How to read a TCEQ air permit record.
A TCEQ record looks like a wall of codes and numbers — but it's only about eight fields, each answering a plain question: who, where, what kind, and what's happening now. Learn them once and you can read any record at a glance.
The permit number identifies the authorization, its type code says what kind it is, the CN is the company and the RN is the site, and the project type and statustell you what's happening right now. The one trap: permit status and project status are different things — a permit can be effective while a project on it is still pending.
One record, fully decoded.
Here's a representative TCEQ air permit record. The numbered pins map to the plain-English explanation below.
Permit number
The authorization's ID. A trailing letter (the "/ A") usually marks a later action — an amendment or renewal — on the same base permit.
Permit type
A short code for the kind of authorization. STDPMT is a standard permit; see the full code list below.
Customer number (CN)
Identifies who holds the permit — the legal entity. Follows the company across every site it owns.
Regulated entity (RN)
Identifies where — the physical site. Stays with the location even if ownership changes.
Project number & type
The specific action underway on the permit — here, a renewal — with its own tracking number.
Permit status
The standing of the permit itself — effective, expired, or voided.
Project status
The standing of the current action — pending or complete. Not the same as permit status.
Key dates
When TCEQ received the project, when it was completed, and the renewal date that drives the clock.
CN is the who. RN is the where.
These two numbers trip up more people than anything else on a record. The distinction is simple.
The company
TCEQ's unique ID for a customer— the person or organization it regulates. It's tied to the entity's state filing and follows the company across every facility it owns or operates.
CN + 9 digits · e.g. CN601234567The site
TCEQ's unique ID for a regulated entity — a physical site where a regulated activity happens. It stays with the location; a new site generally gets a new RN, even under the same owner.
RN + 9 digits · e.g. RN109876543Because a CN links to everything a company owns, it's the fastest way to see a firm's whole Texas footprint; an RN pulls up every permit at one site. Both are the search keys behind a permit status lookup.
Decode the codes.
The abbreviations you'll see most often in the permit-type, project-type, and status fields.
Permit type codes
| Code | What it means |
|---|---|
| CONSTRUCT | Case-by-case New Source Review construction permit |
| STDPMT | Standard permit — a pre-set permit for a common facility class |
| PBR | Permit by rule — standardized authorization under 30 TAC Ch. 106 |
| PSD | Prevention of Significant Deterioration — major-source federal review |
| GHGPSD | Greenhouse-gas PSD — major-source review triggered by GHG emissions |
| FLEX / FLEX SA | Flexible permit — an NSR permit with an overall emissions cap |
| SPECCONST / SPECOPPMT | Special construction / special operating permit variants |
Every one of these maps to a type covered in Permit types explained. Codes can vary slightly in how they're displayed across TCEQ systems.
Project type codes
| Code | Action |
|---|---|
| INITIAL | First-time authorization |
| RENEWAL | Renewing an existing permit |
| RENEWNOTIC | Renewal notice stage |
| AMEND | Amendment to the permit |
| REVISION | Revision of permit terms |
Status codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| EFFECTIVE | Issued and in force |
| PENDING | Under review / not yet final |
| WITHDRAWN | Application pulled by applicant |
| VOIDED | Cancelled — e.g. unused NSR permit |
| EXPIRED | Past its term without renewal |
Status labels can differ slightly between TCEQ's Central Registry and other data views, but the meanings line up with the ones above.
Permit status ≠ project status.
Read as two separate layers. This is the single most common misread of a TCEQ record.
Permit status
The standing of the authorization itself — is it in force right now?
Project status
The standing of whatever action is currently underway on that permit.
Why it matters: a permit can read Effective while a renewal or amendment project on it reads Pending — exactly the example above. The site is fully authorized and has a change in the pipeline. Reading only one field would tell you the wrong story. This is the mechanic behind renewals, covered in Renewals & deadlines.
What the permit number itself tells you.
The number format is a quiet clue to the authorization type. NSR permits are numeric, and a trailing letter usually signals a later action on the same permit — 6164 becomes 6164A, then 6164B, as it's amended or renewed. Permits by rule often reference the rule itself, like 106.352. Title V operating permitscarry an "O" prefix, and PSD permitstypically use a "PSDTX" number.
You don't need to memorize these — but recognizing that a letter suffix means "later action, same permit" saves you from mistaking an amendment for a brand-new authorization.
Reading a record, answered.
What is a CN number on a TCEQ permit?+−
A CN, or Customer Number, is TCEQ's unique identifier for a customer — the person or organization it regulates. It's an 11-character number in the form CN followed by nine digits, tied to the entity's Texas Secretary of State or Comptroller filing. It identifies who holds the permit and follows that company across every site it owns or operates.
What is an RN number on a TCEQ permit?+−
An RN, or Regulated Entity Number, is TCEQ's unique identifier for a regulated entity — a physical site or location where a regulated activity happens. It's in the form RN followed by nine digits. It identifies where the activity takes place and stays with the location; a new site generally gets a new RN.
What's the difference between permit status and project status?+−
Permit status describes the standing of the permit itself — effective, expired, or voided. Project status describes the current application or action on that permit — pending or complete. They're separate, so a permit can be effective while a renewal or amendment project on it is still pending.
What do CONSTRUCT, STDPMT, and PBR mean on a record?+−
They're permit-type codes. CONSTRUCT is a case-by-case New Source Review construction permit; STDPMT is a standard permit; PBR is a permit by rule. Others include PSD and GHGPSD for major-source federal reviews, FLEX for a flexible permit, and operating-permit codes for Title V authorizations.
What does a letter after a TCEQ permit number mean?+−
For New Source Review permits, a letter suffix after the numeric permit number (such as 6164A or 688B) typically marks a later action on the same permit — an amendment or renewal — issued in sequence over the permit's life. The base number stays the same; the letter advances.
You can read them. Let us watch them.
Now that a TCEQ record makes sense, put one to work — look up any permit by company, CN, RN, or county and get an alert within a day when its status or project changes.
This chapter summarizes publicly available TCEQ Central Registry and Air Permits Division conventions for general informational purposes only — it is not legal, engineering, or professional advice. Field names, codes, and number formats may vary across TCEQ systems and change over time; always confirm against the authoritative TCEQ record. The example record shown is illustrative and does not depict a specific real permittee.