Air Pollution Control District
The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District's (APCD) mission is to protect public health and welfare from the adverse effects of air pollution by identifying air pollution problems…
This department’s role in your permit
The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District's (APCD) mission is to protect public health and welfare from the adverse effects of air pollution by identifying air pollution problems and developing comprehensive programs to achieve and maintain State and federal clean air standards.
Meeting clean air standards requires effort from all participants in the community, especially businesses.
APCD's air pollution permit system is one way APCD and businesses can work together to clean our air and protect public health and welfare. APCD air pollution permits help to ensure that equipment and processes that emit air pollutants comply with all applicable air pollution regulations.
Helpful Hint: Projects that require discretionary land use permits from the County of Ventura may also need APCD permits before they operate. To avoid project delays, applicants should contact the APCD Engineering Division EARLY in the County of Ventura's discretionary permit process to determine if APCD permits are required.
Additionally, State law requires applicants for non-residential building permits or Certificates of Occupancy to inform the APCD about new or modified sources of air pollution in order to determine if they also need APCD permits. To comply with this requirement, please complete APCD's AB3205 questionnaire and submit it to the APCD. Residential projects do not need air pollution permits.
You can learn more about APCD permits in the FAQs and in the Brochure sections below. You can also contact the APCD Engineering Division by calling (805) 303-3683, or visit the APCD website by clicking on the Department Home link at the top of the page.
Phases we participate in
Phases Air Pollution Control District participates in Other phases in the process
- 1
Determine whether you need a discretionary planning permit to complete your project.
Departments involved: Building & Safety, Planning
- 2
Gather information about your site, the regulations that apply, and potential constraints.
Departments involved: County Surveyor, Groundwater, Planning
- 3
Meet with the Discretionary Permit Coordinator and/or Development Review Committee.
Departments involved: Agricultural Commissioner, Engineering Services, Environmental Health, Fire Department, Planning, Transportation
- 4
Assemble required materials and submit to the Planning Division for completeness review.
Departments involved: Engineering Services, Planning
- 5
Application Review Air Pollution Control District
County staff begins project review and preparation of environmental documents.
Departments involved: Agricultural Commissioner, Air Pollution Control District, Environmental Health, Fire Department, Groundwater, Planning, Stormwater Program, Transportation, Watercourse / Encroachment
- 6
CEQA Review Air Pollution Control District
County staff evaluates your project's potential environmental impacts.
Departments involved: Air Pollution Control District, Environmental Health, Planning
- 7
The decision-maker approves or denies the discretionary planning permit.
Departments involved: Planning
- 8
Completing Your Project Air Pollution Control District
Learn about the other permits you may need beyond the discretionary planning permit.
Departments involved: Air Pollution Control District, Building & Safety, Engineering Services, Environmental Health, Fire Department, Planning, Stormwater Program, Transportation, Watercourse / Encroachment
- 9
Periodic review of discretionary permits to ensure compliance with approved conditions.
Departments involved: Building & Safety, Environmental Health, Planning
Forms, fees & reference documents
The forms listed below are part of APCD's air pollution process. If you do not know which forms you will need, or need additional information, please contact the APCD Engineering Division by telephone at (805) 303-3683, or by email at engineering@vcapcd.org.
Before submitting any of the forms below, all applicants should schedule a pre-submittal meeting with the APCD Engineering Division by calling (805) 303-3683. At the pre-submittal meeting, you can speak with APCD staff, who can explain the permit application requirements and procedures. By scheduling a pre-submittal meeting, you can save considerable time and avoid permit processing delays.
Cover Forms
- Authority to Construct or Permit to Operate without Authority to Construct (with instructions), This form is for projects that need or failed to obtain a required Authority to Construct.
Special Cover Forms
- Permit to Operate - Authority to Construct Previously Issued (with instructions), This form is for projects that have an Authority to Construct and are applying for a Permit to Operate.
- Administrative Change (with instructions), This form is to transfer ownership of a Permit to Operate for an existing facility with no proposed changes to equipment, processes, or air pollution permit conditions, or for other administrative changes such as name changes or address changes.
Special Forms
- Certification of Statewide Compliance Form, This form is to certify that all major sources owned or operated by permit applicants in California are in compliance with all applicable emission limits and standards.
- Equipment Summary Instructions, These instructions are for equipment and processes that require an APCD air pollution permit but for which the APCD does not have specific supplementary permit application forms.
Supplementary Forms
- Abrasive Blasting Form (with instructions), For unconfined abrasive blasting operations using compressed air as the propelling force, as well as compressor engines rated at 50 BHP or greater.
- Automotive Coating Form (with instructions), For motor vehicle and mobile equipment coating operations.
- Auto - EPA 6H NESHAP Exemption Petition
- Auto - EPA 6H NESHAP Initial Compliance Notification
- Boilers, Steam Generators, and Process Heaters Form, For boilers, steam generators, and process heaters rated at 1 MMBTU/hr or greater.
- Charbroiler Form, For conveyorized charbroilers.
- Crude Oil Form (with instructions), For oil storage tanks, oil wells, and crude oil loading racks.
- Degreaser Form (with instructions), For solvent degreasers.
- Diesel or Gasoline Engine Form (with instructions), For stationary gasoline or diesel-fueled internal combustion engines with a maximum continuous horsepower rating of 50 or greater.
- Diesel Engine Supplement Form (with instructions), For stationary diesel-fueled internal combustion engines rated 50 HP or greater. In addition to Form Engine 102 and Form Engine 304.
- Emergency Engine Form (with instructions), Only for diesel-fired emergency standby engines.
- Gasoline Dispensing Facility Form, Only for gasoline dispensing facilities. Diesel fuel or waste oil tanks do not require air pollution permits.
- Glycol Dehydration Form
- Graphic Arts Form (with instructions), For graphic arts operations (packaging gravure, publication gravure, flexographic printing, letterpress, ink jet printing, lithographic printing, or coating/laminating). Do not use for screen printing.
- Natural Gas Engine Form (with instructions), For natural gas-fired engines rated 50 HP or greater.
- Oilfield Flare Form, For all flares rated at 1 MMBtu/hr or greater.
- Petroleum Dry Cleaner Application Form (with instructions), Only for petroleum dry cleaning operations. Not for perchloroethylene dry cleaning.
- Screen Printing Form (with instructions), For screen printing operations only.
- Solvent Cleaning Form (with instructions), For cleaning operations using solvents.
- Surface Coating Form (with instructions), For coatings applied to aerospace components. Do not use for automotive coating operations.
- Vapor Extraction System Application, For organic vapor extraction operations from contaminated soils.
Other Forms
- Questionnaire (AB3205), AB3205 (both pages) notifies the APCD about your business or facility prior to issuance of your Certificate of Occupancy permit. State law (AB3205) prohibits a city or county agency from issuing a building permit or Certificate of Occupancy unless APCD air pollution requirements are met.
- Asbestos Notification Revision Form, Only for demolition and asbestos abatement contractors, who must notify APCD of pending demolition or renovation activities involving asbestos.
The Ventura County APCD has a Permit Brochure to help answer your questions about the APCD's permitting process. Please contact the APCD's Engineering Division if you have project-specific questions, at (805) 303-3683 or engineering@vcapcd.org.
Ventura County Air Quality Assessment Guidelines (Guidelines)
The Guidelines provide lead agencies, consultants, and project applicants in Ventura County with a framework and uniform procedures for preparing air quality evaluations required by the California Environment Quality Act. They are not used for APCD air pollution permits. The Guidelines are available under the AQ Assessment section on the APCD's website.
Ventura County Air Pollution Control District Rules and Regulations
The Ventura County APCD Rules and Regulations were adopted to improve air quality and protect the health and welfare of Ventura County residents. Each regulation is broken into individual rules. The APCD Rules and Regulations are available by clicking RuleIndex. Helpful Hint: Air pollution laws periodically change. It is your responsibility to keep informed about rules that affect your facility or operation. Information regarding changes to regulations can be found on the Rule Development page of the APCD's website. The APCD also has a subscription service; an order form for the publications and notices is available by clicking 2023 Publication and subscription order form Fillable 20231120.
The APCD does not have any laws or ordinances that pertain specifically to discretionary land use permits. However, the APCD does have its own permit process. Air permits, generally required for stationary and non-vehicular equipment or operations that may emit air pollutants, ensure that such equipment and processes will be built and operated in compliance with APCD Rules and Regulations.
The following policies are in regards to APCD air pollution permits. Contact the APCD Engineering Division at (805) 303-3683.
- Best Available Control Technology Implementation Permit Policy, Establishes Best Available Control Technology requirements for facilities that require APCD permits.
- Vapor Extraction System Testing Policy, Establishes the testing procedures for vapor extraction operations.
The APCD charges the applicant fees for processing and filing permits. Based on the permit type, one or more of the following fees may apply:
- Application Filing Fee, Initial charge for each Authority to Construct or Permit to Operate.
- Application Processing Fee, In addition to the filing fee, based on the amount of staff time required to review and process each application.
- Permit to Operate Fee, Invoiced when the District engineer approves the Permit to Operate.
- Annual Operating Fee, Invoiced annually based on the facility's permitted air pollutant emissions.
Helpful Hint: Refer to APCD Rule 42 (Permit Fees).
Need help from Air Pollution Control District?
Reach out using the contact details above, or see how this department fits into the broader permitting process.