North Carolina UST Operator Training

UST Operator Certification Procedures

Class A/B Operator Training

There are two options for primary operator training:

Attend UST Tank School in person, or
Complete an online class with N.C. Department of Environmental Quality

Option 1: Attend a North Carolina Tank School - Register Here

Receive training by N.C. Underground Storage Tank staff about your specific facility. There is NO cost to you for this option. You must include your facility ID # when you register. You can enter more than one facility ID #. Your facility ID # is found on your permit and has the following format: ##-#-00000#####

Option 2: Complete an online class with N.C. Department of Environmental Quality

Receive federal and state specific training online from NCDEQ. There is NO cost to you for this option. There are four types of login options to take the training depending on whether you have a North Carolina state government email address or a non-government email and have or have not taken this online training in the past. The training works best using Internet Explorer. The login instructions can be found here: NCDEQ Online Instructions

Class C Operator Training
PASS' Class C Operator Training in North Carolina is approved by the NCDEQ

All of PASS’ UST operator training courses meet and exceed the federal requirements for UST operator training and are offered through our in-house designed and built Learning Management System (LMS). PASS’ state-specific A/B training courses are custom tailored to meet state requirements, and are accepted by more states than any other training provider. Our courses are available on demand, 24/7 and are accessible from any internet-connected computer, tablet, or phone. The student can complete an entire course in a single session or take the course in segments. The training may be stopped and restarted, allowing for maximum schedule flexibility. PASS also does not impose time restrictions on course access, so students may take as much time as they need to complete their training. Once training is completed a certificate is available to save and print.

Registration & Fees

Owners/operators of all USTs must register their USTs with the NCDEQ by submitting one of the following:

An Application to Install or Replace Underground Storage Tank Systems and an Ownership of USTs or Change in Ownership of USTs (for new or replacement tanks); or
A Notification for Activities Involving Underground Storage Tanks form (for existing tanks).

Owners/operators must also pay the annual tank operating fee of $420.00 per tank or compartment. Upon receipt of the registration form and fee(s), the NCDEQ will issue an operating permit for the UST. The operating permit is valid for one year and must be renewed annually.

Release Reporting

Suspected Releases: In the event of a suspected release, the owner/operator should submit a UST Suspected Release 24-Hour Notice form to the UST section central office (fax to 919-715-1117 or e-mail to UST.Permits@ncdenr.gov) as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours after discovery. Suspected releases must be investigated. Within 7 days of discovering a suspected release, the owner/operator must submit a UST Suspected Release 7-Day Notice to the UST section central office documenting the results of the investigation.
Confirmed Releases: In the event of a confirmed release, the owner/operator must contact the regional UST office and submit a 24-Hour Release and UST Leak Reporting Form as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours after discovery.

Asheville Regional Office

2090 U.S. 70 Highway
Swannanoa, NC 28778-8211
Phone: 828-296-4500
Fax: 828-299-7043

Fayetteville Regional Office

225 Green Street, Suite 714
Fayetteville, NC 28301-5095
Phone: 910-433-3300
Fax: 910-486-0707

Mooresville Regional Office

610 East Center Avenue, Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 28115
Phone: 704-663-1699
Fax: 704-663-6040

Raleigh Regional Office

3800 Barrett Drive
Raleigh, NC 27609
Phone: 919-791-4200
Fax: 919-571-4718

Washington Regional Office

943 Washington Square Mall
Washington, NC 27889
Phone: 252-946-6481
Fax: 252-975-3716

Wilmington Regional Office

127 Cardinal Drive Ext.
Wilmington, NC 28405
Phone: 910-796-7215
Fax: 910-350-2004

Winston-Salem Regional Office

450 Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
Phone: 336-776-9800
Fax: 336-776-9797

Release Detection

UST owners/operators in North Carolina may use any of the following methods of release detection:

Automatic tank gauging (ATG);
Secondary containment with interstitial monitoring;
Manual tank gauging;
Vapor monitoring;
Groundwater monitoring;
Statistical Inventory Reconciliation (SIR); or
Tank tightness testing with inventory control.

Financial Responsibility

North Carolina follows the federal financial responsibility coverage amounts found in 40 CFR §280.93 (scroll to page 77 of 119 in the pdf document). Owners/operators may use any of the following mechanisms to demonstrate financial responsibility.

Self-insurance (only for incorporated businesses)
Corporate guarantee (only for incorporated businesses)
Insurance and risk retention group coverage
Surety bond
Letter of credit
Trust fund
Insurance pool

Payment of the annual tank operating fee (see the Registration & Fees section below) entitles owners/operators to be reimbursed from the North Carolina UST financial assurance fund, provided all eligibility requirements are met. For more information, see the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) brochure "Financial Responsibility for Underground Storage Tanks".

Inspection & Testing Requirements

An inspector from the Division of Waste Management will periodically conduct a compliance inspection of each UST facility in the state. Most inspections are scheduled in advance with the owner/operator and take approximately one to two hours to complete. Inspections may be conducted without prior notice. Owners/operators can find more information in the FAQs about Preparing for an Underground Storage Tank Inspection.

The inspector will need to review the following records:

UST operating permit and any registration forms;
Tank and piping release detection records for the past 12 months;
Documentation of any ball float valves used for overfill prevention;
Records detailing the installation and any subsequent internal inspections of any internally-lined tanks;
Records verifying that the tank and piping systems are made of non-corrodible material;
Records verifying that Emergency Response Operator(s)/Class C operators have been trained;
Records of any maintenance and repairs to the UST system;
Records of any suspected release reports and subsequent investigations; and
All required cathodic protection system records, including:
- The last two three-year tests of the corrosion protection system;
- Documentation of cathodic protection system tests performed after making any repairs;
- The last three 60-day readings for impressed current systems;
- Documentation of an integrity test completed prior to cathodic protection system installation; and
- Certification showing that a field-installed cathodic protection system was designed by a corrosion expert or Professional Engineer.

During the inspection, the following facility personnel must be on site:

A knowledgeable person who understands the operation/management of the UST system; and
A knowledgeable person who will remove covers from turbine sumps, probes, and fill pipes and open dispenser cabinets.

In addition to inspecting all system components for proper operation, the inspector will check that:

All spill buckets and containment sumps are clean and dry; and
All equipment meets OSHA safety requirements.

Delivery Prohibition/Non-Compliance Enforcement

If a North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) inspector determines that a UST or UST system is out of compliance with UST regulations, he or she may initiate non-compliance enforcement procedures. The NCDEQ will send a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the owner/operator that will identify the issues that need to be resolved, and a corrective action schedule to achieve compliance. If compliance is not achieved within that corrective action schedule or severe violations are found, the UST Section will pursue civil penalties, through enforcement action, as well as placing a hold on the facility's UST operating permit.

Temporary & Permanent Closure

UST permanent closure or change in service must be completed in accordance with the latest version of the Guidelines for Site Checks, Tank Closure and Initial Response and Abatement. The guidelines can be obtained at North Carolina's DEQ Website.