Exclusions and Exemptions from Petroleum Storage Tank Rules

Find out if your tank – aboveground or underground – is exempt or excluded from PST regulations.

Exclusions and Exemptions

Common exemptions from rules and regulations for petroleum storage tanks include:

Farm or residential aboveground tanks with a capacity of 1,100 gallons or less.
Tanks that contain heating oil.
Flow-through process tanks.
Septic tanks.

For a full list of exemptions and exclusions, see:

Exemptions for USTs and UST Systems (Title 30, Texas Administrative Code (30 TAC), Subchapter 334.3)
Exclusions for USTs and UST Systems (30 TAC 334.4)
Exemptions for ASTs (30 TAC 334.123)
Exclusions for ASTs (30 TAC 334.124)

PSTs Under Edwards Aquifer Requirements

If your PST system is in Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Comal, Hays, Travis, or Williamson County, other requirements related to protecting the Edwards or Trinity Aquifer may apply. Any activity must be approved before it is conducted. For more information, see our Edwards Aquifer Protection Program webpage.

Edwards Aquifer Rules (30 TAC 213)
Secondary Containment Requirements for USTs Located Over Certain Aquifers (30 TAC 214)

Requirements and Exceptions for Other PSTs

Old PSTs

Any PST not permanently removed from service must meet rule requirements, regardless of age.

Schools

Schools must meet the same requirements as other entities. However, non-retail facilities (like schools) do not have to do inventory control unless they use automatic tank gauging or statistical inventory reconciliation as part of their release detection method.

USTs Storing Used Oil

Used oil is a regulated substance and must meet the same requirements as other petroleum products. However, emergency generator tanks and used oil tanks can use automatic tank gauging as their tank release detection method without doing inventory control. Find more information about this exception in the release detection rules (30 TAC 334.50).

More Information

See the following resources for more on PST rules and requirements:

TCEQ's Small Business and Local Government Assistance section offers free, confidential help to small businesses and local governments working to follow state environmental regulations. Call us at 800-447-2827 or visit our webpage at TexasEnviroHelp.org.