Central District Permitting and Waste Cleanup

Florida’s environmental laws require sites be developed, projects be built and facilities be operated in a manner that is protective of the environment. Environmental permits help minimize potential environmental disruption as a result of common human activities. Florida’s environmental laws require sites be developed, projects be built, and facilities be operated in a manner that is protective of the environment. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issues permits and authorizations for a wide variety of facilities and activities, such as air emission sources, coastal construction, residential and commercial docks, wetlands, marinas, waste management facilities, drinking water and wastewater plants. Along with rules and statutes, these authorizations establish criteria and conditions that help safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystems.

DEP's Central District ensures the protection of the environment and human health while providing the public with fair, consistent and timely customer service, working proactively with stakeholders to consistently draft high-quality permits in the shortest time possible. In a normal year, the Central District will handle over 2,000 permits, clearances and other authorizations.

The goal of Central District's Waste Cleanup section is to oversee cleanup of contaminated sites in order to protect public health and the environment. Brownfields are a tool used by DEP to hasten the cleanup of real property that may have otherwise been complicated by actual or perceived environmental contamination.

In coordination with DEP's regulatory divisions of Air Resource Management, Water Resource Management and Waste Management, Central District Permitting handles authorizations primarily related to the following programs:

• Air – for minor and major sources of air pollution in Florida.
• Waste – associated with Solid Waste Management facilities.
• Water – associated with:
  • Drinking Water.
  • Domestic Wastewater.
  • Industrial Wastewater.
  • Stormwater.
  • Submerged Lands and Environmental Resources.
• Waste Cleanup.

Request a DEP Pre-Application Meeting

Request a DEP pre-application meeting with our Central District staff. The purpose of a pre-application meeting is to minimize processing steps and potential time delays of your application for a specific project.

Permit Applications Under Review

To find a permit application currently under review, please visit find an open application.

Selected* Environmental Resource Permit Application Notices

Helpful Resources

• Do I need a permit - Dock Permitting Guidance.

• Do I need a permit - Wetland Determinations and Impacts FAQ.