Procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses

Procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses is a necessary process to ensure business operations comply with legal regulations on environmental protection. Following correct procedures will help businesses ensure legal safety and avoid other risks. The article below will analyze and advise in detail the procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses.

In what cases is it necessary to carry out procedures for renewing environmental permits?

Pursuant to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 44 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, the Environmental License is renewed in the cases specified in Clause 5, Article 42 of this Law, specifically:

In case there is a change in the name of an investment project, facility, production, business, concentrated service area, industrial cluster or owner of the investment project or facility, the owner of the investment project or facility is responsible for continuing to implement the environmental license and notify the environmental licensing agency to have the license renewed.

However, in addition to information about the name or owner, businesses are not allowed to change other content specified in the license.

Thus, the renewal of the environmental license ensures that the enterprise’s environmental legal information is always accurate, reflecting the current state of operations. When a business has a change in name or owner, updating this information on the environmental license is mandatory, helping state management agencies effectively monitor and supervise.

>>> Reference: Cases of changing the content of environmental permits.

Who has the authority to renew environmental permits for businesses?

Licensing authority levels are determined based on the scale, nature and scope of the project’s activities. Specifically, based on Article 41 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, the authority to grant environmental licenses to subjects falling under Article 39 of this Law is prescribed as follows:

1. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issues environmental licenses for:

• The subject has had the results of appraisal of the environmental impact assessment report approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
• Subjects located in 02 or more provincial administrative units or located in coastal areas that have not yet determined the administrative management responsibility of the Provincial People’s Committee.
• Facilities that import scrap from abroad as raw materials for production, establishments that provide hazardous waste treatment services.

2. The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security issue environmental permits for investment projects and facilities that are state secrets on national defense and security.
3. Provincial People’s Committees issue environmental permits for:

• Group II investment projects according to regulations.
• Group III investment projects are located in 02 or more district-level administrative units.
• Subjects whose results of appraisal of the environmental impact assessment report have been approved by the Provincial People’s Committee or the Ministry or ministerial-level agency.

4. District-level People’s Committees issue environmental permits for the remaining subjects.

For procedures for renewing environmental permits, the agency with authority to renew is the agency that issued the environmental permit. This ensures continuity and consistency in the process of managing and monitoring the implementation of environmental protection requirements of the enterprise.

Current procedures for granting and renewing environmental licenses for businesses

Procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses must be carried out strictly and accurately from document preparation to implementation process, avoiding multiple amendments and additions of documents that are time-consuming. Specifically, the procedure is as follows:

File

A dossier for renewal of environmental license needs to ensure completeness and accuracy so that the review process can proceed smoothly, helping to shorten appraisal and approval time.

According to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 30 of Decree 08/2022/ND-CP, amendments and supplements in Clause 12, Article 1 of Decree 05/2025/ND-CP, the application for renewal of environmental license includes:

• Written request for renewal of environmental license of the owner of the investment project or facility according to form No. 1 in Appendix XIV issued with Decree 08/2022/ND-CP.
• Copies of legal documents related to the change in case there is a change in the name of the investment project, facility, concentrated production, business, service area, industrial cluster or owner of the investment project or facility.

>>> DOWNLOAD NOW: SAMPLE DOCUMENT APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT

Implementation process

According to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 30 of Decree 08/2022/ND-CP, amendments and supplements in Clause 12, Article 1 of Decree 05/2025/ND-CP, the process of implementing procedures for renewing environmental licenses includes the following steps:

Step 1: The investment project owner and facility prepare full documents according to regulations, including a written request for renewal and legal documents related to the change.

Step 2: Investment project owners and establishments can choose one of the following application forms:

• Submit directly to the competent authority;
• Submit by mail;
• Submit online via the Public Service Portal.

Step 3: The competent authority will check the completeness and validity of the dossier. If the dossier is incomplete or invalid, the agency will issue a written notice requesting additions, corrections and resend to the investment project owner or facility.

Step 4: The competent authority will research and evaluate the application for renewal along with legal documents related to the change of the investment project owner and facility.

Step 5: After completing the appraisal process, the competent authority will renew the environmental license to the owner of the investment project or facility for the remaining term of the license.

In addition, according to Clause 1, Article 30 of Decree 08/2022/ND-CP, amended and supplemented in Clause 12, Article 1 of Decree 05/2025/ND-CP, the time to carry out the procedure for renewing the environmental license is specified to be a maximum of 10 days from the date of receipt of complete and valid documents.

The time for the investment project owner or facility to edit and supplement documents is not included in the time limit for reviewing and renewing the environmental permit.

Thus, above are the complete and accurate steps to carry out procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses.

Consulting services on procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses at Long Phan Consulting Company

Implementing the procedure for renewing environmental permits requires professional knowledge and experience in environmental law. Long Phan Consulting Company with a team of experienced experts will provide comprehensive consulting services on procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses.

Long Phan’s services include:

• Consulting on determining cases where it is necessary to renew environmental permits;
• Support in identifying the competent authority to renew environmental permits;
• Instructions for preparing and completing application documents;
• Authorized business representative submits documents and monitors the resolution process;
• Explanation and supplementation of documents at the request of competent authorities;
• Receive results and hand them over to the business.

With experience in renewing environmental licenses for businesses, Long Phan Consulting Company is committed to supporting businesses in completing environmental license renewal procedures quickly and effectively.

Some frequently asked questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about procedures for renewing environmental licenses for businesses:

What cases require the renewal of an environmental permit?

Environmental permits need to be renewed when there is a change in the name of the investment project, the name of the facility, the name of the production, business or service area, the name of the industrial cluster, or the investor or owner of the facility.

Aside from changes in name or ownership, can other details be adjusted during the license renewal process?

No, other than changes in name or owner, no other information specified in the current license may change during the renewal process.

Which agency has the authority to renew environmental licenses for businesses?

The agency that issued the original environmental permit is also responsible for renewing that permit.

What documents are needed when applying for an environmental permit?

The registration dossier must include a written request to change the license (Form No. 01 in Appendix XIV of Decree 08/2022/ND-CP) and copies of legal documents related to the change (for example: change of name, transfer of ownership rights).

What is the first step in the environmental permit renewal process?

The first main step is for the investment project or facility owner to prepare a complete set of documents, including a written request for renewal and legal documents related to the change.

What methods of applying for renewal of environmental permits are accepted?

Applicants can submit their applications directly to the competent authority, via postal service, or electronically through the National Public Service Portal.

Conclude

The procedure for renewing environmental licenses for businesses is simple but requires accuracy and strict compliance with legal regulations. Long Phan Consulting Company is ready to assist customers in implementing this package of procedures quickly, effectively and legally. Please contact us immediately via the hotline 1900636389 for detailed advice and timely support for all issues related to environmental licenses for businesses.