The District charges fees to cover our costs for reviewing applications, issuing permits, and ensuring compliance. The information below provides more detailed descriptions on the fees, including why we charge fees, what fees to expect, what the fees cover, and when fees are due.

The fees are typically adjusted annually on July 1 to account for changes in the California Consumer Price Index.
For information on the District’s stationary source permit program, please visit the APCD Permit Process.

Our agency’s mission is to provide clean air for the residents of our community. Federal and State law requires us to implement our air pollution regulatory program and allows us to charge fees to recover our costs. The agency gets no money from property or general taxes collected by Santa Barbara County. Instead, the money to accomplish our mission and mandates comes primarily from fees we charge to businesses and other sources of air pollution.

1) Application Filing Fee
This is a flat fee which covers the initial review of your Authority to Construct (ATC) or Permit to Operate (PTO) application to determine if all required information has been included as well as related administrative paperwork activities. Payment must accompany each submitted application. The application filing fee is listed on the application form itself and it is listed in Rule 210, Schedule F.

2) Evaluation Fees
These fees are based on the number and type of equipment proposed, and covers the technical processing and compliance inspections related to the ATC or PTO permit to determine if the project meets all local, state, and federal requirements. The invoice for this fee is sent with the final permit when it is issued. Schedule A in Rule 210 lists the fee rates per equipment type. Large projects may be assessed evaluation fees on a cost reimbursement (time and materials) basis, instead of the Schedule A fees.

3) Reevaluation Fees
For most permitted businesses, the permit is reviewed (reevaluated) every three years and updated as necessary. Reevaluation fees are charged according to Schedule A of Rule 210 based on the number and type of equipment. These reevaluation fees renew the operating permit for three more years and covers the costs of updating and evaluating the permit and the associated inspections and compliance monitoring. The fees are calculated in the same manner as the permit evaluation fees, except that there is a minimum flat fee. The invoice for this fee is sent with the final permit when it is reissued. 

1) Annual Emission Fee
Annual emission fees are typically invoiced between January and June each year to all permitted stationary sources. The fee amount is based on the source’s actual emissions of criteria air pollutants (ROG, NOx, SOx, and PM) in the preceding year, as determined by the submitted data and operating records from the source’s throughput reports. For permitted businesses that emit less than 10 tons of criteria pollutants in a year, a flat fee is assessed. Facilities that emit more than 10 tons per year are assessed progressively higher fee amounts in accordance with Rule 210, Schedule B. Annual Emission fees are used to fund District programs such as air monitoring, air quality planning, emission inventory, business assistance, public education, emergency response, and special projects. 

2) Annual Air Toxics Fee
Similar to the annual emission fee described above, air toxics fees are assessed based on the emitted toxic air contaminants from a stationary source in the preceding year, as determined by the submitted data and operating records from the source’s throughput reports. These fees are typically invoiced with the annual emission fee between January and June each year to permitted stationary sources. Currently, sources that emit less than 2,000 pounds of toxic air contaminants are not assessed any fee under Schedule B. Annual Air Toxic emission fees are used for regulating air toxics and complying with Assembly Bill 2588.

3) Air Quality Attainment Plan Fee
This fee only applies to large permitted sources, those with permitted or actual emissions greater than 10 tons per year. Fees are assessed according to Rule 210, Schedule B, and the fee is typically sent out every year in January. Annual Air Quality Attainment Planning fees help fund the preparation of mandated air quality plans necessary for the attainment and maintenance of ambient air quality standards.

1) Source Test Fee
Sources that require a compliance source test are assessed a fee for APCD staff to review source test plans and subsequent reports as well as to witness the test at the facility. An invoice is sent to the source after the source test has been conducted.

2) School Public Notices
California Health and Safety Code §42301.6 requires the District to issue a 30-day public notice prior to issuing a permit to construct to a stationary source that increases the emissions of toxic air contaminants within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school. Fees are assessed to the applicant to recover the expenses associated with preparing and distributing the 30-day public notice.

3) Air Toxics “Hot Spots” Program Fee
This fee partially supports the APCD’s Air Toxics Hot Spots Program which is required by H&SC 44300 et. seq. The fees were approved by the Air Resources Board and are based on both the risk and complexity of the stationary source. Outer Continental Shelf sources are not subject to the Air Toxics Hot Spots Program.

Fees are due to the APCD within 30 days of receiving an invoice from the APCD.

If payment is not received within 60 calendar days of the invoice date, delinquency penalties (or “late fees”) will begin to be assessed in accordance with Rule 210.

1) If I didn’t use my permit last year, do I still have to pay the fees?
Yes. As long as the permit is active, all recurring fees will be assessed in accordance with Rule 210. Please contact the District’s Engineering Division if your permit is no longer needed and you would like it to be cancelled. Cancellation requests may be submitted electronically by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

2) Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
For additional questions, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call the District’s Business Assistance Line at (805) 979-8050.