $799 for a Smart SWPPP plan, and consultant quotes that one firm puts at $2,500 to $5,000 under 5 acres. Permit fees and inspections come on top (cost guide).
Does a SWPPP need an engineer's stamp?
Usually not: EPA's permit, Texas and Florida name no professional who must stamp it. Georgia's plan carries a design professional's seal on every sheet, and engineered features like sediment basins may need an engineer.
Guides
- When is a SWPPP required? The 1-acre tests, waivers and state differences.
- SWPPP requirements Every Part 7 item, mapped to EPA's template.
- SWPPP example A filled-in plan for an invented 1.75-acre site.
- Texas SWPPP (SWP3) TXR150000, RG-639, inspections and fees.
- California SWPPP Risk levels, QSDs, SMARTS and fees.
- SWPPP inspection form What a report records, and how often.
- SWPPP cost Plans, permit fees and inspections, with sums.
- Who can write a SWPPP? Preparer and inspector rules by state.
- SWPPP notice of intent Filing in order; state systems and fees.
- EPA's 2027 permit Dates, changes and an update checklist.
How we checked
On November 13, 2026 we read EPA's 2022 permit, its appendices and template, the 2027 proposal, each state agency's permit and template, and each product's own pricing page. The top Google results for "SWPPP template" that day were form directories and copies of templates; none said which template applies or how to fill it in. We gave no scores or star ratings. Corrections: support@winding.ai.
About this page
This page is published by Winding AI, Inc., the company that makes ePlan, one of the nine options compared here. We make money when someone pays ePlan to download a document or subscribes; we earn nothing from links to agencies or other products, and links to ePlan carry a tag so ePlan can count visits from this page. Nothing here is legal or engineering advice: your permit's text governs.