Tier II Chemical Reporting in North Carolina: Who Files & How
Short answer: if your North Carolina facility stores a hazardous chemical at or above its EPCRA reporting threshold — generally 10,000 pounds, or as low as 500 pounds for an Extremely Hazardous Substance — you must file an annual Tier II chemical inventory report by March 1 for the prior calendar year. In North Carolina the report goes to the State Emergency Response Commission (the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission, supported by North Carolina Emergency Management), your Local Emergency Planning Committee, and your local fire department. SDSentry ($24 per location per month) tracks the quantity and unit of every product so the inventory side of Tier II is a download, not a February scramble. Here is how it works in NC.
Free, no signup: the SDS binder builder at sdsentry.0xpi.com/sds-binder.html turns a pasted list of the products you keep on site into one printable index of their current safety data sheets.
What Tier II is (and isn't)
Tier II is a report required under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). It tells fire departments and emergency planners what hazardous chemicals are stored at your facility, how much, and where, so responders know what they are walking into. It is separate from OSHA Hazard Communication — the same chemicals are involved, but HazCom protects your workers while Tier II informs your community's emergency responders. North Carolina implements EPCRA through its State Emergency Response Commission; the federal rules set the thresholds and the deadline, and the state administers collection.
Who has to file in North Carolina
Any facility required to keep a safety data sheet for a hazardous chemical must file Tier II if that chemical is on site at or above the reporting threshold at any point during the year. The federal thresholds are:
- 10,000 lbs for most hazardous chemicals (those that require an SDS).
- 500 lbs — or the chemical's Threshold Planning Quantity, whichever is lower — for Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHSs) on EPA's list.
Quantities are based on the maximum amount present at any one time, aggregated across the facility. A small clinic, shelter, or shop stocking cleaning and disinfection products usually stays well under these numbers, but the things that add up are worth checking: bulk propane or diesel tanks, stored fuel, pool or spa chemicals, fertilizer, or a large bulk supply of a single disinfectant. Because EHSs have much lower thresholds, a relatively small amount of the wrong chemical can trigger reporting. The only way to know is to track quantities.
When and where to file in NC
Tier II reports are due annually by March 1 and cover the previous calendar year. Under EPCRA the report goes to three recipients:
- Your State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) — in North Carolina, the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission, supported by the NC Division of Emergency Management within the Department of Public Safety.
- Your Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) for the county or region where the facility is located.
- Your local fire department with jurisdiction over the facility.
North Carolina accepts Tier II filings through E-Plan — the only filing method the state accepts. You submit your report electronically through E-Plan to the NC Division of Emergency Management, which supports the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission. For registration, instructions, and current details, see the NC Division of Emergency Management's EPCRA / Tier II reporting page: ncdps.gov — EPCRA Tier II reporting. NC Emergency Management: “The state of North Carolina only accepts Tier II reports submitted using E-Plan (erplan.net). Paper submissions will not be accepted.”
North Carolina charges a state fee, collected online by E-Plan when you file. Under G.S. 166A-29.1 (checked Oct 2026) it is $50 for each hazardous chemical and $90 for each Extremely Hazardous Substance reported at a site, up to $5,000 per reporting site per year; the statute lists exemptions, including family farm enterprises and facilities owned by state or local government.
Do not assume E-Plan reaches your locals. The state's FAQ: “While many fire departments and LEPCs accept E-Plan, there are still some who require other methods of submission. You must contact your LEPC and local fire department to ensure you are compliant with their submission guidelines.”
How to get the inventory data ready
Whatever system North Carolina uses, the hard part of Tier II is the same everywhere: building an accurate, quantity-tracked list of every hazardous chemical on site. A Tier II form needs the chemical, its hazard classification, the maximum and average amount on hand, how it's stored, and where. If you do not maintain that inventory year-round, you end up rebuilding it from memory and old invoices every February. Keeping a living inventory — updated as products come and go — turns filing into a data export instead of a research project. Our guide on building a chemical inventory from scratch walks through the fields you'll need.
How SDSentry helps
SDSentry tracks quantity and unit per item in your per-location inventory, flags items over a threshold you set, and exports an EPCRA Tier II CSV so your preparer isn't rebuilding the inventory by hand. It won't file for you — you still submit through E-Plan, the filing method North Carolina requires — but it turns the worst part, compiling the data, into a download. And because the same chemical list drives your OSHA HazCom obligations, you maintain it once and use it for both. It's a flat $24 per location per month with unlimited users and a 7-day free trial.
Track inventory for Tier II — free trial
Frequently asked questions
Who receives Tier II reports in North Carolina?
Under federal EPCRA, Tier II reports go to three recipients: your State Emergency Response Commission, your Local Emergency Planning Committee, and your local fire department. In North Carolina the SERC is the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission, supported by the NC Division of Emergency Management within the Department of Public Safety. North Carolina accepts filings only through E-Plan, so you submit your report electronically through E-Plan to the NC Division of Emergency Management and notify your LEPC and local fire department. Confirm current details with NC Emergency Management before you file.
How do I file Tier II in North Carolina?
File through E-Plan (erplan.net); North Carolina accepts no other method and no paper submissions. The fee is collected when you file. Check with your LEPC and local fire department, because some still require other methods of submission.
When is the Tier II deadline in North Carolina?
The federal EPCRA deadline is March 1 each year, covering the prior calendar year. North Carolina follows this federal March 1 deadline. File through E-Plan to the NC Division of Emergency Management, and verify the current-year date and any state-specific instructions with NC Emergency Management.
What are the Tier II reporting thresholds?
You report if a hazardous chemical that requires a safety data sheet is on site at or above 10,000 pounds at any time during the year, or at or above 500 pounds or its Threshold Planning Quantity (whichever is lower) for an Extremely Hazardous Substance on EPA's list.
Is there a state fee to file Tier II in North Carolina?
Yes. Under G.S. 166A-29.1 North Carolina charges $50 for each hazardous chemical and $90 for each Extremely Hazardous Substance reported at a site, up to $5,000 per reporting site per year, collected through E-Plan. Exemptions include family farm enterprises and facilities owned by state or local government.