Rules
Waste carrier permits from 22 July 2027: what changes
From 22 July 2027, waste carriers, brokers and dealers in England need an environmental permit or a registered exemption instead of a registration, under regulations made on 22 July 2026 (SI 2026/873). Existing upper tier carriers switch when their current registration was due to expire, so most skip and clearance firms will apply between July 2027 and July 2030.
When do waste carrier permits start in England?
The Environmental Permitting (Waste Controlling or Transporting) and Relevant Functions of Primary Authorities (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/873, were made on 22 July 2026. The main rules come into force at the end of the 12 months beginning on that day, which is 22 July 2027.
The transitional rules, regulations 27 to 31, came into force on the 21st day after the regulations were made, 12 August 2026. They set when each existing registration holder must move to a permit.
The permit regime covers businesses based in England, or carrying on business from a place in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland keep their own systems; Scotland moved carriers to EASR registrations on 1 November 2025.
What are the new waste permit categories?
The regulations replace carrier, broker and dealer with three activities:
Waste controlling: buying and selling waste, organising its collection, transport, recovery or disposal, organising its end destination or storage, and making sure it is assessed and classified. It applies whether or not you take possession of the waste.
Waste transporting: moving waste between locations, for example on the instructions of a waste controller.
Waste controlling-transporting: both at once. Defra's policy paper (August 2025) names skip companies and waste collection companies as examples, so most skip hire and rubbish removal firms will fall here.
Defra says permits will be 'standard rules' permits, split further by the type and volume of waste across 4 levels of risk, with details and charges to come in a separate Environment Agency consultation.
When does my business have to switch from registration to a permit?
It depends on your current registration (SI 2026/873, regulation 28):
Upper tier carriers, brokers and dealers must hold a permit or registered exemption from the day after their current registration was scheduled to expire. A 3 year registration renewed in early 2027 therefore runs into 2030.
Lower tier registrations (the 'specified persons' in the 2011 Waste Regulations) have until the end of 12 months from 22 July 2027, so until July 2028.
Carriers that never had to register must have a permit or exemption from 22 July 2027.
Apply more than three months before your compliance date. If you do, your old registration stays in force until the Environment Agency decides. If you apply later, the old registration ends on your compliance date even if no decision has been made (regulation 30).
What checks will the Environment Agency make on permit applicants?
GOV.UK said in May 2026 that permit applicants will go through identity, criminal record and technical checks before receiving a permit.
Defra's policy paper says the regulator will not grant a permit to someone it considers will not be the legal operator of the business or will not operate in line with the permit. That may include people who have not followed permit conditions in the past and people with more serious unspent criminal convictions.
Tax checks are separate. In November 2025 the government said tax conditionality will be introduced in the waste sector, but that response gave no start date.
What is technical competence for waste carriers?
Technical competence will be mandatory for the permit holder and any nominated persons in the business, according to Defra's August 2025 policy paper. There will be two routes: individual and workplace based.
A nominated person must be an employee, not a contractor or consultant, and cannot be the nominated person for any other permit. Holders of existing site competence, such as Technically Competent Managers, will still need the separate transporter or controller competence.
Defra says businesses carrying lower volumes of their own construction or demolition waste will need only a lower level permit with no mandatory competence assessment. Permits will be renewed every 3 years with a declaration that conditions and competence are still met; miss the renewal date and you make a full new application.
Where must the waste permit number appear?
Permit holders must display their permit number in advertising, including branding on vans (GOV.UK, May 2026).
The regulations add a roadside rule: the driver of any vehicle carrying waste must carry the permit number and a unique driver number given by the operator, and the operator must keep a record of the driver numbers it has issued. Businesses on a registered exemption must put their registration number on their advertising.
If the Environment Agency suspends a permit, the operator must remove the permit from its vehicles and the permit number from its advertising as soon as practicable. GOV.UK says illegally transporting or dealing in waste will carry up to five years in prison.
What should skip and clearance firms do now?
Check your expiry date on the Environment Agency public register. That date sets your compliance date.
Hold one registration only. Since 12 August 2026, any second registration for an English business is void.
Fix the tier now. A firm collecting customers' waste on a lower tier registration needs an upper tier registration today, before the permit question arises.
Choose who will hold competence and keep training records, because a nominated person must be an employee.
Plan where the permit number goes: van livery, website, quotes, directory listings and printed adverts.
Set up a driver number log for every driver who carries waste.
Put a reminder in the diary to apply more than three months before your compliance date, and watch for the Environment Agency consultation on standard rules permits and charges.
Common questions
Will my upper tier registration stop working on 22 July 2027?
No. Under SI 2026/873, an upper tier registration in England stays valid until the date it was due to expire. You need a permit or registered exemption from the day after that date.
How much will a waste carrier permit cost?
Fees had not been published when we checked in October 2026. Defra's policy paper says a 3 year permit will be paid up front as an application fee plus 3 years of compliance charges, with the compliance part refunded if the application fails.
Does the new permit system apply in Wales or Scotland?
SI 2026/873 creates the permit system for England. Wales keeps NRW registration for now, and Scotland moved waste carriers to EASR registrations with SEPA from 1 November 2025.
Can a man and van firm use an exemption instead of a permit?
Probably not. The exemptions in the regulations cover narrow cases, such as a business carrying waste from its own work that is not construction waste, or a charity running a free service. Defra says a business removing other people's waste needs a permit.