Does digital waste tracking apply to my site?
It applies from 1 October 2026 if you hold an environmental permit for a site that receives waste in England or Wales. That covers transfer stations, metal recyclers, treatment facilities, landfill, anaerobic digestion, composting and bespoke landspreading.
It doesn’t yet apply if you hold only a waste exemption - U10, U11 and the T-codes. Your date is October 2027.
Check the permit, not the guess
The quickest check is the free permit check. Enter your site details and it tells you whether digital waste tracking applies to you. It takes about a minute.
A permit number follows the same pattern every time: two letters, four digits, then two letters. AB1234CD, for example. If the number you have doesn’t look like that, you’re probably holding an exemption or a registration instead of a permit.
If the check finds no permit, it can mean an application is still in the system. An application isn’t a permit. Confirm with the Environment Agency before you rely on either answer.
Councils are not exempt
If a council runs a permitted site that receives waste, the same rules apply to it as to any other operator. Councils were previously told not to register with Defra. That changed on 7 August 2026, and councils can now use the service.
Scotland and Northern Ireland start in January
The 1 October 2026 date is England and Wales only. Sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland start on 1 January 2027. If you operate in more than one country, each site reports on its own date.
If it applies to you
Byrne Waste Tracking is £89 a month per site, plus £70 to set up, once, when you sign up. Unlimited loads, unlimited users, no contract.
I’m listed on GOV.UK as a compatible software provider, and Defra publish the full list so you can compare.
Still not sure it applies? Run the free permit check first, then book a demo using one of your own loads.
Last updated September 2026