Regulatory Branch - Joint Permit Application

Download the Joint Permit Application (JPA)

This Joint Permit Application is used to apply for permits (i.e. standard/ permits or general permits) from the Norfolk District US Army Corps of Engineers for work in the waters of the United States (including wetlands) within Virginia. The JPA is also used to apply for corresponding permits from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and/or Local Wetlands Boards. The JPA process and JPA forms are used by the USACE, the VMRC, the DEQ, and the LWB for permitting purposes involving tidal and/or non-tidal water, tidal and/or non-tidal wetlands, and/or dune/beach resources, including, but not limited to, construction, dredging, filling, or excavation. Read the directions on the application carefully to determine how many copies must be submitted to the VMRC, who acts as the clearinghouse for permit applications. Permit applicants may obtain paper copies of the Joint Permit Applications by calling the Corps at 757-201-7652, or by downloading and using one of the two versions of the JPA below.

The JPA may be optionally used for a Nationwide Permit Preconstruction Notification, or PCN. If used for a PCN, the PCN box must be checked at the top of Page 7 on the Standard JPA document. If the project is going to be permitted via the State Programmatic General Permit, the SPGP box must be checked at the top of Page 7 on the Standard JPA document.

There are two different Joint Permit Applications available for use depending on the type of activity that you are proposing. The JPAs include detailed instructions on how to apply. If you propose to impact tidal waters, or wetlands, or dunes/beaches in the Tidewater area of Virginia, you may be eligible to use the TIDEWATER JPA, an abbreviated version of the Joint Permit Application. Activities eligible to use the Tidewater JPA include piers, boathouses, boat ramps, moorings, marinas, aquaculture facilities, riprap revetments, bulkheads, marsh toe stabilizations, breakwaters, beach nourishment, groins, jetties, road crossings over tidal waterways, and utility lines over or under tidal waterways.
Tidewater JPA PDF document with fillable forms

Dredging and excavation projects in tidal waterways/wetlands MUST use the Standard JPA.
Standard JPA PDF document with fillable forms

A link to example drawings is also provided above for your use as a guide.
Sample drawings, in plan view and cross-section

These blank Joint Permit Applications include fillable forms. In order to fill out the forms on your computer, you will need to have, at a minimum, the Adobe Acrobat Reader software, which may be downloaded for free by visiting http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html. The Acrobat Reader will NOT allow you to save an electronic copy of completed applications. If you wish to save your completed application electronically, you will need to have the full version of Adobe Acrobat (not just the Reader). This software is not free, but may be purchased locally or by visiting http://www.adobe.com/store/main.jhtml.

Once you have finished entering your information, you may print the completed portions of the applications and mail them in. Or, you may fill out the application and save it with CutePDF software. You can download this free software at http://www.cutepdf.com and print the JPA as a PDF for electronic submittal. Alternatively, you may choose to print the documents and fill in the forms by hand before mailing in.

For applicants who wish to complete and submit a JPA electronically, a completed version of either the Standard or Tidewater JPA will have to be saved, scanned, or "printed" as a PDF document via use of the CutePDF Writer or the full (not free) version of Adobe Acrobat. Then, you may submit the JPA as a PDF attachment in an email and send it to VMRC at JPA.permits@mrc.virginia.gov. The electronic application and attached documents must not exceed 5 megabytes (5MB). However, electronic documents must have sufficient resolution to show project details.