Guides / Waste export permit · Updated 19 October 2026

Waste export permit UK: Green List, consent and customs

Exporting scrap metal, paper or plastics for recycling? Whether you need a waste export permit in the UK depends on how the waste is classified. Green List waste needs an Annex VII form and a contract; notifiable waste needs written consent before it moves; and every load still needs a customs export declaration.

This guide is also available in Polish.

Do you need a waste export permit in the UK?

Strictly speaking, there is no single "waste export permit". Every shipment of waste leaving the UK falls into one of three control levels, and the level decides what paperwork you need:

• Prohibited – the waste cannot be exported at all.
• Notification controls (often called amber list) – you need written consent from the competent authorities of every country involved before anything moves. This consent is what most people mean when they search for a permit.
• Green List (Article 18) controls – simplified controls for most non-hazardous waste sent for recovery. No consent is needed, but every load must travel with a completed Annex VII form and be backed by a recovery contract.

The Environment Agency's guidance says Green List controls generally apply to waste listed under a single entry in Annex III of the assimilated Waste Shipments Regulation, and that all other wastes need notification. It also warns that the destination or transit country may still ban the import, or insist on notification, even when the UK treats the waste as Green List. So the answer to "do I need a permit?" always depends on two classifications: the UK's and the receiving country's.

Who regulates waste exports in each part of the UK

Waste shipment rules are environmental controls, so they are run by the environment regulators, not by HMRC.

In Great Britain the legal basis is Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, kept in UK law and amended by several EU Exit regulations, together with the Green List regulation (EC) No 1418/2007. Northern Ireland is different: DAERA says Northern Ireland continues to apply Regulation 1013/2006 and that EU waste shipment controls continue to apply there. If you ship from Northern Ireland, read DAERA's guidance rather than the English pages.

Green List waste: the Annex VII form and the recovery contract

To be shipped under Green List controls, the Environment Agency says the waste must not be prohibited, must not need notification, must not contain hazardous waste and must be properly sorted before loading. If more than minimal contamination is left after sorting, the load may have to go under notification controls or may be prohibited altogether.

For every Green List shipment:

• Complete the Annex VII form in full. The person who arranges the shipment is named in block 1 and signs block 12 to confirm a contract is in place.
• After the waste arrives, the importer and the recovery facility sign blocks 13 and 14.
• Have a contract that obliges the exporter to take the waste back, or recover it another way, if the shipment cannot be completed or turns out to be illegal.
• Make sure the signed form travels with the waste at all times.
• Keep copies of the Annex VII form and the contract for 3 years.

Two newer requirements are worth knowing. In England, the Environment Agency's guidance says new rules apply to Article 18 exports after 1 July 2026: you must tell the agency about the waste exports you are likely to carry out in the next 12 months, and report even if you expect none. The agency can then send formal information notices; ignoring one can lead to enforcement or a prohibition notice that stops you exporting. In Scotland, SEPA asks exporters to email the Annex VII form to SEPA or upload the information through the National Packaging Waste Database.

Notification controls: getting consent before you ship

For notifiable waste the process is heavier. In England you apply through IWS online with a signed notification, a movement form, proof of payment, the contract and insurance details. The Environment Agency checks a complete package within 3 working days and then sends it to the other authorities. SEPA's guidance adds that the other authorities generally have 30 days to decide, or 60 days where the destination is outside the OECD.

Key points from the official guidance:

• Nothing can move until every relevant authority has consented.
• Consent is normally given for up to 12 months, or up to 3 years for pre-consented facilities.
• Each individual shipment must be pre-notified at least 3 working days, and no more than 30 days, before it leaves.
• A financial guarantee must cover transport, recovery or disposal, and storage for up to 90 days if the export cannot be completed. The guarantor must be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority.
• Notification charges are set by the regulator; in England they have risen each year in line with CPI since April 2026.
• All shipment and treatment documents must be kept for at least 3 years.

What changed on the EU side in 2026

If your waste goes to an EU country, the receiving side now works under a new law. According to the European Commission, Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on shipments of waste entered into force on 20 May 2024, most of its provisions apply from 21 May 2026, and procedures are now handled electronically through a central EU system. For non-hazardous Green List waste moving within the EU and OECD, the Commission says general information such as quantity, origin, destination and treatment must be made available before the shipment.

The English guidance also notes that some EU member states require waste to enter through a designated customs office, and that carriers must give a copy of the movement form to the customs office of entry into the EU when asked. Check this with the importing country before you book transport. For the UK-to-Poland route specifically, with typical waste streams and the Polish authorities involved, Easy Clearance has a separate page on the customs side of exporting recyclable waste.

The customs declaration side

Environmental consent and customs clearance are two separate tracks, and you need both. Waste leaving Great Britain is still goods leaving the UK, so the normal export rules apply:

• You need an EORI number starting with GB to export from England, Wales or Scotland.
• You, or a representative, must submit an export declaration and get customs clearance before the goods leave. Declarations are made in CDS.
• The declaration needs the right commodity code, customs procedure code, a DUCR, consignor and consignee details and any certificates or licences that apply.
• By road, the declaration must be made at least one hour before departure.

In practice the documents should tell one consistent story: the description and commodity code on the export declaration, the waste description on the Annex VII form or movement document, and the contract should all describe the same material. A mismatch between the customs entry and the environmental paperwork is an easy way to attract questions at the border. If you are unsure whether to file the declaration yourself or appoint someone, see do you need a customs broker.

Quick checklist before the first load

• Classify the waste: prohibited, notification or Green List, in the UK and in the destination country.
• Identify your regulator (EA, SEPA, NRW or NIEA) and complete any registration or notification.
• Sign the recovery contract with take-back terms.
• Prepare the Annex VII form or movement document for every load.
• Arrange the export declaration with a GB EORI and the correct commodity code.
• Keep every document for at least 3 years.

Related guides

• Importing toys from Poland and the EU into Great Britain

• Statement on origin: claiming zero duty under the UK–EU TCA

• Importing Polish vodka and beer as a UK wholesaler

Sources

• Waste: import and export (GOV.UK, Environment Agency)
• Waste export and import (SEPA)
• Transfrontier shipment of waste (DAERA, Northern Ireland)
• Waste shipments (European Commission)
• Making a full export declaration (GOV.UK)

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements on gov.uk or with a registered agent before you ship.