Where to apply for an environmental permit? How much does it cost?

Article overview

Where to apply for an environmental permit? This is an issue that needs to be clearly understood when being subject to an environmental permit. Identifying the right licensing authority and understanding the appraisal process and costs are essential to ensure a smooth licensing process. The following article by Long Phan will answer this question and other questions related to environmental licensing.

Where to apply for an environmental permit?
Where to apply for an environmental permit?

Where to apply for an environmental permit?

According to the provisions of Article 41 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, depending on the type and scale of the project and facility, apply for an environmental license at different competent agencies. Specifically as follows:

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment:

  1. Granting environmental licenses to projects and facilities that have been approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as a result of environmental impact assessment reports. Specifically includes:
  • Subject 1: Investment projects in groups I, II and III that generate wastewater, dust and exhaust gas discharged into the environment must be treated or generate hazardous waste that must be managed according to regulations on waste management when officially put into operation.
  • Subject 2: Investment projects, facilities, concentrated production, business, service areas, industrial clusters operating before the effective date of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 with environmental criteria as for statue 1;
  • Subject 3: Subject 1 belongs to the case of emergency public investment projects according to the provisions of law on public investment that are exempt from environmental permits.
  1. Subjects in case 1 are located in an area of ​​02 or more provincial-level administrative units or located in a sea area that has not yet determined the administrative management responsibility of the Provincial People’s Committee; establishments that import scrap from abroad as raw materials for production, establishments that provide hazardous waste treatment services.

Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security:

Issuing environmental licenses for investment projects and facilities that are classified as state secrets on national defense and security.

Provincial People’s Committee:

  • Granting environmental licenses for group II investment projects.
  • Issue environmental licenses for group III investment projects located in 02 or more district-level administrative units.
  • Investment projects, facilities, concentrated production, business, service zones, industrial clusters operating before the effective date of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 have environmental criteria. At the same time, the 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.

District People’s Committee:

Issue environmental licenses for remaining projects and facilities that are not under the licensing authority of the above-mentioned agencies for subjects in case 1 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Competent authority to issue environmental permits
Competent authority to issue environmental permits

Methods of submitting applications for environmental permits

Pursuant to Point a, Clause 2, Article 43 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, you can choose one of the following three methods to submit an application for an environmental permit:

  • Submit directly to the competent authority;
  • Submit by mail;
  • Submit online: send electronic copies through the online public service system.

Evaluation fee for applying for an environmental permit

Fees for appraisal of environmental permit applications are specified in Circular 02/2022/TT-BTC. Specifically as follows:

General appraisal fee

  • For projects and facilities in group I (except for case 02 below): 50 million VND/license.
  • For projects or facilities belonging to group II or projects or facilities located in 02 or more provincial administrative units or located in coastal areas where the administrative management responsibility of the People’s Committee has not yet been determined. Provincial level residents: 45 million VND/license.

Appraisal fee in some special cases

  1. Fees for appraisal and issuance of environmental permits for projects providing hazardous waste treatment services or facilities providing hazardous waste treatment services
STT Number of hazardous waste treatment equipment Fee (million VND)
Project Facility
1 Go to 4 60 40
2 From 5 to 10 65 50
3 From 11 and up 70 60
  1. Fees for appraisal and issuance of environmental licenses for projects importing scrap as raw materials for production or establishments importing scrap as raw materials for production that have come into operation
STT Types of scrap Fee (million VND)
Project Facility
1 Scrap iron and steel 75 50
2 Paper scraps 65 45
3 Plastic scrap 60 40
4 Other scrap 55 35

The above fee is calculated based on the environmental permit appraisal. The fee does not include travel costs for the actual inspection team at the facility and costs for sampling and analyzing waste samples according to regulations.

In case of projects or facilities requesting environmental licenses, including many contents of the license request (including: performing hazardous waste treatment services, importing scrap as raw materials for production and other contents): The fee level is determined as the highest fee level for the project or facility.

Fast and reputable consulting and guidance services for applying for environmental permits

To save time and effort, customers can use Long Phan’s consulting and guidance services for applying for environmental permits. Our Services include:

  • Consulting on subjects that must have an environmental permit;
  • Consulting on cases of exemption from environmental permits;
  • Consulting on conditions for obtaining an environmental permit;
  • Consulting with competent authorities to issue environmental permits;
  • Consulting and guidance on preparing documents for environmental permits;
  • Instructions on the order and procedures for applying for environmental permits;
  • Representing customers to quickly apply for environmental permits;
  • Instructions for explaining and supplementing documents (if any);
  • Consulting and answering other related issues.
Consulting on environmental licensing
Consulting on environmental licensing

Applying for an environmental permit is a mandatory requirement for many projects and production and business establishments. Customers need to understand the regulations, prepare complete and accurate documents and submit them to the competent authority. If you need support, please contact Long Phan via the hotline: 0906735386 for quick and effective advice and support.