Office of Water Resources Permit Application Portal

Scenario: When I created my account, I accidentally auto-populated a middle initial (which I do not have); therefore, when I went onto auto-tag/tagging, it is not letting me link all of my licenses. It is also not allowing me to edit or change in/fix it that portion is grayed out. It is only allowing me to change my demographics, address, phone number etc. Please advise how to fix this. 

Solution: DEM staff can assist you. Please email us at DEM.WaterResources@dem.ri.gov for same day follow up. Please do not call. Using the email to submit your request ensures a faster response that's documented in writing. Be sure to attach a screenshot to your email to help us diagnose the problem. 

Scenario: As I understand it, for our individual profile I will need to use a unique phone number. I can use my direct dial, but all previous applications were submitted under the main company number. Will that mean that all previous applications will need to be individually tagged or will they come in based on the designer number? 

Solution: You need to use your personal phone number when creating account. The system uses the personal phone number we have on record for you when you filled out your license application. Do not use the business phone number that is published to our web page. 

Scenario: With the picture and phone info, it really seems like the system is set up for designers and not firms.  Can you confirm if a firm can use the portal or if each designer needs their own login and how a firm may get a copy of the notifications if a designer is away?  By firm, I mean one login that multiple designers can use. 

Solution: The OWTS application process does not support “Firm” or “Company” accounts. The account must be tied to a licensed OWTS Professional, not their organization. 

No, if multiple licenses are held by the same individual, the designer must separately tag each license, but this is done within the same user account.

Scenario: I created a login a few weeks ago when the stormwater/wetland portion of the portal was opened. I'm assuming I can just update my profile with the additional info needed for OWTS? 

Solution: Yes, but only if the account created for the other OWR programs is an individual account and not a “Firm” or “Company” account. 

Scenario: If someone is working for more than 1 company, can the OWTS Designer license be tagged to more than one profile? If a person works for two different entities and we have a COA through the Board of Registration for both companies through DBR, we should be able to submit applications for separate entities 

Solution: The OWTS Permitting process is tied to the licensed OWTS professional, not to the company, allowing the designer freedom to subcontract or work for multiple different entities.

Scenario: If a soil evaluator is an outside contractor, but the office under retainment takes care of submittals and or payments, how are the two profiles linked, if at all? As a Class III designer, I sometimes complete the soil evaluation form for a subcontractor who has a Class IV. 

Solution: Payments and submissions are the responsibility of the licensed applicant. The Class IV may submit the site evaluation to a Class II or III designer to complete Part B of the form. The Class IV will fill out part A of the form, then select no to complete the rest of the form, and type in the Class II or III designer’s name, and it will be routed to them under ‘Application Requests’ > ’All Designer IV Requests’. 

Scenario: Can you explain why the owner needs to create an account and how the designer links the application? How do we have customers sign applications on the portal, and how would I access that? Will there be a new application form that the owners need to sign before uploading? 

Solution: The designer may select that they are authorized by the homeowner to submit on their behalf. In the document upload section, there is a spot to upload the owner's signature, which we provide a form for download for the owner to sign and the designer to upload. Alternatively, the designer may have the owner create an account prior to construction permit submission which when they enter owner details use the email the owner used to create the account and at completion of the application it will submit to the owner's account for them to sign the form and pay for the application separately online. 

Yes, the public, including the client, may use the Active Permit Search to view application status history, access application materials and submittals for new or resubmitted applications, and download final permit documents, such as approved plans and permits. A login is not required to use this search tool.

If the owner creates an account and it is properly linked to the project, an email notification will be triggered if they select the ‘Are you the designer, with the owner separately paying for and attesting to the application online?’ option. 

A/E technology training certifications will not be required with each design submission. The new system requires designers to have their training uploaded and verified within the system prior to submitting a plan containing A/E Technology.

Due to the sheer volume of designers with A/E Training, all OWTS Professionals should upload their respective certifications into the system to reduce the processing time required for DEM staff to import and review the data.

GeoMatrix typically supplies a letter indicating that a designer or installer is trained to design or install their products. 

A list of technologies, their approvals, and conditions of those approvals can be found in the document below:

If you do not require CEUs, then you do not need to fill out the continuing education section of “my details” and it will not be asked of you come time for renewal.  

Yes. DEM maintains paper files for each designer. You may review these files by setting up an appointment with an OWTS admin to review them, if needed, at (401) 222-3961 or DEM.OWTS@dem.ri.gov.

Fee payments are processed through the new system as part of the application submission process via a connected payment portal. The individual making the payment will be automatically redirected to the payment page and directed back to the OWR Application Portal after the payment is processed. 

Yes. Processing fees are 3% for payments made via ACH and 5% for credit card transactions. These fees are retained by Tyler Technologies, which supports the payment portal. 

The Licensed OWTS professional can pay on behalf of the applicant by selecting that option on the application form. 

Plans may be scanned and uploaded into the new system in the following formats: doc, docx, pdf, png, tiff, jpg, jpeg, and .csv 

The erroneous submission will have to be refunded, and a second application submitted. 

Yes. Completed applications should automatically link to your profile, as long as your license was tagged correctly. 

The OWTS Professional may pay for the application on behalf of the owner, or another entity may create an account and pay directly. 

If you select the ‘Are you the designer, with the owner separately paying for and attesting to the application online?’

• The owner will need to have an account prior to submission
• You will need to include the email address they used for account creation in the owner details
• At the end of the application for the designer, it will then be automatically routed to the owner’s account. The owner will receive a notification to complete their attestation and payment. 

Account creation for owners entails entering their details such as name, mailing address, home address, email address, and phone number. They will then get an email to verify their account and create a password. After their account is set up, and the designer follows the process above, the owner will receive an email taking them through the steps to get into the application to sign and pay.

In the document upload section, there is a required upload for the owner’s signature, which has a hyperlink to download an Owner’s Signature Form that can either be digitally or physically signed. The designer will then upload that completed document for submission. 

The Designer has the ultimate responsibility for the application and its contents, and as such typically completes the permit. For instance, an OWTS Class IV designer must submit the application for the soil evaluation under their account.