Recertify your commercial stormwater credits

We show you how to recertify your stormwater credits.

Commercial credit holders

To maintain your credits:

  • Submit a recertification application every five years. This checks that your stormwater system is working and well-maintained.
  • In January of your recertification year, you will get a letter with details about the process. We will also send reminders in April and June.
  • You must turn in all documents by July 15 of your recertification year.

We will give each site a credit recertification tier. The tier is based on the site's annual credit amount. Recertification notice letters will inform credit holders of their tier.

Read more about recertification documentation requirements

Apply to recertify your credits

Downtown Minneapolis during a rain storm.

Credit recertification tiers

Credit recertification tier Credit amount per year
Tier 1 $1 - $1,200
Tier 2 $1,201 - $5,000
Tier 3 $5,001 - $24,000
Tier 4 $24,001 and up

Recertification documentation requirements

For all applicants

All applicants seeking credit recertification must submit the following documents:

  • An application with complete site details:
    • Address
    • Owner
    • Contact information
  • A map showing the site conditions, including:
    • The total impervious area.
    • The size and location of stormwater facilities.
    • The flow path from the impervious areas to the stormwater facilities.
  • A copy of the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Plan
  • Field documentation of the best management practices (BMPs)
    • These can be photos or videos.
  • Annual inspection and maintenance records.
    • The records must show that inspections were done at least annually, or more often if the O&M Plan requires it.
  • Chloride Management Plan

A licensed professional is a person licensed as a professional engineer or landscape architect.

Applicants must also submit the following documents for their assigned credit tier.

Tier 1 applicants

The City will provide you with checklist or simple form. This is for assessing small sites or BMPs.

This does not have to be completed by a licensed professional.

Tier 2 applicants

You must provide:

A map detailing the drainage for the entire site, including:

  • All infrastructure relating to stormwater BMPs. Examples include:
    • Inlets
    • Outlets
    • Storm pipes
    • Manholes
    • Underdrains
  • Any connection points to the City of Minneapolis stormwater system or discharge offsite.
  • Functional assessment of the BMPs.
    • This must show that the BMPs are functioning as designed.
  • Documents must be signed by a licensed professional.

Tier 3 applicants

You must provide:

  • Everything listed in Tier 2.
  • A licensed professional must verify the hydraulic and hydrologic modeling.
    • If you have previous modeling, you can submit it. A licensed professional must confirm that the site conditions have not changed.

Tier 4 applicants

You must provide:

  • Everything listed in Tier 3.
  • A certification from a licensed professional that the stormwater facilities:
    • Have been constructed.
    • Continue to meet the standards of the stormwater credits program.

Contact us

SWS Utility

Surface Water and Sewers 
Public Works Department

Email SWS Utility